Description
Pizza Napoletana TSG is an oven-baked round product with high borders (crust) and a central topping. The dough is made with soft wheat flour, brewer’s yeast, water and salt. It is distinguished in two typologies: Margherita and Marinara. The basic topping consists of peeled tomatoes and/or fresh tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil and salt. Other ingredients may include garlic and oregano for the Marinara and Mozzarella TSG, Mozzarella di Bufala Campana PDO and fresh basil for the Margherita.
Production Area
The traditional production area of Pizza Napoletana TSG is the city of Naples, in the Campania region. Over time, however, it has spread throughout the rest of Italy, and is now even appreciated outside the country.
Production Method
The processing method involves several stages that are carried out in a single cycle. The following ingredients are placed inside the mixer: 10% of the total flour content and the brewer’s yeast. Once the mixer is on, the remaining flour is added gradually over a period of 10 minutes until the desired consistency is obtained. The dough is then kneaded with a fork mixer for 20 minutes at low speed, until it becomes soft, elastic and unsticky. It is left to rest for 2 hours, covered with a damp cloth so that the dough doesn’t harden. The dough is then divided by hand into balls weighing between 180 and 250 g. This is followed by a second period of leavening which lasts for 4 to 6 hours. During this stage, the balls are left to rest in food boxes. The dough balls are then transformed on the kitchen surfaces of the pizzeria, which are sprinkled with flour; the dough ball is worked by hand and turned from the centre outwards until obtaining the typical discoid shape. The topping is added using the ingredients of the recipes for Pizza Marinara or Margherita. Baking takes place exclusively in wood-fired ovens for no more than 60-90 seconds. A metal pizza peel is used for inserting and removing the pizza from the oven.
Appearance and Flavour
Pizza Napoletana TSG has a round shape with a diameter of no more than 35 cm. The central part is 0.4 cm thick, whilst the external crust measures about 1-2 cm. It is fragrant, soft and easy to fold in half, with a characteristic flavour due to the combination of the dough and the topping.
History
The origins of Pizza Napoletana TSG date back to the beginning of the XVIII century, between 1715 and 1725, as confirmed by several historic documents and texts from the epoch. The first pizzerias appeared during the same period, where it was also possible to eat the local maccheroni with tomato sauce. It seems that even the King of Naples, Ferdinand of Bourbon, chose to visit these restaurants, infringing the regulations of etiquette to taste this popular recipe.
Gastronomy
Pizza Napoletana TSG is best eaten fresh from the oven; it cannot be kept for a long time without losing its characteristic fragrance and softness. It should be paired with a light beer, preferably amber ale.
Marketing
The product is marketed as Pizza Napoletana TSG and is available year-round in the Marinara and Margherita typologies. The product cannot be sold frozen, semi-frozen or vacuum-packed.
Distinctive Features
The unmistakable fragrance and softness of Pizza Napoletana TSG is given to the wood oven baking, the double rising of the dough and the successive manual mixing of the dough, which enables the necessary alveolation to give the crust its shape.
