Neapolitan pizza
A pizza style originating in Naples, traditionally made with soft, elastic dough, a raised edge, simple toppings, and a brief bake at very high heat.
Neapolitan pizza dough: A lean pizza dough made from flour, water, salt, and yeast, fermented until extensible and airy. Its fermentation and elasticity let the pizza stretch thin while retaining a raised rim.
Tipo 00 flour: Finely milled Italian wheat flour classified by its low ash content. It is commonly used for dough that must stretch thin without tearing.
Naples: A major port city in southern Italy and the capital of the Campania region. The pizza style developed in the city’s food culture.
Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana certification: A certification program recognizing pizzerias that follow the association’s standards for Neapolitan pizza. It turns traditional preparation rules into a recognizable restaurant credential.
New York-style pizza: An American pizza style with a broad, thin, foldable crust and typically generous toppings. Its firmer, more portable slices contrast with Neapolitan pizza’s soft, quickly baked center.
Bulk fermentation: The first fermentation of a dough mass before it is divided and shaped. It develops gas and flavor before dough portions are formed into pizza balls.
San Marzano tomato: A plum tomato variety associated with the San Marzano sul Sarno area of Campania. Its use is specified for the classic Marinara and Margherita preparations.
Campania: A region of southern Italy whose capital is Naples. Its local ingredients and culinary traditions form the style’s regional setting.
Traditional Speciality Guaranteed: A European Union quality scheme that protects traditional food compositions or production methods. Neapolitan pizza received this designation, giving its traditional preparation formal recognition.
Roman pizza: A family of pizza styles from Rome, including thin, crisp round pizza and rectangular pizza al taglio. Roman styles often favor a crisper base than the soft Neapolitan crust.