Neapolitan Pizza

pizza margherita

Pizza Napolentana (pizza margherita)

This southern Italian speciality has only five elements, the crust, San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and olive oil.  The crust is quite thin.  The tomatoes are used raw.  Olive oil is used in both the crust and for drizzling atop the finished pizza.

Ingredients:

• 0.5 tsp yeast
• 0.75 cup water
• 2 cup high-protein flour
• 1 Tb olive oil
• 1 cup of San Marzano tomato sauce
• sea salt
• 8 oz of fresh mozzarella
• Romano cheese for grating (optional)

mise en place

The Dough:

For two 9 in. crusts do:
Proof the yeast in 0.25 cup of the warm water.  Once proofed, add the yeast, rest of the water and oil to the flour and mix.  Add the salt near the end of the mixing.

Let the dough rise for 2 hours, then separate into 2 balls.  Shape the pizza rounds halfway and let the dough rest 20 mins.

The Sauce:

Mix 1 cup of raw San Marzano tomato sauce with 0.25 tsp of sea salt.

The Cheese:

Slice the mozzarella into thin pieces and divide into two equal piles.

Finished Pizza

The Pizza:

Pre-heat the oven to 490 F (or as high as you dare to put the thermostat).
Pre-heat a stone or cast-iron pan for at least 30 mins.
With the stone or pan ready and hot, take a pizza round and stretch it int 9 in. circle without putting it down.  Place directly onto the hot stone or pan.  Spread 0.5 cup of tomato sauce.  Top with 4 oz of sliced mozzarella.  Bake until crust is golden brown and cheese has melted into the sauce.
Take the pizza out of the oven and transfer to a cutting board.  Top with grated Romano and drizzle with olive oil.

Pizza and Chianti Classico

Wait 5 mins. for cheese to  settle, cut. and serve.

Wine:

A fruity Italian wine would go best, such as a Nero d'Avola.  If you can't / won't do fruity, then stick with a Chianti or a Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.  No French wines!

French 75 aromatique

French 75

French 75 aromatique

The usual, but given some more herbal notes by infusing the simple syrup with green aromatics.

Ingredients:

• 0.5 oz  simple syrup (infused, see below)
• 0.5 oz London Dry Gin (Tanqueray )
• 2 oz Sparkling Wine
• lemon twist

 

 Simple Infused Syrup

Combine 0.5 c water and 0.5 c white sugar in a sauce pan and bring to a boil with the lid on.  Boil for 2 min. and then remove from the heat.
Add around 2 tablespoons of greens, one of the following:

• Celery leaves
• Italian Parsley leaves
• Lemon Basil leaves (use sparingly)
• 2 Juniper berries (would supplement the Christmas tree flavor of the gin.  Tanqueray is rather weak Juniper flavor so it would pair nicely)
• 1 Star Anise pod (only around Easter or Christmas)

Let the syrup cool with the herb and then strain and chill.

  Assembly:

1. In a chilled Martini glass or Champagne flute, put the syrup and gin.
2. Top with sparkling wine and garnish with lemon twist.