What is Neapolitan pizza?

What is Neapolitan pizza?

Authentic Neapolitan pizza originates from the birthplace of pizza, Naples. It involves simple ingredients and traditional methods that have been largely forgotten for quite a while. Luckily it is bouncing back, with many people finding this beautiful style of pizza for the first time.

American style pizza has mostly taken over Italian pizza, with countless takeaways across the world. But fortunately, the traditional Italian pizzas are making a resurgence. After all, there’s plenty of room in the world for various pizza styles!

That’s not to say that American style pizzas can’t be nice because they can. I have even devised the ultimate New York pizza recipe which you can check out here.

But for me, and many more people like me, nothing comes close to an authentic Italian Neapolitan pizza. Whilst there are no strict rules for the production of American style pizza, this is not the case for Neapolitan style pizza.

Keep reading to find out more about the rules of Neapolitan pizza, and much more. Alternatively, feel free to use the page contents below to skip ahead. You can also return to the page contents at any time by pressing the green button at the top right of the screen.

What are the rules for Neapolitan pizza?

There are strict guidelines set out by the Neapolitan Pizza Association (AVPN). Pizza cannot be officially sold as Neapolitan unless it closely follows the rules.

I suppose this could be compared to the production of Champagne. In order to be officially called Neapolitan, the pizza maker has to use traditional ingredients and methods.

I can understand why to some people this may seem pretentious. But to me, it’s great because it protects the Neapolitan pizza and it’s quality.

To summarise, the rules say roughly the following:

Note: you can click on the ingredients to check them out on Amazon.

• The dough should made with 0 or 00 flour (fine Italian flour)
• The amount of water (hydration) should be within the ideal range (around 60%)
• The proof should be at least 8 hours long (typically around 24 hours)
• The toppings should be authentic Italian ingredients, such as:
  • San Marzano tomatoes
  • Fresh mozzarella
  • Fresh basil
  • Extra virgin olive oil
• The pizza should be shaped in the traditional way, with a thin base and fairly thick crust
• A pizza oven must be used, with the ideal temperature
• The pizza must be served immediately, to be eaten as freshly as possible

Of course, at home, you can make pizza however you like. But from personal experience, I’ve found that following the rules as closely as possible always leads to the best Neapolitan pizza.

Also, there’s still room for experimentation. Even when following the rules closely, everybody makes their pizza slightly differently.

Is Neapolitan pizza thin crust?

Neapolitan pizza is not typically thin crust. It tends to have a thin base with a large, well-risen crust. The thin base is extremely important as it generally leads to the best cook, especially in a pizza oven.

Also, since the pizza cooks at very quickly in a pizza oven (less than 90 seconds), a thick base often leads to undercooked dough.

If you are thinking of thin crust pizza, you are probably thinking of a style called Romana pizza (Roman pizza).

However, Neapolitan pizza has a thick crust, and is not to be confused with the very crispy and thin crust Romana pizza.

What is the difference between Neapolitan style pizza and Roman style pizza?

Both Neapolitan style pizza and Roman style pizza are renowned for their excellence. A Romana pizza appeals to those like a really crispy thin crust and a Neapolitan pizza appeals to those that like a thicker crust that is soft in the middle but still crispy on the outside.

The Pizza Romana achieves it’s thin crust with the use of a rolling pin during the shaping. In contrast, Neapolitan pizza is shaped only by hand. This helps to keep more air in the crust.

For me, the Neapolitan pizza is the best as you get the really thin base with a crispy crust, but with the added benefit of a soft, baguette-like interior to the crust.

Of course, this mostly comes down to personal preference. I think everyone should try both styles of pizza before deciding which they prefer. Both Neapolian style and Roman style pizzas are delicious!

Is Neapolitan pizza soggy in the middle?

Neapolitan pizza shouldn’t really be soggy in the middle but it should have some moisture to it. To someone that has never tried this type of pizza before, I can see how it might seem soggy.

The main reason for the moisture is the fresh mozzarella that is used. This cheese is naturally high in moisture.

As the pizza cooks, some of this moisture is reduced. However, the mozzarella should always retain some of it’s moisture, it shouldn’t be burned. This leaves a soft, melted texture with a creamy flavour.

