Leoparding on Neapolitan. Wanted or not?

[AntonioT]

So I feel like achieving leopard spots for a 60-90 sec Neapolitan is something a lot of pizza makers look for.

Then I see this video by Enzo Coccia entitled 6 mistakes of Neapolitan pizza. He describes the spots as measles, and indicative of a dough spread out when too cold.
So what is it? Yay or nay to leopard spots?

Link for anyone who cares to see it.

[Yael]

I was also surprised when I saw it, but I think he refers to bubbles rather than spots. I guess it's all in the details.

[TXCraig1]

In my experience, the pizza with the smaller/smallest spots and more even browning is consistently the best pizza.

[PizzAmateur]

I guess it really depends on what each individual considers to be the best qualities in a pizza.  Whether Neapolitan or any other style.

Personal preference always trumps any rules when it comes to taste.

[amolapizza]

The measles pizza was also a bit black underneath, not to mention that it leaked cheese..

[amolapizza]

I guess it really depends on what each individual considers to be the best qualities in a pizza.  Whether Neapolitan or any other style.

Personal preference always trumps any rules when it comes to taste.

There is also a disconnect regarding optics and taste.  We just get to see the optics of the pizzas posted by others, we never get to taste them..

[amcdonal86]

I'm not sure if Da Michele is the gold standard of NP around here, but when I went last year, there seemed to be quite a bit of "measles"!!

[jsaras]

I'm not sure if Da Michele is the gold standard of NP around here, but when I went last year, there seemed to be quite a bit of "measles"!!

I wouldn’t call that “measles” at all. THIS is the measles!

[Carmine Abramo]

I'm not sure if Da Michele is the gold standard of NP around here, but when I went last year, there seemed to be quite a bit of "measles"!!

Looks can be deceiving.  It always humors me that anal Neapolitan bakers get into creating "spots" and I feel like this kind of thinking hinders it's popularity because the wrong people get involved into such a simple staple.  They are a byproduct of the oven, not something of a collagen injection!  c'mon it's just pizza still respect L'antica Pizzeria da Michele for producing legitimate pizza at a very affordable price for the laymen, that's how it should be in my opinion not some upscale dining more about looks than taste.

[amcdonal86]

I wouldn’t call that “measles” at all. THIS is the measles!

Haha, to me that looks too much!!!!

[Heikjo]

A few smaller black ones are fine, but a pie with fairly white crust, but with lots of large black spots, that's undesirable to me.

I find the best ones to have an even browning without any larger spots. Scattered smaller spots are fine, but there's nothing attractive about too many charred spots.

Those wanting large spots has never said they did it for the taste, and that's where I don't understand anymore. Unless you make pies just to look at.

[ebpizza]

I don’t ever recall seeing excessive spots in Naples.

Should look similar to:

[BackyardPizzaiolo]

I agree that several black, charred spots are not a desirable feature on a pizza. It's more of an error in the process than an intent. But in the age of the Internet, it has become difficult to separate good information from bad information. More people are going to be exposed to charred pizza and believe that this is the way a Neapolitan pizza should be. I'm glad the masters are striking back and setting the record straight like in the video above. I've been following this YouTube channel lately.

And lastly I've noticed that a lot of people get offended when pointing out weakness areas in their pizzas, I think it's a shame because that's the best way to progress.

[PizzAmateur]

I think I need a dough docker...