Everyone loves pizza, but Neapolitan pizza is a true classic. It comes from the lively streets of Naples, Italy. Its magic is simple: just a few great ingredients and a super hot oven. This creates a pizza that’s soft and thin in the middle, with a big, puffy crust that has beautiful charred spots. That famous crust is called the cornicione.
Making this pizza is a chance to be part of a tradition. Making real Neapolitan pizza at home is a fun project that connects you to the heart of Italian cooking. Forget the thick, heavy pizzas you might be used to. We’re going to make a masterpiece with a chewy, airy crust and signature "leopard spots," which show it was baked perfectly. Ready to learn the secrets of Naples' pizza makers (pizzaioli)? Here we go.
The Story of a Classic: From Street Food to a Queen's Favorite
To really get Neapolitan pizza, you need to know its story. People have been eating flatbreads for thousands of years, but the pizza we know today started in Naples, Italy, back in the 1700s. At the time, it was known as cucina povera, or "food for the poor." It was a cheap, fast, and tasty meal sold on the street to workers. The first pizzeria, Antica Pizzeria Port’Alba, opened in Naples in 1738, making the city the official home of pizza.
The big change came when tomatoes were introduced. Brought to Europe from Peru in the 1500s, wealthy people at first thought they were poisonous. But the people of Naples weren't so picky and started putting them on their flatbreads, starting a food revolution.
Pizza’s status changed forever in 1889. As the story goes, a pizza maker named Raffaele Esposito was asked to make a pizza for Queen Margherita of Savoy, who was visiting. To honor her and the Italian flag, he used toppings in the flag's colors: red from tomatoes, white from fresh mozzarella, and green from basil. The Queen loved it, and "Pizza Margherita" was born. Just like that, pizza went from a simple street food to a dish fit for a queen.
Today, this tradition is so important that it’s protected by law. The European Union calls it a Traditional Specialty Guaranteed (TSG) product, and UNESCO recognizes the art of the Neapolitan pizza maker as an "Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity." This history sets a high bar for what makes a Neapolitan pizza authentic—a standard you can reach at home if you use the right ingredients and methods.
The Core of Authenticity: Ingredients and Dough
The beauty of Neapolitan pizza is its simplicity. An official group, the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (AVPN), sets strict rules to keep the tradition alive. It all starts with a few perfect ingredients.
For the Dough: The Foundation of Flavor
A true Neapolitan dough has only four ingredients: flour, water, salt, and yeast. There is no sugar or oil in the dough. The magic comes from the quality of these ingredients and how they’re mixed.
- Flour: You must use Italian "Type 00" flour. This flour is very fine, like powder. Its special protein content allows the dough to be stretched super thin without breaking and gives the crust its classic soft and airy texture.
- Water, Salt, and Yeast: The rules call for clean water, sea salt, and a very small amount of fresh yeast. The right balance and a long time for the dough to rise are what create the amazing flavor and make it easy to digest.
For the perfect base, follow our Big Horn® Signature Pizza Dough Recipe, which is designed to give you the right texture and taste for cooking at high heat.
The Key Toppings: A Trio of Taste
Neapolitan pizza is all about keeping it simple. The toppings should highlight the amazing crust, not cover it up.
- San Marzano Tomatoes: These are the best for a reason. They grow in the volcanic soil near Mount Vesuvius in Italy, which makes them naturally sweet and less acidic. They are perfect for a fresh, no-cook sauce.
- Fresh Mozzarella: You have two classic choices: Mozzarella di Bufala, made from water buffalo milk, or Fior di Latte, made from cow's milk. Both should be fresh and packed in water, not the dry, shredded kind.
- Fresh Basil: A few leaves add a sweet, fresh aroma.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: A little drizzle during preparation and after baking adds richness and flavor.
- Sea Salt: A small pinch helps all the flavors stand out.
Using these specific ingredients teaches an important lesson from Neapolitan pizza: great quality doesn't need to be complicated.
The Pizza Maker's Craft: The Process
With your ingredients ready, it's time to work with your hands like a real Neapolitan pizzaiolo.
Step 1: Prepare the Dough
For this recipe, use our classic pizza dough. The secret to a great crust is letting the dough rise slowly—the AVPN recommends at least 8 hours. This gives the yeast time to work, developing deep flavors and creating the air pockets that will puff up into a beautiful crust.
Step 2: Make the No-Cook Sauce
Don't use a blender or a store-bought sauce. The real method is much simpler and keeps the tomatoes tasting bright and fresh. Just pour a can of whole San Marzano tomatoes into a bowl and crush them with your hands. Squeeze them until you have a rustic, chunky sauce. Mix in a pinch of sea salt, and you're done. No cooking needed.
Step 3: Assemble Your Pizza
This is where your technique is important.
