Neapolitan-Style Pizza is widely considered the "original" pizza. Its roots can be traced back to the bustling streets of Naples during the 18th century. Originally, this iconic dish was created to provide sustenance for the city’s working poor, using simple and accessible ingredients.
The Ingredients & Fermentation
Authenticity lies at the core of Neapolitan-style pizza. The dough consists solely of refined Italian "00" flour, water, fine sea salt, and yeast—nothing else. Importantly, no oil or sugar is added, ensuring the dough remains true to its roots and delicate in flavour.
We make all of our dough in small batches at home in Tealby, Lincolnshire. not quite the same dramatic backdrop as the volcano Mount Vesuvius behind Naples, this National Landscape is beautiful place to live.
Pizza Napoletana
Our method, where art meets chemistry
We craft our dough at home in small batches, combining the art of dough making with the chemistry of fermentation careful attention is given to every stage of dough preparation to maximise both taste and texture. At Pizza with Purpose, we never buy frozen pre-made dough.
24 hour- room temperature formula
1) Create a rough dough by the mixing Italian 00 flour and filter water. A dried sourdough mix can be added at this stage to add depth of flavour and enhance fermentation. To do this replace 3% of the flour with dried sourdough.
2) Leave to autolyse at room temperature for 20 minutes, allowing for the flour to hydrate and build natural gluten bands.
3) Add yeast and mix for 15 minutes until it has fully incorporated with the dough.
4) Add sea salt and mix for a further 5 minutes or until the mixed dough is ready (windowpane test)
5) Place in dough box and bulk ferment -overnight- at 18c (ideal)/ 20c, for about 15/ 16 hours, until doubled in size.
6) Roll dough onto kitchen counter and portion into 275g dough balls- making sure to seel underneath to prevent CO2 escaping- adjust according to temperature/ weather - if cold don't tighten too much, if warm tightening will encourage balls to keep shape.
7) Allow dough balls to rest, relax and proof for 7/8 hours before service.
Handmade in the Lincolnshire Wolds
Neapolitan-style pizza dough is defined by its beautiful balance of softness and crunch, a texture achieved through long fermentation, high‑hydration dough, and fast baking at intense heat.
The interior stays light, airy, and tender, with an open crumb that almost melts as you bite into it, while the outer cornicione develops a delicate crispness and gentle blistering from the wood‑fired oven.
This contrast is what makes true Neapolitan dough so special: a soft, pillowy base that folds easily, paired with a thin, lightly crunchy exterior that gives just enough resistance before yielding to the softness beneath.
Dough Calculators
Our Homemade pizza sauce
Our homemade sauce is made from the finest Italian plum tomatoes, sea salt with dried organo and fresh basil added to taste.
Origins
As Italian immigrants arrived in Manhattan in the early 20th century, they adapted their recipes for coal-fired bread ovens. The result was a larger, sturdier pizza designed to be sold by the slice to busy workers. It is the Neapolitan evolved for the industrial city.
The Ingredients & Fermentation
The flour changes to high-protein bread flour to create chew. We add olive oil (for tenderness) and diastatic malt (for browning) to the mix. Unlike the Neapolitan, this dough undergoes a "Cold Ferment," sleeping in the fridge for 48 to 72 hours. This slows the yeast, developing a complex, savoury, almost sourdough-like flavour.
Method & Texture
To replicate the coal deck ovens of NYC, we drop the oven temperature to a moderate 340°C–370°C. A slower bake of 4 to 5 minutes allows the dough to dry out and crisp up without burning.
The sugar in the dough creates a consistent, deep golden-brown colour. The base is thin but rigid and crispy, allowing for the famous "New York Fold" without the slice flopping.
2. New York Style
Origins
The Tonda, or Roman Round, is the traditional, super-thin, round pizza found in trattorias across Rome.
As Rome rebuilt after the Second World War, there was a booming demand for cheap, quick meals for the working class. Pizzerias began utilizing electric deck ovens (which were easier to install than wood-fired ones). These ovens allowed for a longer bake at a slightly lower temperature than Neapolitan ovens
Unlike the soft Neapolitan style, this pizza is prized for its cracker-like texture and distinctive snap. It is a beloved staple of Roman cuisine, appreciated for its crispness and unique eating experience.
The Ingredients & Fermentation
The dough for this pizza is specifically crafted to deliver crunchiness. It uses a lower-protein flour and features a very low hydration level, typically around 55% water. To further "shorten" the dough and enhance its crisp qualities, oil or lard is added. Uniquely, this is the only authentic Italian pizza style where a rolling pin is used to roll the dough paper-thin, intentionally removing all air bubbles before baking.
Method & Texture
To achieve the characteristic snap without burning the crust, the pizza is baked at a lower temperature, approximately 330°C–350°C . This careful temperature control is key to attaining the desired crunchy texture.
Cooking Time
The pizza requires a longer bake, typically 3 to 4 minutes, to fully dehydrate the crust.
Texture & Colour The finished pizza is flat all the way to the edge, with almost no outer rim. It is uniformly golden-brown and offers a distinct, audible snap when bitten. The structure is rigid and sturdy, allowing it to hold its toppings firmly with no risk of flopping.
3. The Tonda/ Roman Round
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