Nothing beats a well-made Italian pizza but they can be expensive when dining out or ordering in.
Making them from scratch is the cheapest alternative to satisfy your cravings, and Naples-born chef Gino D’Acampo has the perfect recipe.
Sharing it on his website, Gino said: “Pizza originated in Naples and it’s where the best, most authentic pizza can still be found today – and I’m not just saying that because I’m a Neapolitan!
“Apparently this topping was created in the 19th century to honour the visit of Queen Margherita to Naples, as it represented the colours of the Italian flag – red, white and green.”
His recipe doesn’t have a complicated mixture of toppings but rather focuses on the most traditional kind of all – the humble Neapolitan with buffalo mozzarella, tomatoes and basil.
Gino’s Neapolitan pizza recipe
To make the dough, add the flour to a large mixing bowl followed by the yeast which should be placed on one side of the bowl. On the other side of the bowl, add the salt.
Make a well in the centre to gradually pour the oil into, then add 140ml of warm water. Take the handle of a wooden spoon to mix everything until it forms a wet dough.
Next, turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for five minutes until elastic and smooth. After this, shape the dough into a ball and place it in a sizeable, well-oiled bowl.
Brush the dough with a little oil and cover the bowl with cling film before leaving it to rest at room temperature for 25 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220C (gas mark 7).
Move onto the topping by combining the tomatoes, oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Squeeze the tomatoes by hand to a fine pulp, then leave for later.
Turn the rested dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead four times over to “knock out the air”. After this, halve the dough and place each portion in the centre of an oiled baking tray.
Push the ball into a flat pizza base using your fingertips until it is stretched to about 25cm in diameter, and 1-2cm thick. A rolling pin may help but either way, don’t forget to make a small crust by pulling the edges up slightly. Repeat on the other pizza base.
Spread the tomato mixture evenly over the bases, avoiding the rim, and top with buffalo mozzarella. Bake for 12-14 minutes until golden, then remove from the oven, scatter the basil and cook for a minute more before serving.
