Wood-fired Gourmet Neapolitan Pizza Selections Recipe

Weigh and prepare ingredients. For temperature control: water should be 20–24°C (68–75°F). Place 00 flour in a large mixing bowl or planetary mixer bowl and make a shallow well in the center.

Dissolve the active dry yeast in the water. Add the yeast to the water and stir briefly; let sit 2–3 minutes until slightly foamy. If using instant yeast, mix directly with flour.

Combine water and flour. Pour most of the water into the well and begin mixing with your hand or a wooden spoon, gradually incorporating flour from the edges until a shaggy dough forms.

Add salt and oil. When the dough is roughly combined, sprinkle the salt over the dough and add the olive oil. Continue mixing until the dough comes together.

Knead 8–10 minutes by hand (or 6–8 minutes in a mixer with dough hook) until the dough becomes smooth, elastic and slightly tacky. The dough should pass the windowpane test (can be stretched thin without tearing). Add a teaspoon of water at a time if the dough is too stiff; add a dusting of flour if too sticky.

Bulk fermentation. Form the dough into a ball, place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rise at room temperature for 1–1.5 hours or until roughly doubled. For stronger flavor and better digestibility, retard in the refrigerator for 18–48 hours (divide into balls before refrigeration—see next step).

Divide and rest. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 4 equal pieces (~360 g each if exact). Shape each into a tight ball. Place dough balls on a tray, cover with plastic wrap, and rest at room temperature for 2 hours (if previously refrigerated, allow to come to room temp for 1–2 hours first).

Final shaping. Gently press the center of a dough ball to release air and using your fingertips stretch from the center outward to form a 10–12 inch (25–30 cm) round with a slightly thicker 1–1.5 cm rim. Do not use a rolling pin—keep the edge puffy for Neapolitan char.

Crush tomatoes. Pour the canned San Marzano tomatoes into a bowl and crush them by hand or pulse gently with an immersion blender for a slightly chunky texture. Do not over-blend; sauce should remain light and fresh.

Season. Add the fine sea salt, torn basil leaves, olive oil and crushed red pepper if using. Taste and adjust salt. The sauce is uncooked and used fresh—this keeps a bright tomato flavor suited for high-heat wood-fired ovens.

Reserve. Keep sauce chilled until ready to use. Stir before portioning to ensure even consistency.

Preheat oven/wood-fired oven. If using a wood-fired oven, build fire and heat oven floor to 430–480°C (800–900°F) until consistent cooking zone established. For home ovens with pizza stone, preheat at maximum temperature (usually 250–290°C / 480–550°F) for at least 45 minutes.

Assemble Margherita. Lightly dust a pizza peel with semolina. Place a stretched dough round on the peel. Spoon 90–120 g (about 1/3–1/2 cup) of the San Marzano sauce onto the center and spread gently in a circular motion leaving a 1–1.5 cm rim.

Add mozzarella. Distribute 100 g of torn or sliced fresh mozzarella evenly across the sauce, leaving some open sauce for charring.

Bake. Slide the pizza into the oven. In a wood-fired oven at 430–480°C, bake 60–90 seconds, rotating frequently for even char. In a home oven at max temp on a stone, bake 6–8 minutes until crust is puffed and slightly charred and cheese is melted and bubbling.

Finish. Remove pizza, scatter fresh basil leaves, drizzle with finishing olive oil and sprinkle a pinch of flaky sea salt. Slice and serve immediately.

Assemble base. Stretch a dough round and place on a semolina-dusted peel. Spread 80–100 g of San Marzano sauce leaving the rim clear. Scatter a light layer of fresh mozzarella if desired (optional: 50–80 g) to help hold toppings.

Bake. Transfer to oven and bake until crust is puffed and slightly charred and any cheese has melted (timing: 60–90 sec in wood oven; 6–8 min in hot home oven).

Prepare arugula. While pizza bakes, toss baby arugula with lemon juice, 1 tsp olive oil and a pinch of flaky salt to lightly dress—do not overdress or wilt the leaves.

Finish with prosciutto. Remove pizza from oven and immediately drape prosciutto slices over the hot pizza so they relax but do not overcook. Top with dressed arugula and scatter Parmesan shavings. Finish with a light crack of black pepper and optional chili oil.

Sauté mushrooms. Heat 1 tablespoon unsalted butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced mushrooms and sauté until they release moisture and start to brown, about 5–7 minutes. Add minced garlic and thyme in the last minute; season with 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper and a light pinch of salt. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Assemble pizza. Stretch a dough round on the peel. Spread 60–80 g of San Marzano sauce thinly (this helps keep mushrooms as the star). Scatter the sautéed mushrooms evenly across the base.

Add Taleggio. Tear 50 g of Taleggio evenly across the pizza so it melts into pockets. If using fontina, distribute similarly.

Bake. Slide into oven and bake until crust is blistered and cheese is melted and creamy (60–90 sec wood oven; 7–9 min home oven).

Finish. Remove and finish with a few fresh thyme leaves and a light drizzle of olive oil or a grind of black pepper. Serve immediately.

General serving. Slice pizzas with a rocker or pizza cutter. For each pizza, sprinkle a light pinch of flaky sea salt and, if desired, a small drizzle of chili oil for heat.

Timing & portioning. Each pizza serves 1 adult as a main (or 2 as part of a multi-course meal). Serve hot and advise guests that Neapolitan pizzas are best eaten immediately for optimal texture.

Storage. Leftover baked slices can be reheated in a hot skillet for 1–2 minutes per side or in a 200°C oven for 5–7 minutes. Dough balls can be refrigerated up to 48 hours or frozen for up to 3 months (thaw in refrigerator overnight before bringing to room temp and shaping).