NEAPOLITAN CAKE RECIPES

Steps:

• Make the dough: Combine the warm water and yeast in a small bowl, stirring to dissolve the yeast. Combine the flour and salt in a medium bowl. Add the yeast mixture to the flour and stir to make a shaggy dough. (The dough should be tacky. If it feels too wet and sticky, add flour, 1 tablespoon at a time; if it's too stiff, add a little water.) Transfer to a lightly oiled surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 3 minutes. Place an inverted bowl over the dough and let rise slightly, 30 minutes. Divide the dough into 4 pieces and form each into a ball; arrange 3 inches apart on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Rub the tops of the dough lightly with olive oil and cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator about 2 hours before baking; let sit, covered, until ready to use. One hour before baking, put a pizza stone or inverted baking sheet on the middle oven rack and preheat to 500 degrees F (or 550 degrees F if your oven goes that high).
• Make the sauce: Combine the tomatoes and their juices with 1 teaspoon salt in a blender; blend until smooth.
• Generously sprinkle a pizza peel or an inverted baking sheet with cornmeal. Place 1 ball of dough upside down on the cornmeal using floured hands. Gently pull the dough into an 8- to 10-inch circle, reflouring your hands as needed and being careful not to deflate the dough. Spread about 1/4 cup tomato sauce on the crust; top with one-quarter of the mozzarella. Drizzle with 1 to 2 teaspoons olive oil and season with salt.
• Slide the pizza onto the hot stone and bake until the crust is dark golden brown and the cheese is bubbling, 7 to 9 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and sprinkle with basil. Let cool 2 minutes before slicing. Repeat to make 3 more pizzas.

Steps:

• Cook time: 45 minutes, plus proving.

  Pour 700ml of lukewarm water into a large bowl with 10g of sea salt. Gradually mix in a small handful of the flour to break the water and start to turn it into a batter. Mix in the yeast and leave for 2 minutes. Gradually mix in 90% of the remaining flour until you have a pliable, soft dough. Tip the remaining flour on to a clean surface and knead the dough for 20 minutes, or until smooth and elastic (or 10 minutes in a free-standing mixer with a dough hook). Place in a floured bowl, cover with a clean, damp tea towel and prove for 1 hour, or until doubled in size. Knock out the air with your fists, roll into a sausage shape, chop into 6 equal pieces and roll each one into a ball, stretching the edges underneath. Place on an oiled tray, drizzle with oil, cover with clingfilm and the tea towel and prove overnight in the fridge (for better flavour and a more relaxed dough). 

  Preheat the oven to full whack (240C) and place a pizza stone inside. Use a fish slice to move one ball of dough on to a flour-dusted surface. Press the ball out into a flat round disc, then pick it up and gently turn and stretch it to 30cm in diameter, using gravity to help you. Stretch it over the back of your fists, then place it on a floured pizza paddle or board – the dough should be a little thicker around the edges. Pull it into shape and give it a jiggle so you know it's free-moving. Working quickly and with restraint, add your chosen toppings (see my favourites below). Quickly shunt onto your pizza stone and close the door to retain heat. Wait 7 or 8 minutes and it'll be golden, crisp and ready to eat. 

  CALORIES 569kcal FAT 2.6g SAT FAT 01.g PROTEIN 23.8g CARBS 112.7g SUGAR 2.6g SALT 1.7g FIBRE 4.3g

  Classic Margherita (pictured above)

  The Neopolitans don't mess around – they keep their tomato sauce beautifully simple, raw and fresh, so buying quality tinned tomatoes is a must. Simply scrunch tinned San Marzano plum tomatoes in your clean hands until smooth, then spoon over your pizza base. Top with a few fresh basil leaves, some torn mozzarella cheese and finely grated Parmesan cheese. Drizzle with a little olive oil, bake, and finish with a few extra basil leaves. 

  Ricotta and Baby Courgette

  Spoon over tomato sauce (see recipe above), then top with ricotta cheese mashed with fresh marjoram leaves and finely grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese and lemon zest. Add baby courgettes tossed in olive oil and lemon juice, drizzle with a little more olive oil and bake.

  Grape and Honey

  Toss red and black grapes, fresh rosemary leaves and very finely sliced red onion in olive oil, then scatter over your pizza base with pine nuts, finely grated pecorino cheese, torn mozzarella cheese and a tiny drizzle of runny honey. Drizzle with a little olive oil and bake.

  Tomato and Rosemary

  Spoon tomato sauce (see recipe above) over your pizza base, then scatter over some fresh rosemary leaves tossed with a little olive oil. Tear over some spicy n'duja, finely grate over some Parmesan cheese, drizzle with a little more olive oil, and bake.

  Broccoli and Sausage

  Spoon tomato sauce (see recipe above) over your pizza base, then top with small blanched broccoli florets fried with garlic, fresh chilli, black olives (destoned) and sausagemeat. Tear over some provolone cheese, drizzle with a little olive oil, and bake. 

  Jamie Cooks Italy by Jamie Oliver is published by Penguin Random House © Jamie Oliver Enterprises Limited (2018 Jamie Cooks Italy), photography: David Loftus.