| Simple is best | | | | from the milk of a water buffalo rather than a cow. If |
| | | | | you can find this cheese (at a reasonable price) go for |
| You might be surprised to learn that traditional | | | | it. It makes a huge difference. |
| Napolitano pizza sauce is usually quite simple. I have | | | | |
| tasted hundreds of tomato sauces and the simplest | | | | |
| seems the best for our Napolitano pizza crust. Take a | | | | |
| look at the origin of pizza. | | | | Mozzarella di bufala |
| | | | | Shaping the dough |
| Ingredients (for 7-8 11 inch pizzas): | | | | |
| | | | | By now, your dough should be proofed for 4 to 8 |
| - 2- 28 oz cans diced plum tomatoes – I | | | | hours and ready for shaping. Place the dough ball on a |
| recommend San Marzano plum tomatoes from Italy | | | | lightly floured surface and place 8 fingers (no thumbs) |
| but they may be hard to find so you can go with other | | | | pressing along the edge farthest away from you. |
| varieties. | | | | Move fingertips toward you pressing into the dough |
| - 4 garlic cloves finely minced – this can be placed | | | | until you reach the other edge. Do this once again and |
| on the pizza directly or in the sauce | | | | then turn the dough 90 degrees and repeat twice this |
| - 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil | | | | way. Your dough should be about 8 to 9 inches |
| - To taste salt and pepper | | | | across. |
| - 6 tablespoons fresh basil leaves finely chopped (don't | | | | |
| even think about using dry) - the whole leaves can be | | | | |
| placed on the pizza below the cheese instead. | | | | |
| - 2 teaspoons sugar (add more if you prefer a | | | | Dough preparation |
| sweeter sauce) | | | | Throwing the dough around |
| - To taste red pepper flakes | | | | |
| | | | | To get good at what follows all I can say is practice. |
| Instructions: | | | | You can place the dough on one hand and flip it |
| | | | | between your hands gently. Then use your fists on the |
| Pizza sauce | | | | outside and gently spread your fists apart as you |
| | | | | move the dough in a circle over your fists. You are |
| I sometimes leave out the basil and garlic and sprinkle | | | | aiming to get an 11 inch round flat dough with even |
| over the sauce once the sauce is on the pizza (use | | | | thickness. Half the fun is learning how to shape and thin |
| whole basil leaves if you do this). Try both ways and | | | | the dough. |
| see which you prefer. Heat the oil in a heavy pan over | | | | |
| medium heat and then add the garlic. Allow the garlic | | | | |
| to sizzle for about 30 seconds and then add the | | | | |
| tomatoes. Crank the heat up to high and once the | | | | Dough forming |
| sauce starts to boil bring it back down to medium low. | | | | Sauce, cheese, and oil |
| Season to taste with salt, pepper, and red pepper | | | | |
| flakes. Next, add the basil and sugar and cook for | | | | Place the dough on a pizza pan and add the sauce to |
| another two minutes. That's it! | | | | the center. Use the back of the ladle in circular motions |
| | | | | to spread the sauce. This would be the time to add |
| | | | | the garlic and basil if you did not add it to the sauce. |
| | | | Now here is where I digress from the Napolitano pizza. |
| Sauce | | | | Typically they will cut 2 oz slices and spread it over |
| Wood grill | | | | the pizza. I like to grate the cheese and sprinkle it over |
| | | | | the pizza (I like mozzarella). Once the cheese is on, |
| At this point you should prepare your grill as I suggest | | | | drizzle about 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil over |
| in an earlier article getting it heated up to about 700 | | | | the pizza starting at the center and circling outward. |
| degrees F with the wood (see wood burning grill). | | | | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| | | | Cooking the pizza |
| Burning wood | | | | Now you are cooking |
| Mozzarella | | | | |
| | | | | Place the pizza as close to the burning wood as |
| Now we are ready to make the pizza. But before we | | | | possible and shut the lid. When one side begins to |
| begin let's talk about the mozzarella cheese. In a later | | | | brown twirl the pizza slightly trying not to let out too |
| article, I will show you how to make your own | | | | much heat. Do this until the pizza is fully cooked. |
| mozzarella from scratch. But for your first pizza, I | | | | Enjoy. |
| recommend buying freshly made whole milk | | | | |
| mozzarella. You will notice a big difference in the taste | | | | |
| if the mozzarella is fresh. Buffalo mozzarella | | | | |
| (mozzarella di bufala) is typically used in Italy and made | | | | I added pepperoni and mushrooms to this one. |