Neapolitan Pizza: How to Make the Original from Naples at Home

A soft, airy crust with dark spots, a thin, juicy base, few but good ingredients: Neapolitan pizza is the original. Since 2017, the art of the Neapolitan pizzaiuolo has even been part of UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage. What makes it special, and how do you get as close as possible at home?

The rules of real Pizza Napoletana

“Pizza Napoletana” is protected in the EU as a Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG). The most important rules:

• Dough: only wheat flour, water, salt and yeast. No oil, no sugar.
• Shaping: by hand only, no rolling pin. This pushes the air into the crust.
• Size: no more than about 35 cm in diameter, with a crust (cornicione) 1 to 2 cm high.
• Baking: in a wood-fired oven at around 430 to 485 °C, for just 60 to 90 seconds.
• The classics: Margherita (tomato, mozzarella or fior di latte, basil, olive oil) and Marinara (tomato, garlic, oregano, olive oil).

Recipe for 4 pizzas

• 600 g tipo 00 flour
• 370 g water
• 18 g salt
• 1 g dry yeast or 3 g fresh yeast

1. Dissolve the yeast in the water, gradually work in the flour, then the salt. Knead for 10 minutes.
2. Cover and let rest for 2 hours at room temperature.
3. Divide into 4 dough balls of about 245 g each, shape them and let them mature, covered, for 8 to 24 hours (shorter at room temperature, longer in the fridge – see Long-Fermentation Pizza Dough).
4. Place a dough ball in flour and press it flat with your fingers from the centre outwards. Don't touch the rim.
5. Top sparingly with crushed tomatoes, pieces of mozzarella, basil and a drizzle of olive oil.

Baking in a home oven

A home oven won't reach 450 °C, but these tricks get you close:

• Place a pizza steel or stone on the top rack and preheat for at least 45 minutes at maximum temperature.
• Launch the pizza onto the hot steel and switch on the grill after 3 to 4 minutes so the crust takes on colour.
• Drain the mozzarella well, or the pizza will be too wet.

For the full authentic experience, an outdoor pizza oven that reaches 400 °C and more is the way to go.

How is pizza eaten in Naples?

In Naples, pizza usually arrives at the table uncut. It's eaten with a knife and fork, or on the go “a portafoglio” – folded twice like a wallet. The centre is so soft that it gives when you lift it, and that's intentional.

That's exactly why cutting it is tricky when you want to share it at home: a pizza wheel presses the soft base together, and tomato and mozzarella run into the cut. With pizza scissors you cut through crust and centre in one go, without pressing. Tips in the article How to Cut Pizza Without the Toppings Sliding Off.

The CILITTI pizza scissors with green, white and red handles suit a pizza from Naples like few other tools.

View the scissors on Amazon

Frequently asked questions

Why is Neapolitan pizza so soft in the middle?

Because it bakes for only 60 to 90 seconds at very high heat. The crust puffs up while the centre stays juicy. That's not a flaw – it's typical.

What flour do I need for Neapolitan pizza?

Italian tipo 00 wheat flour, ideally a special pizza flour with about 12 to 13 % protein.

Is it OK to cut Neapolitan pizza?

Of course. In Naples it's usually served whole; at home it's cut for sharing. Scissors work best, so the soft centre isn't squashed.