Description
Pizza Napoletana TSG is a round oven-baked product with high borders (crust) and a central topping. The dough is made with soft wheat flour, brewer’s yeast, water and salt. There are two varieties: Margherita and Marinara. The topping consists of peeled tomatoes and/or fresh tomatoes and extra virgin olive oil. Other ingredients may include garlic and oregano for the Marinara pizza, 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 which are carried out in a single cycle. The following ingredients are placed inside the mixer machine: water (in which sea salt is previously dissolved), 10% of the total flour content, and brewer’s yeast. Once the mixer is on, the remaining flour is added gradually for a maximum 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, springy and not sticky. It is left to rise 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, which are left to rise for a further 4 to 6 hours. During this stage, the balls are left to rest in food-grade crates. The dough balls are then made into the pizza base on the kitchen surfaces in the pizzeria, which are sprinkled with flour; this is done by hand, spreading the dough from the centre outwards and exerting pressure with the fingers, until obtaining the typical discoid shape. The topping is composed of the specified ingredients for either Pizza Marinara or Pizza Margherita. They are cooked exclusively in wood-fired ovens, for no more than 60-90 seconds. A metal pizza peel is used for inserting, checking 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 about 4 mm thick, while the golden external crust measures is 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 18th century, between 1715 and 1725, as evidenced by several historic documents and texts from that time. 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 eat in 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 pairs perfectly with a slightly carbonated beer, preferably amber.
Marketing
The product is marketed as Pizza Napoletana TSG and is available year-round in the following varieties: Marinara and Margherita. 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 kneading that incorporates air into the dough, thereby creating the crust.