- The Stretch: The most important rule is to stretch the dough by hand. Never use a rolling pin, because it will press out all the air bubbles that make the crust light and puffy. On a lightly floured surface, start in the middle of the dough ball and gently press outward with your fingers. Keep pressing and stretching, turning the dough as you go. Be sure to leave the outer edge—about one inch—untouched. This pushes the air into the rim and creates the pizza's signature puffy crust.
- Topping the Pizza: Work fast so the dough doesn't get soggy. Spread a thin layer of your tomato sauce on the base, but not on the raised rim. Add torn pieces of fresh mozzarella and a few basil leaves.
Learning to stretch the dough by hand is practicing the true craft of a pizza maker. This skill makes a good homemade pizza great and prepares it for the final, most important step: the bake.
The Secret is the Heat: Getting the Perfect Char
You can have the best ingredients and the best technique, but you can't make a true Neapolitan pizza without extreme heat. The secret to its special texture and flavor is a blazing hot oven that cooks the pizza in seconds, not minutes.
The Science of Sizzle: The Maillard Reaction
That beautiful brown color, the toasty smell, and the rich flavor of a perfect crust all come from a chemical process called the Maillard reaction. It happens when the proteins and sugars in the dough are heated to high temperatures. It starts around 300°F but works much faster at the very high temperatures you find in a pizza oven.
This intense heat does two things. First, it makes the air and water in the dough expand very quickly, causing the crust to puff up dramatically. Second, it cooks the pizza in 60 to 90 seconds. This quick bake is key—it chars the crust with "leopard spots" while keeping the inside soft and tender, which is exactly what you want in a Neapolitan pizza.
Why a Home Oven Can't Make True Neapolitan Pizza
Here’s the bottom line: a regular home oven just can't get hot enough. Most top out around 500°F, which is far below what's needed. This lower temperature leads to a very different pizza:
- Longer Cook Time: Instead of 90 seconds, the pizza takes 5 to 8 minutes or more.
- Dry Results: The longer baking time dries out the dough and toppings. The crust gets hard like a cracker, and the cheese can get oily.
- Less Flavor: The browning is slow and even, more like baking bread. You don't get the leopard spots or the deep, toasty flavor that only high heat can create.
The Real Deal: Using a Big Horn® Pizza Oven
To make a truly great Neapolitan pizza, you need the right tool. A professional-style pizza oven is the key.
- Preheat your Big Horn® Pizza Oven to its highest setting, around 900°F. This is the same temperature used in traditional wood-fired ovens in Naples.
- Use a pizza peel to slide your pizza onto the hot stone inside.
- Bake for only 60 to 90 seconds. After about 30 seconds, use a smaller peel to turn the pizza. Keep turning it every 20-30 seconds so the crust cooks evenly and gets those classic leopard spots all around.
The difference is huge.
| Feature | Big Horn® Pizza Oven | Standard Home Oven |
| Max Temperature | ~900°F | ~500°F |
| Cooking Time | 60-90 Seconds | 5-8+ Minutes |
| Crust Result | Puffy, airy crust with "leopard spots" | Denser, cracker-like, evenly brown |
| Texture | Soft, foldable center with a chewy crust | Drier, often brittle base |
| Flavor Profile | Rich, smoky, and toasted flavors | Simpler, baked-bread flavor |
12" Wood Pellet Pizza Oven, Black/Silver, Compatible with Gas Burner and Electric Heater Accessories (Sold Separately)
The Perfect Finish: Serving Your Pizza
Once the crust is perfectly puffed and spotted, use your peel to take the pizza out of the oven. The final touches are just as important as the first.
Move the pizza to a cutting board. Right away, add a few more fresh basil leaves—the heat will release their amazing smell. Finish with a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Traditionally, Neapolitan pizza is sliced and served immediately, so you can enjoy it while it's hot and perfect.
Tips for the Best Results
As you practice, keep these key tips in mind:
- Go Easy on the Sauce: A thin layer is all you need. Too much sauce will make the pizza soggy.
- Use Fresh, Drained Cheese: Pat your fresh mozzarella with a paper towel to remove extra water.
- Keep Toppings Simple: Let the amazing dough, sauce, and cheese be the stars. Don't add too many other toppings.
- Work Fast: Once the dough is stretched, top it and get it into the oven quickly. This keeps it from sticking or getting soggy.
Bring Naples to Your Backyard
Making real Neapolitan pizza is a fun and rewarding experience. This is a craft with a long history, clear rules, and one big secret: very high heat. You've learned the ingredients are simple, but the key to making them amazing is the 900°F heat that a regular kitchen oven can't deliver. The intense, quick bake turns simple dough into something special.
You know the history, the techniques, and the science. The time has come to use the right tool for the job. See the full range of Big Horn Outdoors® pizza ovens and start making pizzeria-style Neapolitan pizza that would make Naples proud.