This is in contrast to a New York style pizza where dried mozzarella is used. The pizza is then cooked for longer, effectively burning the cheese. This creates a more crispy texture with a caremalised flavour.

It is worth mentioning that excess moisture (from the brine) should be removed from the fresh mozzarella before using it. Click here to check out my article on draining fresh mozzarella for pizza.

If you are struggling, click here to check out my article on how to fix soggy pizza.

Is Neapolitan pizza soft or crispy?

Neapolitan pizza is actually both soft and crispy. The crust is crispy on the outside and soft in the middle. Meanwhile, the base is lightly charred but remains mostly soft.

The pizza is cooked in a pizza oven with open flames at temperatures of around 450C/900F. At these, temperatures, the pizza cooks in just 60 to 90 seconds! The result of this is that the crust is crispy but the base remains quite soft.

In contrast, a New York style pizza cooks at around 300C/575F for about 5 minutes. Being in the oven for much longer, the base typically becomes much crispier.

Is Neapolitan pizza always floppy?

A perfectly cooked Neapolitan pizza is always floppy. The crispiness is in the crust but the base is usually very soft. The pizza is typically quite large (around 11 inches) which also helps with the flopiness.

The great thing is that the softness of the base makes the pizza really easy to eat. You get the crispiness of the crust without having a tough pizza that’s dry and chewy.

What makes a Neapolitan pizza?

For me, what makes a Neapolitan pizza is that it’s made with quality ingredients and time tested techniques. But most of all, it’s the fact that it’s made with love! When you make Neapolitan pizza, the perfect Neapolitan pizza, you make it with a passion!

Many people say “isn’t pizza just pizza?”.

Well… No! It isn’t!

It’s not just pizza, it’s a taste and texture sensation that’s amongst the most rewarding foods in the world to make and eat.

The dough is always made from scratch with the best quality ingredients. Also, the pizza is always shaped by hand using traditional methods.

This approach, along with a long proof time, allows for exceptional flavour and texture in the dough. It can be compared to artisan sourdough bread making. In fact, you can also make Neapolitan pizza with homemade sourdough!

Feel free to check out my sourdough pizza articles here if that’s something you’re interested in.

Is Neapolitan style pizza healthier?

Whilst Neapolitan pizza is not necessarily a healthy meal, in comparison to a takeaway pizza, it is typically considered much more nutritious. It’s probably not as unhealthy as you think!

For instance, unlike the American style pizza, Neapolitan pizza dough does not contain sugar or oil. In an American style pizza, the sugar and oil is used to encourage browning on the crust, since the pizza is cooked at a much lower temperature.

An authentic Neapolitan pizza dough, on the other hand,  is made with just 4 ingredients! Flour, water, salt, and yeast.

What’s more, the simple yet perfect Neapolitan pizza sauce doesn’t contain any added sugar. It contains just tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Whilst this may not sound that exciting, only the best tomatoes are used to produce a wonderfully bright and fresh sauce.

Neapolitan pizza also has much fewer toppings on it than most styles of pizza. This helps to allow the quality of the dough to shine.

Check out my article here about this to find out how healthy Neapolitan pizza really is. In that article, I calculate the calories and fat in various Neapolitan pizzas.

Also, for some great healthy topping ideas, check out my article on authentic Neapolitan pizza toppings here.

Final thoughts…

Neapolitan pizza is very different to most other types of pizza. It has a long history and it embraces traditional ingredients and techniques.

To me, Neapolitan pizza is one of the best taste and texture experiences there is. If you haven’t already, I urge you try it. Why not start learning yourself and then you can enjoy amazing pizza at home?!

Like me, you may enjoy the process as well, it’s very rewarding. You’ll also learn a lot about dough making in general, not just for Neapolitan pizza, and not just for pizza either. Once you’ve learnt how to make amazing pizza dough, you’ll be able to make great bread dough too.

Alternatively, you check out my more in-depth pizza school series, with each part featuring a video. Click here for the first part on mixing pizza dough by hand.

Good luck with your pizza making!