Pizza Napoletana
Pizza Napoletana
Ingredients
For the Sourdough Pizza Dough
- 500 g strong bread flour
- 350 ml water, lukewarm
- 100 g active sourdough starter
- 10 g fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
For the Topping
- 400 g canned crushed tomatoes, San Marzano preferred
- 250 g fresh mozzarella, drained and torn into small pieces
- 12 fresh basil leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- flour, for dusting, as needed
Instructions
- 1
In a large bowl, combine the lukewarm water and active sourdough starter. Stir until the starter is mostly dissolved. Add the strong bread flour and mix with a spoon until a shaggy dough forms. Cover the bowl and let it rest for 30 minutes (autolyse).
⏱️ 30 min
- 2
After the autolyse, add the fine sea salt and extra virgin olive oil to the dough. Mix by hand for about 5-7 minutes, stretching and folding the dough until it comes together and feels more cohesive. The dough will still be sticky.
⏱️ 7 min
- 3
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled clean bowl. Perform a series of stretch and folds every 30 minutes for the next 2 hours. After the last fold, cover the bowl and let the dough ferment at room temperature for 2-3 hours, or until it has visibly increased in volume and is bubbly.
⏱️ 240 min
- 4
Gently turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions (approximately 250g each). Gently shape each portion into a ball. Place the dough balls on a lightly floured tray, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 12 hours, or up to 24 hours, for a slow cold fermentation.
⏱️ 10 min
- 5
About 2 hours before baking, remove the dough balls from the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature. This makes them easier to work with.
⏱️ 120 min
- 6
Preheat your oven to its highest setting, ideally 250 °C (480 °F) or higher, with a pizza stone or steel inside, for at least 45-60 minutes. This is crucial for a crispy crust.
⏱️ 60 min•🌡️ 250
- 7
While the oven preheats, prepare the tomato sauce: In a small bowl, gently crush the canned tomatoes with your hands or a fork. Stir in the 1/2 teaspoon of fine sea salt and 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Set aside.
⏱️ 5 min
- 8
On a lightly floured surface, take one dough ball. Gently stretch and press the dough from the center outwards with your fingertips, leaving a raised edge for the crust. Avoid using a rolling pin. Aim for a round shape about 25-30 cm in diameter.
⏱️ 2 min
- 9
Carefully transfer the shaped pizza base onto a well-floured pizza peel. Spread about 1/4 of the tomato sauce evenly over the center of the pizza, leaving the raised crust clear.
⏱️ 1 min
- 10
Slide the pizza from the peel onto the preheated pizza stone or steel in the oven. Bake for 3-4 minutes, or until the crust starts to puff up and show some charring.
⏱️ 4 min•🌡️ 250
- 11
Carefully pull the pizza out slightly, add 1/4 of the torn fresh mozzarella pieces evenly over the tomato sauce. Return the pizza to the oven and continue baking for another 2-3 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and charred in spots, and the mozzarella is melted and bubbly.
⏱️ 3 min•🌡️ 250
- 12
Remove the pizza from the oven. Place 2-3 fresh basil leaves in the center. Let it rest for a minute before slicing and serving immediately. Repeat for the remaining dough balls.
⏱️ 1 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Pizza Napoletana
For the Sourdough Pizza Dough
- 500 g strong bread flour
- 350 ml water, lukewarm
- 100 g active sourdough starter
- 10 g fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
For the Topping
- 400 g canned crushed tomatoes, San Marzano preferred
- 250 g fresh mozzarella, drained and torn into small pieces
- 12 fresh basil leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- flour, for dusting, as needed
Instructions
- 1
In a large bowl, combine the lukewarm water and active sourdough starter. Stir until the starter is mostly dissolved. Add the strong bread flour and mix with a spoon until a shaggy dough forms. Cover the bowl and let it rest for 30 minutes (autolyse).
⏱️ 30 min - 2
After the autolyse, add the fine sea salt and extra virgin olive oil to the dough. Mix by hand for about 5-7 minutes, stretching and folding the dough until it comes together and feels more cohesive. The dough will still be sticky.
⏱️ 7 min - 3
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled clean bowl. Perform a series of stretch and folds every 30 minutes for the next 2 hours. After the last fold, cover the bowl and let the dough ferment at room temperature for 2-3 hours, or until it has visibly increased in volume and is bubbly.
⏱️ 240 min - 4
Gently turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions (approximately 250g each). Gently shape each portion into a ball. Place the dough balls on a lightly floured tray, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 12 hours, or up to 24 hours, for a slow cold fermentation.
⏱️ 10 min - 5
About 2 hours before baking, remove the dough balls from the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature. This makes them easier to work with.
⏱️ 120 min - 6
Preheat your oven to its highest setting, ideally 250 °C (480 °F) or higher, with a pizza stone or steel inside, for at least 45-60 minutes. This is crucial for a crispy crust.
⏱️ 60 min•🌡️ 250 - 7
While the oven preheats, prepare the tomato sauce: In a small bowl, gently crush the canned tomatoes with your hands or a fork. Stir in the 1/2 teaspoon of fine sea salt and 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Set aside.
⏱️ 5 min - 8
On a lightly floured surface, take one dough ball. Gently stretch and press the dough from the center outwards with your fingertips, leaving a raised edge for the crust. Avoid using a rolling pin. Aim for a round shape about 25-30 cm in diameter.
⏱️ 2 min - 9
Carefully transfer the shaped pizza base onto a well-floured pizza peel. Spread about 1/4 of the tomato sauce evenly over the center of the pizza, leaving the raised crust clear.
⏱️ 1 min - 10
Slide the pizza from the peel onto the preheated pizza stone or steel in the oven. Bake for 3-4 minutes, or until the crust starts to puff up and show some charring.
⏱️ 4 min•🌡️ 250 - 11
Carefully pull the pizza out slightly, add 1/4 of the torn fresh mozzarella pieces evenly over the tomato sauce. Return the pizza to the oven and continue baking for another 2-3 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and charred in spots, and the mozzarella is melted and bubbly.
⏱️ 3 min•🌡️ 250 - 12
Remove the pizza from the oven. Place 2-3 fresh basil leaves in the center. Let it rest for a minute before slicing and serving immediately. Repeat for the remaining dough balls.
⏱️ 1 min