Our Family’s Legendary Homemade Pizza — Better Than Takeout!
There’s a reason Friday nights at our house smell like a Neapolitan pizzeria: this recipe. Born from countless experiments (and even more taste tests!), our artisan pizza has become a weekly ritual. We’ve baked it in cast iron skillets for deep-dish cravings, stretched it onto baking sheets for giant party pies, and blasted it in our gas pizza oven for that blistered, wood-fired magic. But no matter the method, the result is always the same: a chewy, golden crust layered with tangy tomato sauce, creamy mozzarella, and whatever seasonal toppings our garden (or fridge) inspires.
What makes it truly special? Clean, organic ingredients — no mystery additives, just flour, water, yeast, and love. It’s cheaper (and tastier) than delivery, and shaping the dough together has become our family’s favorite chaos. Ready to make pizza night your tradition? Let’s bake! 🍅🔥
Artisan Neapolitan-Style Pizza with Cold-Fermented Dough
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Dough scraper
- Pizza stone or steel (preheated in oven)
- Baking peel or inverted baking sheet
- Saucepan
Ingredients
- For the Dough:
- 500 g bread flour
- 500 g "00" flour or all-purpose flour in a pinch
- ½ tsp active dry yeast
- 650 g lukewarm water
- 20 g fine sea salt
- For the Sauce:
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 400g cans tomato purée or crushed tomatoes
- 1 onion halved (skin removed)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
- For Assembly:
- 400 g fresh mozzarella sliced or torn
- Toppings of choice e.g., basil, pepperoni, mushrooms
- Semolina or extra flour for dusting
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough
- a. Mix and Autolyse:
- In a large bowl, combine bread flour, 00 flour, yeast, and water. Stir until a shaggy dough forms. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
- b. Add Salt and Fold:
- Sprinkle salt over the dough. Wet your hands and perform a series of “stretch and folds” (grab one edge of the dough, stretch upward, and fold over itself). Rotate the bowl and repeat 8–10 times until the dough tightens slightly. Cover and rest for 10 minutes.
- c. Bulk Fermentation:
- Repeat the folding process once more. Cover the dough and let it rise at room temperature for 1–2 hours, or until doubled in size.
- d. Cold Ferment (Overnight):
- Divide the dough into 6 equal balls (~265g each). Place each ball in a lightly oiled container, cover, and refrigerate for 12–24 hours.
- Make the Tomato Sauce
- a. Sauté Aromatics:
- Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant (30 seconds).
- b. Simmer Sauce:
- Add tomato purée, onion halves, and a pinch of salt. Simmer uncovered for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove onion halves.
- c. Finish the Sauce:
- Stir in butter, oregano, salt, and pepper. Let cool completely (refrigerate for best results).
- Assemble and Bake
- a. Preheat Oven:
- Place a pizza stone or steel on the middle rack. Preheat to 500°F (260°C) or as high as your oven allows (ideally 550°F/290°C) for 1 hour.
- b. Shape the Dough:
- Dust a work surface with flour or semolina. Gently stretch one dough ball into a 10–12-inch round, leaving a thicker border for the crust.
- c. Top and Bake:
- Spread 2–3 tbsp of chilled sauce over the dough. Add mozzarella and toppings. Transfer pizza to the preheated stone using a peel or baking sheet. Bake for 10–15 minutes until crust is puffed and charred in spots.
- d. Serve:
- Finish with fresh basil, chili flakes, or a drizzle of olive oil. Repeat with remaining dough.
Notes
Hydration Help: Dust hands with flour if the dough feels too sticky. No Pizza Stone? Use a heavy-duty baking sheet preheated in the oven. Freeze Dough: Fermented dough balls can be frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge before using Note: Calories vary based on toppings and cheese quantity.