Name: Neapolitan Pizza for Ooni Volt 12 Electric Pizza Oven
Prep time: 8 h
Cook time: 2 min
Total time: 8 h 2 min
Yield: Six 12-inch (30 centimetre) pizzas

Neapolitan Pizza for Ooni Volt 12 Electric Pizza Oven

Neapolitan pizza (the original and, many say, the best style of pizza to exist) has a thin base, puffy, chewy yet crisp crust (known in Italian as the cornicione) as well as simple, high-quality ingredients and toppings. In this case, we opted to use our Ooni Volt for a classic Margherita with tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella and basil. With Ooni Volt, you can bring a little taste of Italy right to your home.

No one really knows how the first Neapolitan pizza was made, let alone who made it. Most agree, however, that in the 1700s, flatbreads were already being used as bases for toppings. It wasn’t until the late 18th century that people in Naples started to top theirs with tomatoes (which originated in the New World). Today, people cherish Neapolitan pizza, and the art of making it, so much that UNESCO included it in its cultural heritage list The Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (the Association for True Neapolitan Pizza) also closely protects the traditions and recipes for making this most classic of pizzas.

AVPN uses a stringent set of rules to guarantee a true Neapolitan pizza. They include:

The dough must be made with only water, yeast, salt and flour
The dough must rest at room temperature until it has doubled in size
The base is stretched out to create a thin center and crust with a little height
Margherita and Marinara are the pizzas of choice

It’s a simple recipe to follow, but a complicated one to master. That said, even a Neapolitan pizza novice can make something mouth-wateringly delicious with the right ingredients and a little practice.

Difficulty

Servings

Six 12-inch (30 centimetre) pizzas

Prep Time

8 hours

Cook Time

2 minutes

By Ooni HQ

Neapolitan Pizza for Ooni Volt 12 Electric Pizza Oven

Note

While you can use this dough recipe in any one of our Ooni ovens, the cooking instructions below are specific to our Ooni Volt.

Method

1: Fill a bowl with lukewarm water and add the yeast.

Use a whisk or fork to thoroughly mix until blended. In a separate bowl, combine the flour and salt, then add it to the water and yeast mixture.

2: If using a stand mixer: add the water and yeast to the bowl.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour and salt, then add to the water and yeast mixture. Turn the mixer on low and mix for 4 minutes, or until the dough is formed. Cover the bowl with a towel and let rise for 2 hours.

3: If mixing by hand: stir with a wooden spoon until a dough starts to form.

Continue mixing by hand until the dough comes together in a ball. Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead with both hands for about 10 minutes — until it’s firm and stretchy. Return it to the bowl and cover with a dish towel and let rise in a warm place for about 2 hours, or until doubled in size.

4: Place the dough on a lightly-floured work surface and use a dough scraper to divide it into six 9-ounce (250-gram) balls — we recommend using a digital scale for accuracy.

5: Shape each piece of dough into a ball.

6: Place the dough balls in a sealable dough box, or on a baking sheet covered with a dish towel.

Place at room temperature for 6 hours, or in the refrigerator overnight. Pull from the refrigerator 4 hours before you want to use the dough.

7: Preheat your Ooni Volt to 450 °C (850 °F).

When it has reached the desired temperature, turn your heat distribution dial to 100% towards the roof of your oven.

8: Place a dough ball on your lightly-floured work surface then use your fingers to push the air from the centre out to the edges.

Stretch the dough out into a 12-inch (30 centimetre) base and leave it on the worktop or lay it over your lightly-floured pizza peel.

9: Mix crushed tomatoes and salt together in a bowl.

Set aside.

10: Top each pizza with 80 grams of tomatoes, 100 grams mozzarella, 4 to 5 basil leaves and 5 grams extra virgin olive oil.

11: Open your oven, then slide the pizza off of the peel and into the Ooni Volt.

12: Cook the pizza for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly, turning every 20 seconds or so to ensure an even bake.

13: Remove the pizza from the oven, then slice, serve and enjoy.

Repeat with the remaining 5 dough balls.

Ooni HQ

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