HOME OVEN NEAPOLITAN (NeapolitanISH) PIZZA

Instructions

1. Measure water, yeast, flour, and salt into a medium bowl. Stir to combine. When the dough pulls together into a shaggy ball, mix for 1-2 mins with a wet hand, pinching the dough as you turn the bowl. Cover the bowl and let sit at room temp for 30 mins.
2. After 30 mins, proceed with strength building folds as shown in the video (4-5 times) then round the dough into more of a ball with a slap and fold method as shown in the video ( about 5-7 slap and folds). Cover and let sit at room temperature for another 30 mins.
3. After that 30 mins, divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Fold & roll each into smooth taught balls with a closed seam at the bottom as shown in the video at 2:57​. Add each ball to a well-oiled bowl, cover, and refrigerate to ferment for 12 hours to 3 days (3 days preferred).
4. When ready to bake, allow the dough to come to room temp (for about an hour).

FOR THE SAUCE:

1. Combine tomatoes and salt in a high-sided container and chop with an immersion blender to break down tomatoes (or pulse in a food processor). Stop before they're purred. They should still have some texture.

FOR GAS OVENS WITH HEATING ELEMENT AT THE BOTTOM (preferred cooking method):

1. Place the pizza stone on the bottom of the oven (be sure not to cover the holes) and place 1 oven rack at the highest position in the oven, about 6" below the broiler. Preheat fat for 550 or 30 minutes.

TO BUILD PIZZA:

1. Place dough ball on a floured surface. Fust top of the ball with flour. Flip and dust again. Use fingertips and back of the hand to form the dough into a flat round that's thin in the center, leaving about a 1" border of crust around the edges. When the dough reaches 8-9" round, finish shaping by pulling and stretching as shown at 7:29​. The finished dough should be about 12" round.
2. Flour peel with semolina, then place shaped dough on the peel to begin building pizza if using the gas oven. If using the stovetop cast iron method, see below. Spoon a light layer of tomato sauce onto the dough, making sure not to get sauce on the outside borders of the crust.
3. Add several chunks of fresh mozzarella (about 9) and 12-15 leaves of the basin, followed by a nice drizzle of olive oil and a generous pinch of flakey salt.
4. Jiggle the pizza peel to be sure the dough isn't stuck before loading the pizza onto the pizza stone on the bottom of the oven (sprinkled with semolina). As soon as the pizza is loaded, turn off the heat and turn on the broiler on high. After 4-5 min, check the bottom of your pizza. It should be browning and well set up. Transfer pizza from the stone to top oven rack about 6" below broiler. Keep an eye on the pizza and rotate after about 30 seconds. After about 1 minute of cooking, pizza should be nicely charred and ready to eat!

FOR ELECTRIC OVENS (or ovens without heating element on the bottom):

1. Preheat large cast-iron on the stovetop over high, add semolina to the bottom of the pan, add shaped dough to the pan and build the pizza. After 2-3 minutes or when the bottom of the pizza is browned, place the pan under the broiler on high for 45 seconds to a minute.