Neapolitan Margherita
The platonic ideal. Three ingredients you can pronounce, plus time. Time is the actual recipe.
Intro
Soft, charred, eaten with a fork at first because the center is too wet to fold. Anything baked in a home oven below 550°F is "Neapolitan-style," not Neapolitan. Don't get hung up on it. No sugar, no oil — they aren't traditional and they don't help here.
Ingredients
note · See the linked Neapolitan Dough recipe.
note · See the linked Raw San Marzano Sauce recipe.
note · See the linked Fresh Mozzarella Prep.
note · Added after the bake.
note · Drizzle before the bake.
The process
- 1
Preheat
Get the steel or stone screaming hot — max oven temp (550°F+) for 1 hour, broiler on for the last 5 minutes.
✶ Pizzaiolo tipAnything below 550°F is "Neapolitan-style," not Neapolitan.⏱ Preheat60:00 - 2
Stretch by hand
On a floured surface, press from the center outward. Leave a 1cm cornicione. Never use a rolling pin.
- 3
Sauce
Crushed San Marzanos in a spiral, leaving the rim bare. No cooking, no blending — keep it bright.
- 4
Cheese & oil
Tear fior di latte into pieces (drained — see linked cheese prep). Distribute evenly. Drizzle olive oil.
✶ Pizzaiolo tipWork fast — cold dough launches better. - 5
Bake
Launch onto the steel/stone. Broiler on for the last 30–60 seconds for char. Every oven is different — watch carefully.
⏱ Bake02:00 - 6
Basil & rest
Tear fresh basil over the hot pie. Rest 60 seconds before slicing so the cheese sets.
✶ Pizzaiolo tipIf the cornicione is flat and pale, your oven wasn't hot enough or you rolled the dough.⏱ Rest01:00
The gear used
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