A PHILOSOPHY OF PIZZA NAPOLETANISMO!

[Pizza Napoletana]

Tonight's bake (using Santos, 62% hydration, Caputo Pizzeria flour, sourdough culture, 2 + 48 hours of fermentation at controlled room temperature, and home gas oven):

Below is one pizza baked tonight, using the leftover dough ball from last night. The dough ball underwent 74 hours of fermentation altogether.

[Pizza Napoletana]

I am sure many have seen the famous movie scene in which Sofia Loren (whom once declared, "I'm not Italian, I am Neapolitan! It's another thing!") prepares the traditional fried pizzas in a street of Naples. Here's an English-translated version, finally, of Vittorio De Sica's "L'oro di Napoli" ("The Gold of Naples"), which reveals a bit of the history of pizza. The movie, which was screened in 1954, is a remarkable bouquet of six stories as a homage to the people of Naples—the city of "contradictions", as the Neapolitans say! One of the stories features Sofia Loren as a lusty, capricious pizza-woman who allegedly loses her wedding ring (Does she?) in the midst of preparing pizzas while her husband mans the pan of hot oil and keeps records of the pizza credits/loans he extends to his patrons. As the saying goes (written on the sign behind the characters in the pictures below), "Mangiate oggi e pagate fra 8 giorni" ("Eat today and pay in eight days"). Obviously, pizza was a street food of the poor, who had to buy them on credit!

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYVp9ZaAaHU" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYVp9ZaAaHU</a>

(The episode begins at mark 1:11:04)

According to Eleonora of www.aglioolioepeperoncino.com:
"Another similar Napoli custom is that of the 'caffè sospeso.' When a Napoletano is in the mood, instead of only paying for one espresso at the bar, that person pays for two: their own and one for the next client in need. So later, anyone not able to afford un caffè can simply walk up to the counter and ask the barista 'any caffè sospesi?' The fortunate beneficiary of caffè sospeso will never know who to thank. A superb act of faith and compassion. Offering a 'hanging coffee' is like saying 'it's on me' to the rest of the humanity. Caffè sospeso is an exclusive Neaplitan custom, and reflects in some ways the city's philosophy of life."

Check out the following website for more on the pizzeria "Da Sofia":
http://www.lucianopignataro.com/articolo.php?pl=4445

[Pizza Napoletana]

Last night's bake:
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Flour: 1000 gr. Caputo Pizzeria (Datum Point)
Water: 620 gr. (62%)
Sea Salt: 30 gr. (3%)
Crisceto: 15.50 gr. (1.55%) (or 2.5% relative to the weight of water)
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Direct Method: Water (68.6° F) ➡ Salt (68.5° F) ➡ Crisceto (70.1° F) ➡ Flour (66.1° F) = Pasta (72.4° F)

Mix & knead time (using Santos fork mixer): 5 minutes

☞ No interruption between mixing & kneading, and both mixing and kneading were continuous within themselves.  
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1st Fermentation (in mass): 4 hours at controlled room temperature 70 - 73° F
2nd Fermentation (in balls): 28 hours in the marble chambers:
  ☞ 1st Phase: 72 - 67° F (18 Hours)
  ☞ 2nd Phase: 55 - 60° F (10 Hours)
Findal dough ball temperature before baking: 60° F
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Modified Home Gas Oven Temperature: 842° F (floor)
___________________________________________________________________

[Pizza Napoletana]

Continued . . .

[Pizza Napoletana]

Continued . . .

[Pizza Napoletana]

Yesterday, while I was at Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana in Marina Del Rey, my eyes caught a statement on a wall poster that I deem as quote-worthy:

"Neapolitan Pizza has no inventors, no fathers, no masters, but is the fruit of the creativity [spirit*] of the Neapolitan people."

*The German philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770–1831), to whom the Western civilization partly owes its mode of thought, was of the conviction that such cultural phenomena are the upshots of the "Spirit [Geist] unfolding itself unto itself"! Would it be unfair to posit that, a proper under-standing of the Neapolitan pizza entails understanding the "spirit" [cf. "history" and "culture"] of the people who gave birth to it?

The quoted statement, above, is by Sen. Antonio Pace, the founder of Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana in Naples in 1984. He is also the owner of the historic pizzeria "Ciro A Santa Brigida". (See http://www.lucianopignataro.com/articolo.php?pl=4705). Yesterday, I also met Sen. Peppe Miele, the president of VPN (official delegation for USA), who transpired to be a humble and hospitable gentleman. Good day!

[flyboy4ual]

Omid,

Any word from Peppe when he might be reopening Antica?  I would stop there on my way to LAX every once in awhile.  I really enjoyed chatting with Peppe and having pizza there.

Scott D.

[Pizza Napoletana]

Omid,

Any word from Peppe when he might be reopening Antica?  I would stop there on my way to LAX every once in awhile.  I really enjoyed chatting with Peppe and having pizza there.

Scott D.

