Sorbillo Neapolitan Pizza
Makes 2 pizzas

800 centiliters of water (about 3 1/3 cups)
3 grams of fresh yeast
30 grams of salt (about ½ teaspoon)
1 kilo/200 grams of 00 flour (about 9.6 cups)
½-3/4 cup tomato sauce
½-3/4 cup basil leaves
½ – ¾ cup crumbled mozzarella
High quality extra virgin olive oil

Pour water into a large bowl.  Crumble yeast into bowl of water by placing it into your hand with a bit of flour and rubbing your hands together over the bowl.

Add salt to the bowl with the water and yeast and mix with your hand until everything is dissolved.

Add about half the flour to the water mixture and mix with your hand.  Keep adding flour until it is incorporated, and you have a smooth ball of dough that doesn’t stick to your hands.

Let the dough rest for 30 minutes.

Divide the dough into two balls and let them rise for an additional 24 hours.

Lightly flour a work surface.  Press the dough out into a flat disk with your fingers – it should be about 8 inches in diameter. Flip the dough back and forth between your hands to stretch it to about 10-12 inches.

Top the dough with a thin layer of your favorite tomato sauce, a handful of basil leaves and about ½ cup of crumbled mozzarella cheese.

Drizzle the top of the pizza with extra virgin olive oil.

Using a metal pizza peel slide the pizza onto a flat surface and place in a very hot oven.   Neapolitan wood burning pizzas are 800-1000 degrees F.; home ovens usually won’t go over 500 degrees F.

Mr Sorbillo turned the pizza constantly while it baked.   He removed it from the oven after just 60 seconds. In a home oven the pizza will take more like 8 to 10 minutes.