Taste of Disney at Home: Master the Naples Margherita Pizza Recipe
Calling all pizza enthusiasts! Today, we’re taking a trip to the heart of Neapolitan pizza with a recipe inspired by Chef Greg Stillman, former chef of Naples in Downtown Disney, Anaheim. This Naples Margherita pizza embodies the essence of Southern Italian style, with a simple yet perfect balance of flavors and textures.
Beyond the Slice: A Neapolitan Journey
Neapolitan pizza is more than just a meal; it’s a culinary art form. Characterized by its thin and crispy crust, light and airy texture, and fresh, high-quality ingredients, this pizza style has captured hearts and taste buds worldwide.
The Secret Ingredient: Authenticity
While replicating a wood-fired oven at home might be challenging, this recipe offers tips for achieving authentic Neapolitan flavors in your own kitchen, whether using a home oven or a pizza oven attachment.
The Foundation: The Perfect Dough
The foundation of any great pizza is the dough. This recipe uses Caputo flour, a favorite among Neapolitan pizzaiolos (pizza makers) for its high gluten content and ability to create a light and airy crust.
Watch how to make this recipe!
For a visual guide and detailed instructions, be sure to watch the how-to video. In the video, Greg will walk you through each step of the process, from forming and punching the dough to achieving that perfectly blistered crust.
Crafting the Dough:
- Simple Ingredients:Â This dough requires just a few key ingredients: Caputo flour, water, yeast, and salt.
- Hydration is Key: Neapolitan dough is known for its high hydration (water content), leading to a chewy interior and a crispy crust.
- Patience is a Virtue: Allow the dough to rise slowly over several hours to develop its flavor and texture.
- Go digital: Chef Stillman recommends to use a digital ounce/gram scale when working with dough. The recipe depends heavily on flour weight, and not volume. Home cooks may prefer to use cups instead of weight, but it may not yield consistent results.
Topping Triumph: Keeping it Simple
The beauty of the Margherita pizza lies in its simplicity. Here’s what you need for the perfect topping combination:
- Pureed Tomatoes: Use high-quality San Marzano tomatoes for the purest flavor. Simply puree them without any additional seasonings.
- Fresh Mozzarella: Opt for fior di latte mozzarella, a fresh cow’s milk cheese with a milky and slightly sweet flavor.
- Fresh Basil: A few torn leaves of fresh basil add the finishing touch, bringing a bright and aromatic element to the pizza.
Neapolitan Wisdom: Less is More
Remember, when it comes to Neapolitan pizza, less is more. Avoid overloading the pizza with toppings. The focus is on the quality of the ingredients and the perfect interplay of crust, sauce, and cheese.
From Naples to Your Home: Embrace the Experience
Making this Margherita pizza recipe is a fun and rewarding experience. It allows you to connect with the culinary traditions of Naples and create a delicious and authentic pizza right at home.
Cooking the Naples Pizza Margherita
Disneyland’s Naples pizza margherita recipe is cooked in a wood-fired oven, but you can use your home oven or pizza oven attachment. The wood fired pizza oven — which reaches up to 800 F — takes just a few minutes to cook. In your home oven, cook it on a pizza stone at 500 F for at least 10 minutes on the bottom rack closest to your heating element. (I use my Green Mountain Grills pizza attachment to prepare this recipe).
So, gather your ingredients, watch the video, and embark on your own Neapolitan pizza journey! Enjoy the perfect balance of flavors, the satisfying crunch of the crust, and the simple joy of a classic pizza done right.
More Pizza Recipes
- No Knead Pizza Dough
- Easy Pizza Sauce
- Spicy Chipotle Chicken Pizza
- French Bread Pizza
- Big Green Egg Pizza
- Panzerotti Recipe
My Favorite Pizza Accessories and Products
- GMG Pizza Oven
- Green Mountain Grill Wood Fired Pizza Oven
- Camp Chef Italia Artisan Pizza Oven
- Metal Pizza Peel and Cutter
- Pizza Peel with Wood Handle
- Antimo Caputo Chefs Flour
- San Marzano Tomatoes
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Naples Neapolitan Pizza Margherita
Recipe by Jason Hill – CookingSessions.comEquipment
Ingredients
Large Batch Pizza Dough
- 10.83 pounds ice water, strained (2 cups = 1 pound)
- 18.27 pounds red Caputo flour
- 8.2 ounces salt
- 3.3 ounces instant yeast
Small Batch Pizza Dough (Makes four balls weighing 8 oz. each)
- 19.6 oz. flour red caputo
- .5 oz. Kosher salt 14.7 grams to be precise
- .2 oz yeast instant, not dry active or fresh (5.6 grams)
- 11.6 oz. very cold water
Pizza Sauce
- 1 can whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes
- Salt to taste
Toppings
- Fresh mozzarella
- Fresh basil
Instructions
Make the Sauce
- Puree the can of tomatoes with an immersion blender until smooth. Season to taste with salt until highly seasoned and sharp but not salty.
Make the Dough
- Combine the flour, salt and yeast. Place the chilled water into a mixing bowl with a dough hook, add the dry ingredients. Set to speed 1 for 10 minutes and allow to run on low speed. Check the consistency; it should be smooth like a baby. Remove the dough and immediately scale the dough into 8 oz. balls and place into a dough box (12 per box). Place the boxes in the refrigerator to slow proof for use the next day.
Make the Pizza
- Punch and stretch pizza as shown in the video until you form a small circle. Cover with a ladle or two of tomato sauce, followed by a scattering of fresh mozzarella cubes and fresh torn basil leaves.
- Bake in a wood-fired pizza oven for 2 minutes, turning every 30-45 seconds, or bake on a pizza stone in the bottom rack of your home oven at 500 F for at least 10 minutes. Cover with a squirt of olive oil and serve.
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