Dear Scott, I meant to ask him the question, but I forgot. Sorry! Have a great week.

Omid

[Pizza Napoletana]

Below are tonight's pizzas, made with the same dough made in "Reply #962" above. By the time I began to prepare the pizzas, the dough balls had already underwent 74 hours of fermentation mostly at 50-55° F. Nonetheless, they were only mildly lactic!

[Pizza Napoletana]

Continued . . .

[Barry]

Below are tonight's pizzas, made with the same dough made in "Reply #962" above. By the time I began to prepare the pizzas, the dough balls had already underwent 74 hours of fermentation mostly at 50-55° F. Nonetheless, they were only mildly lactic!

Hi Omid,

Wow, those last 2 pies look fantastic! The one is with clams, and the other seems to be some kind of white pie.

Could you please reply with the recipe for the white sauce on the clam pie, and the next pie as well. Thank you.

Kind regards.

Barry in Cape Town

[Pizza Napoletana]

Hi Omid,
Wow, those last 2 pies look fantastic! The one is with clams, and the other seems to be some kind of white pie. Could you please reply with the recipe for the white sauce on the clam pie, and the next pie as well. Thank you.
Kind regards.

Barry in Cape Town

Dear Barry, thank you! Basically, I created the sauce by taking a speculated or suppositional French recipe and giving it an Italian twist! In other words, the sauce, which I have named "Ricotta Marinara Sauce", is a product of improvisation. It was used as the first topping on both the mussel-clam pizza and broccoli-pancetta pizza above in Reply #968. I was reluctant to use the sauce on the broccoli-pancetta pizza, but my wife kept insisting. So I acquiesced and, to my surprise, it worked out better than I expected! Here is the recipe for the sauce:

INGREDIENTS
•Heavy Cream (about 250 ml)
•Unsalted Pure Butter (about 1 to 1.5 tablespoon)
•Little or no Sea Salt at all (take heed that there are romano and parmigiano below)
•Shallot (1/3rd of a medium-size bulb, finely diced)
•Pecorino Romano (shredded, about 1/3rd or less of a cup)
•Parmigiano-Reggiano (shredded, about 1 or 2 tablespoons)
•Dry White Wine (about 2 to 3 tablespoons) (this sauce would not be the same without the wine!)
•Mussels (2 to 3)
•Clams (2 to 3)
•Buffalo or Cow Milk Ricotta (about 320 gr.)

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Pour all the heavy cream in a pot on low heat. While gently and periodically stirring, let the cream slowly heat up without coming to a boil. (Avoid high heat.)
2. Add all the butter and slowly stir to melt and distribute.
3. Add little or no salt at all.
4. Add all the shallots and stir.
5. Add all the Romano and Parmigiano-Reggiano and stir.
6. Add all the wine and stir. (Make sure to get a good whiff of the aroma!)
7. Add all the mussels and clams and stir.
8. Remove the pot from the heat once the mussels and clams begin to open up. (Again, the sauce should not come to a boil and should NOT be fully cooked.)
9. Pour all the sauce in a glass or metal mixing bowl and let it cool down, if possible, on ice. (Do not allow the sauce to be fully cooled down. Let it retain a bit of the warmth for the purpose of mixing the ricotta in it later.)
10. Remove all the mussels and clams. (They were in the sauce only for their flavors.)
11. Add the ricotta and mix until it is fully distributed throughout the sauce. (The more ricotta you add, the thicker the sauce will become and the more difficult to spread it on dough disk.)
12. Place the sauce inside refrigerator to fully cool down before use. (You may either keep the sauce refrigerated at all times or let it be synchronized with the room temperature before use.)
13. That is all!

NOTE
The sauce should be more than enough for many pizzas. Naturally, you can refrigerate the extra sauce. I should point out that all the above portions are rough estimates/guesses, just to give you some ideas. In my opinion, the key to the sauce is that it should be light with mild flavors, whereby the ingredient gently whisper their flavors to your taste buds, without them being overwhelmed. Be careful with the shallots and the dry cheeses; they can overwhelm the sauce. Good luck and have a great day!

Respectfully,
Omid

[Jackie Tran]

Yes, that clam pizza looks outstanding! 

[Pizza Napoletana]

Yes, that clam pizza looks outstanding!  

Thank you! . . . Only if I had a wood-fired oven instead of my home gas-oven . . . !

[Pizza Napoletana]

In an interview conducted by the Italian blog "Nonna Stella" (nonnastella.com) with Dr. Giorgio Bergamini (who is considered in Italy an authority in the rediscovery of ancient grains and their use in baking with lievito madre), he stated that, "An important task, in fact, is the so-called 'renewal' [of lievito madre], or the addition of flour and water to keep the culture alive, so much so that the sourdough culture was formerly a part of the matrimonial gift given to the girls about to marry." How beautiful?—lievito madre serving as a symbol of unity, life, and renewal!

[Barry]

Hi Omid,

Thank you very much for posting your recipe for the "Ricotta Marinara Sauce" - much appreciated!

