PIZZA NAPOLI
A real classic pizza comes from Napoli - that is, where the first pizza was invented. This is a very simple recipe, as it relies on just tomatoes, mozzarella and olive oil. Because of this simplicity you really need to have fresh ingredients, which are in season and taste at their peak. That goes not onnly for tomatoes. Even good mozzarella (from water buffalo milk) and a good olive oil are necessary to turn this pizza into a tasty meal. Using "normal" cheese and canned tomatoes will not really satisfy your palate, I think.
4 pizzas:
Dough:
500 g/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
25 g/0.8 oz yeast
450 mL/1 pint of water
Mix flour and salt in a bowl, dissolve the yeast in some of the warm water and add to the dough and mix. Then gradually add the rest of the water while kneading the dough. Add just enough water so the dough is not sticky and elastic. You need to knead it until it's smooth and kind of fluffy, which will take a few minutes if intensive kneading! The dough will be great though. Rest the dough for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 225 C/440 F.
Topping:
500 g/1 lb cherry tomatoes, halved
4 tbsp olive oil
300 g/10 oz mozzarella
basil leaves for garnish
If you wish, you can remove the seeds and the inner part of the tomatoes with your fingers (that's how they usually do in Napoli) although I personally like the entire tomatoes! It's up to you. Mix the tomatoes with 2 tbsp olive oil, and some salt and pepper if you wish. Roll out the dough into four thin pizzas, sprinkle with some olive oil both on top and bottom and spread the oil evenly across the surfaces. Place the tomatoes on top and put into the oven for about 20 minutes. Then get the pizza out of the oven, sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the pizzas, and put back in the oven for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, sprinkle with some olive oil and garnish with basil leaves. Serve hot!