What Is Neapolitan Pizza?
In This Article:
Neapolitan pizza is a type of pizza that originated in Naples, Italy.
This style of pizza is prepared with simple and fresh ingredients: a basic dough, raw tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, and olive oil. No fancy toppings are allowed!
The Neapolitan pizza is thicker than the type served in other areas of Italy. It is made with a yeast dough that is usually cooked in a wood-fired oven.
It is often topped with tomato sauce (usually a thick meatless sauce made from crushed tomatoes, sugar, herbs, and spices), cheese (usually mozzarella and/or provolone), and various toppings, such as anchovies, olives, artichokes, hot peppers, and basil.
History Of Neapolitan Pizza
It is said that the first pizzas were made in Naples in the late 18th century, in Pizzeria Massa.
Legend has it that there were two brothers from the town of Massa, which is located south of Naples.
One of the brothers, Giuseppe Masci, had a taste for Neapolitan pizza and he began to make his own Neapolitan pizza.
The first pizzas were made from a yeast and wheat flour dough, baked on fire in a large iron pan.
Another legend has it that Italian-born American chef Giuseppe Tentori created the Neapolitan Pizza (also called Napoletana, Napoli, or pizza Napoletana) in the mid-nineteenth century and sold it on the street in Naples.
The pizza is simple, not fancy and most importantly, made with the best ingredients.
It was a huge hit and was sold in Naples and other towns from the mid-nineteenth through the early twentieth century.
Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana
Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, or AVPN, is a non-profit organization that promotes and defends authentic Neapolitan pizza.
It was founded in 1869 by Gennaro Lombardi in the village of Porta Capuana, located in the region of the Italian Riviera.
In 1891, Gennaro Lombardi was in the United States and became the American representative of the Associazione.
In that same year, he opened the First Pizzeria in New York in Central Place.
The first American pizzas were called “pizza Lombardi” in 1890.
Today the mission of Associazione Pizza Napoletana is to ensure the quality of traditional and artisanal pizza and to protect and promote the traditional pizza baking methods, ingredients, and tools.
AVPN is dedicated to the study, promotion, preservation, and appreciation of Neapolitan Pizza.
The APN is a professional association, and its members are private individuals with a tradition of artisanal baking, who wish to protect their knowledge in an artisanal style.
Authentic Requirements
Neapolitan pizza must be made by hand and from the original method of the pizzaiolo (true pizzaiolo does not use a machine and use natural ingredients).
The dough must be mixed with a special formula and the dough must be pressed by hand.
The pizza must be baked in a special oven that is well ventilated and must cook in less than 30 minutes.
The pizza must be cooked as the pizzaiolo makes the pizza, with a thin layer of top crust (al taglio) and no bottom crust (al Fondo).
The cheese that is most often used on the pizza Fior di latte or Mozzarella Di Bufala is made from the milk of the water buffalos that are indigenous to the area.
Other common ingredients include tomatoes, olive oil, basil, and sometimes chili peppers. Pizza should be topped with pureed San Marzano tomatoes.
Variations of Neapolitan Pizza
There are a variety of pizzas that are generally similar to a Neapolitan Pizza, but different.
These pizzas are variations of a Neapolitan Pizza such as a cheese pizza with different ingredients or a pizza with some different toppings.
The variations of pizza Neapolitana are usually dictated by the tastes of the consumer.
The variations can be based on the ingredients used or the toppings.
Traditionally this pizza has three variations: pizza Margherita extra, pizza Marinara, and pizza Margherita.
Despite several variations of Neapolitan Pizza consumers love it for its Italian taste and flavor.
This is pizza that deserves to be tried in the heart of Italy.