Kind regards

Barry in Cape Town

[Pizza Napoletana]

On the historicity (i.e., historical authenticity) of the Neapolitan pizza, it might be worthwhile to ponder on the following. . . In his illuminating book entitled Usi e Costumi di Napoli* (Uses and Customs of Naples), questionably published around 1866 (keep in mind that Naples joined the Kingdom of Italy in 1861, and Queen Margherita was reportedly served the pizza in 1889 in Naples), Francesco de Bouchard wrote:

"Le pizze più ordinarie, dette coll'aglio e l'oglio, han per condimento l'olio, e sopra vi si sparge, oltre il sale, l'origano e spicchi d'aglio trinciati minutamente. Altre sono coperte di formaggio grattugiato e condite collo strutto, e allora vi si pone disopra qualche foglia di basilico. Alle prime spesso si aggiunge del pesce minuto; alle seconde delle sottili fette di muzzarella. Talora si fa uso di prosciutto affettato, di pomidoro, di arselle, ec. Talora ripiegando la pasta su se stessa se ne forma quel che chiamasi calzone."

"The more ordinary pizzas, such as coll'aglio [definition?] and l'oglio [oil?], have the oil for seasoning, and over it spreads, besides the salt, oregano and finely chopped garlic. Others are covered with grated cheese and seasoned neck lard, and then topped with a few leaves of basil. To the first one is often added tiny fish, to the second one thin slices of muzzarella [spelled with "mu" as opposed to "mo"]. Sometimes you are using prosciutto [ham] slices, tomatoes, clams, and etc. Sometimes folding the dough over itself as what is called calzone."

_____________________________________________
*According to "Libreria Neapolis" (Neapolis Library):

"It took twenty years, from 1847 to 1866, for Francis de Bourcard to build two large volumes on the 'Uses and Customs of Naples and Described and Painted Surroundings'. It is valuable both for the accurate description of the customs of the time, popular characters, festivals, ceremonies, rituals, and for one hundred watercolor drawings that 'paint' the descriptions. The book is another testimony of the interest that gripped Naples writers of various countries: De Bourcard was a native of Switzerland, the grandson of Maresciallo De Bourcard, who was the Captain General of the Kingdom of Naples, and who distinguished himself in the seven years war and capture of Rome in 1789-99. The grandson perfectly Neapolitanized, studied the affairs of Naples, desiring to offer an act of love for the land where he was born, dedicating himself, to no small effort, to bring together writers and artists in a work—even for the graphics—that can be said monumental for its time."

http://www.librerianeapolis.it/new/index.php/libri/48-feste-culti-tradizioni/1607-usi-e-costumi-di-napoli-e-contorni-descritti-e-dipinti-francesco-de-bourcard-
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http://www.borders.com.au/book/usi-e-costumi-di-napoli-e-contorni-descritti-e-dipinti-opera-diretta-da-f-de-bourcard/25574031/
http://www.amazon.com/costumi-contorni-descritti-dipinti-Bourcard/dp/B003ODJ4FW

[dellavecchia]

coll'aglio [definition?] and l'oglio [oil?]

Thank you for posting Omid. Coll'aglio e l'oglio is "with garlic and oil". The first pizza described is just simply oil and garlic. When fish are added it is the simplest form of marinara. And the second is what is called Mast ‘Nicola (with the lard).

John

[kiwipete]

To the first one is often added tiny fish, etc

Tiny fish like in this pizza, perhaps? (cicenielli or Whitebait)

(Pizza by Ciro Salvo: "Una pizza antichissima")

[Pizza Napoletana]

Thank you for posting Omid. Coll'aglio e l'oglio is "with garlic and oil". The first pizza described is just simply oil and garlic. When fish are added it is the simplest form of marinara. And the second is what is called Mast ‘Nicola (with the lard).

John

Dear John, I thank you dearly for your valuable contributions!

So, if I am not mistaken, the first referenced pizza, in Reply #976, is composed of the following toppings: oil, garlic, oregano, and salt. And, sometimes tiny fish are added to the preceding toppings.

Moreover, the second referenced pizza, in Reply #976, seems to bear the following garnishes: cheese ("formaggio"), seasoned lard, and basil. Sometimes thin slices of "muzzarella" are added to the preceding toppings. And, sometimes prosciutto, tomatoes, clams, and etc.

Do you arrive at the same conclusion after considering the quoted passage in reply #976 above? Thank you!

Tiny fish like in this pizza, perhaps?

Dear Kiwipete, the pizza picture you kindly posted in reply #978, above, absolutely mesmerized me. I am grateful to you! The picture may very well be an exemplification of the first pizza delineated by Francesco de Bouchard, as it appears to be topped with: oil, tiny fish, garlic, and what appears to be either pepper or finely crushed oregano. Do you remember what kind of oil was used? And, are the tiny particles pepper, oregano, or else? Thank you!

Good night gentlemen!