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1770: Leopold and Wolfgang Mozart in Naples! |
The Mozartian Pizza (1770) 1. original 2. classic modern 3. sweet |
One of the first original recipes for Neapolitan Pizza, a dish already popular after 1750, was published only in 1819. |
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DIFFICULTY: The Art of Pizza seems easy but is not! |
1. ORIGINAL PIZZA (1770-1819) or THE NEAPOLITAN NOBLE PIZZA INGREDIENTS: flour (500gr.) salt (a few pinches) sugar (125gr.) lard (125gr.) eggs (2: both yolk and white) warm water yeast (7.5gr. natural dried in powder; optional + 7.5gr.; it must be yeast for bread, not that for cakes) For the topping: ham, cheese caciocavallo, undercut of tuna (ventresca), cheese provatura (all in slices or in small pieces) TIPS: a. The real quantity of salt depends on if you want to prepare a classic pizza or a sweet pizza. In both cases, adjust according to your taste. b. The type and quality of flour and yeast are really important to prepare a good Pizza. The type of flour used in Italy for Pizza is the so called Flour 0 (= US/UK: all-purpose flour/plain flour; A: W700; D: 550; F: 55), but also the Flour 00 may be good in some occasions (= US/UK: pastry flour/soft flour; A: W480; D: 405; F: 45): in both cases you will notice the difference in the texture of your Pizza. Since all the countries have different systems of Flour classification, always choose a White Flour for Bread (and not for Cakes or other uses), to get the best results. c. The time you need to prepare the Pizza depends, in reality, on the time the yeast you use takes to properly raise the dough. Modern yeast, also the natural one, can work correctly even in just 1 hour. So check the type of yeast you are using. d. Cheese provatura is, nowadays, a rarity also in Italy and can be found somewhere only in Lazio and Campania. But, since provatura is very similar to mozzarella, you can use mozzarella, instead, especially the buffalo mozzarella. METHOD: 1. The preparation is similar to that of bread. Prepare the usual ingredients for bread and put them in a bowl: flour (300gr.), yeast natural in powder (7.5gr.), warm water. Rapidly work the dough for 10 min., seal the bowl with tin foil and then put the bowl with the dough into a warm oven. Important: it must be gently warm and not hot! Leave the bowl with the dough in the oven for ca. 2/3 hours. 2. Now you can add, to the previous dough in the bowl, the remainder of the flour (200gr.) salt, sugar, lard, 2 eggs (both yolk and white). Someone here adds also another 7.5gr. yeast; others, instead, use 3.25gr. for the first part of the recipe and 3.25gr. for this second part: you choose your method, which depends, in reality, on the type of flour and on the type of yeast. 3. Work the dough, by adding warm water, until you get a smooth beautiful soft dough. It is called also "Il punto di pasta", when the dough has the desired texture and consistency. It usually takes 15 minutes. 4. Anoint an oven rectangular casserole with olive oil. Then put the dough in the casserole and give, to the dough, the rectangular shape of the casserole. Open small holes in the dough with a little wooden stick and add the Pizza topping with some pressure on the dough. Now seal the casserole with tin foil and put the casserole with the dough into a warm oven (it must be gently warm and not hot). Leave in the oven for another ca. 1/2 hours. Then take the casserole out of the oven and remove the tin foil. Pre-heat the oven which must be very hot. Now put the casserole in the hot oven. 5. Usually, after 15-20 minutes, your Pizza is ready. |
PIZZA o FOCACCIA. (1819) Si dà generalmente questo nome a certa pasticceria preparata in differenti maniere, che quelle più in uso, e buone non manco di qui appresso descriverle. Tutte le Pizze, si avverta, che siano al suo punto, cioè molto maneggiata la pasta, ben lievitate, e ben cotte. [...] PIZZA NOBILE ALLA NAPOLETANA. Quando avrete formata una pasta come quella Pasquale, ma con una libbra di strutto ed una libbra di zucchero, vi mescolerete fettine di prosciutto, di formaggio cavallo, di ventresca, e di provature; indi formerete la Pizza, e la farete cuocere come le altre. [...] PIZZA DELICATA AL LATTE. [Pasta base] Mettete dentro una concolina verniciata due libbre di farina, fategli un buco in mezzo, e stemperateci un poco di lievito con acqua tiepida, coprite con la farina, e la concolina con una tovaglia, e lasciate così per dieci ore; indi aggiungeteci altre due libbre di farina, un poco di sale, ott'oncie di zucchero, quattr'oncie di butirro, otto rossi d'uova, quattro bianchi ed un poco di cannella pesta, impastate con sufficiente quantità di latte, che venga una pasta maneggievole, e di una giusta tenerezza. Formate la Pizza sopra una tiella unta di butirro, e ponetela a lievitare; quando sarà il punto, fategli sopra dei piccoli buchi, fatela cuocere di bel colore, e servitela spolverizzata di zucchero. [...] PIZZA PASQUALE. Farete una pasta come la precedente, ma invece del latte vi metterete le otto uova intere, e ott'oncie di strutto in cambio del butirro, formando la pasta con acqua tiepida. [...] PIZZA ALL'OLIO. Farete una pasta come quella della Pizza Pasquale, ma invece di butirro o strutto vi metterete del buon olio, ed invece delle uova tutt'acqua tiepida, ed un poco di anisi. Qualunque Pizza potrete glassarla di zucchero che vorrete. Alcuni nelle pizze di magro vi mettono del zibibbo, mandole, noci, o pignoli, e passerina; ma tutte queste variazioni dipendono dalla volontà di chi lavora. [...] PIZZA VARIATA IN PIÙ MODI. Nell'impastare la Pizza, fatta o come quella al latte, o come quella Pasquale, potrete mescolarvi dentro qualunque delle qui sottoscritte cose o separate, oppure unite in più assieme, cioè salsiccie levata la pelle, e tagliate in pezzi, fettine di prosciutto, formaggio grattato, o in fettine di qualunque sorte, ventresca, provature fresche o marzoline, e qualunque altra cosa sarà di vostro genio. |
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2. CLASSIC MODERN PIZZA (1799/1830-1889) 1. To prepare the dough, just use the same ingredients of the previous recipe 1., but, in this case, the sugar must be just a pinch and not 125gr. and you can use olive oil or butter instead of lard. This dough is good also without the 2 eggs. 2. For the topping add fresh chopped tomatoes or a tomato sauce with small pieces of tomatoes. The tomato sauce became popular in 18th century ca. 1750. 3. On the topping then add also oregano and/or fresh basil. |
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3. SWEET PIZZA (1770-1819) 1. To prepare the dough, just use the same ingredients of the previous recipe 1., but add to the dough cinnamon and the anise flavour and use warm milk instead of warm water. 2. For the topping use almonds, walnuts, pine nuts (pinoli), raisins (or currants or sultanas) and sweet white grapes. The grapes of the type Zibibbo (= type Muscat of Alexandria, which, in the 18th century, were considered a delicacy for few lucky people) are, nowadays, a rarity also in Italy and can be found only in few regions: you can use instead good extra-sweet white grapes. 3. When your Sweet Pizza is ready, cover your Pizza simply with sugar or with a sugar icing. |