It’s no coincidence that National Pizza Month falls in October, a month that the US celebrates Italian-American Heritage. The ritual of pizza-making (along with pasta and sauce making) is much more important than a means to satisfy hunger — it’s a link to our past and a patrimony to pass down to future generations. 

When we bake, we also lose our worries by engaging in a mindful activity that benefits our psyche as much as our palate. Whatever your reason for making pizza is, I can guarantee that like other activities in life, what you put into it is what you get out of it, and if you are willing to get lost in the process, baking can be extremely rewarding and therapeutic.

While many American and international pizzas focus on toppings, the original Italian versions of pizza are all about the dough. The proper level of hydration (water to flour content), right types of flour, water, yeast, and salt, time-honored techniques, and adequate leavening times are just a few of the ingredients needed to make good pizza crust. In Italy, the crust of the pizza is the foundation, and without the right dough, no topping can salvage a poor crust base. For that reason, the art of pizza making and the authentic pizza recipes themselves are protected by the Italian government.

Professionally speaking, making pizza has always been one of the most rewarding recipes for me. As brand ambassador for the Pizza University and Culinary Arts Center, I have learned so much, not only about making pizza in wood-burning and brick pizza ovens, but also about the role of a true pizzaiolo. Like many Italians and Italian-Americans, I used to make pizza with my grandmother. We did not know the techniques and standards that professional pizzaioli use today. For us, as kids growing up, if there was a hot oven and dough on a Saturday night, we knew we were in for a delicious treat — and I think that is still the allure of fresh, homemade pizza today — it turns any old time into a party.

Thanks to the Pizza University and Culinary Arts Center, I was certified with Maestro Pizzaiolo Enzo Coccia’s master class on “The Culture of Neapolitan Pizza Cooked in a Wood-Oven” in March 2019. When you study with a master pizzaiolo, you don’t just learn about pizza, you get metaphors for life, and that is what pizza is to Neapolitans — life. You might be surprised to learn that pizza, a food most Americans associate with fast-food or junk food, can be part of a healthy meal plan. Making pizza healthful is simple; it must be prepared according to traditional methods and using the best ingredients. What often is called pizza in the U.S. is very different from what earns the title Vera Pizza Napoletana in Naples. Americans eat a whopping 46 slices of “pizza” per year, which is more than the national average in Italy, thanks to the prevalence of delivery.

Even though the majority of us don’t have brick ovens that reach up to 1,000 degrees in our homes, we can still make utterly mouthwatering pies that are much healthier than most delivery options. Note that these pizza recipes are what most professional pizzaioli would consider “Grandma style” because they have been adapted for home ovens. In Italy, most households had the tradition of making pizza on Saturday and Sunday nights. What the pizze made by the casalinghe, or housewives, lacked in uniformity, they more than made up for in flavor, and I am always happy to be invited to partake in them.

Authentic Pizza Napoletana is known for being very tender, light, and moist at the same time. It cooks for only 90 seconds in an 800-degree oven and needs 58-65% hydration. Its ingredients must be Italian and come from a specific area such as San Marzano tomatoes. You cannot use more than three ingredients at a time in this type of pizza, because it’s about the marriage of ingredients with the proper technique. Pizza Napoletana is always finished with extra virgin olive oil and fresh basil.

As of December 2017, the art of Neapolitan pizza-making was added to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Pizzaiuoli (pizza-makers) are a living link for the communities concerned,” says UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization). The European Community granted “Pizza Napoletana” STG or Specialty Tradition Guaranteed status to distinguish it from non-authentic pizzas. The full decree can be read at: https://www.pizzadinapoli.it/images/allegati/stg.pdf

Following the guidelines of the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, you are guaranteed that a single serving of pizza is a complete meal and supplies an appropriate balance of carbohydrates, protein, and fat. An Authentic pizza napoletana weighs about 10 ounces (thanks to special leavening procedures and is made up of approximately 50% carbohydrates, 6% fat, 5.5% protein, and is about 800 calories.

From Italian Recipes for Dummies by Amy Riolo.

Sfincione/Sicilian “Sponge” Pizza

PREP TIME: 20 MIN

COOK TIME: 25 MIN PLUS 1 1/2 HOURS RISING TIME

YIELD: 4 SERVINGS

INGREDIENTS

- 1 package or 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

- 1 cup lukewarm water (approximately 100 degrees), divided

- 3 cups 00 flour (highly refined), plus extra for work surface

- 1/2 cup unbleached bread flour

- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

- 3 tablespoons Amy Riolo Selections extra virgin olive oil, divided

- 1 1/4 cups chopped tomatoes (San Marzano or Pomi brand, if possible)

- 2 teaspoons dried oregano, crushed

DIRECTIONS

- Dissolve yeast with 1/4 cup of the lukewarm water in a small bowl.

- Pour both flours into a large bowl, and make a well in the center. Add the yeast mixture.

- Add the sea salt and remaining water. Mix well to combine.

- Dough should form a ball; if it is sticky, add more flour, a tablespoon at a time.

- Transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Knead for 5-10 minutes, or until dough is smooth and elastic; shape it into a ball.

- Use 1 tablespoon of olive oil to oil a large bowl. Place dough inside, and turn to coat.

- Cover with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel, and place in a draft-free area to rise for 1-1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in bulk.

- After dough has risen, knock it down by pressing down with your fingers to deflate, and turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface.

- Use 1 tablespoon of olive oil to oil an 11x15-inch rectangle stone or metal baking pan.

- Roll the dough out to form an 11x15-inch rectangle.

- Transfer the dough to the pan, and stretch to fit.

- Brush remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil on top of the pizza dough, and use your fingers to make dimples across the top.

- Cover with kitchen towels, and allow to rest for 20 minutes.

- Preheat the oven to 500 degrees, and let dough rest for another 10 minutes.

- After the 30 minutes has passed, remove towels from the pan and cover the pizza with a thin layer of the tomatoes.

- Place the oregano in between the palm of your hands, and rub them together over the pizza to break up the oregano and release more of its flavor while scattering it evenly.

- Bake, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes, or until golden.

- Remove from the oven, and allow to cool slightly.

- Cut into 16 equal-size pieces, and serve.

TIP:

This pizza is not traditionally served with cheese, although sometimes it is topped with anchovies and olives.

If you’d like to pair this pizza with wine, look for Nero D’Avola or similar.

NOTE:

Utica Pie, Philadelphia’s Tomato Pie, and other Italian-American favorites are the direct descendants of Sicilian sfincione, which is derived from the Arabic sfinj, which means sponge. The Italian word for sponge is spugna.

Photo credit: Wendy Jo Peterson and Reminisce With Us; Pizza University and Culinary Arts Center