It’s hard to explain the fanatical attraction of Neapolitan-style pizza. For Americans raised on spongy-crusted, fast-food pizzas smothered in gaudy toppings, the subtlety and nuance of Pizza Napoletana can be hard to grasp. It doesn’t look like much – at least not compared to the over-sized pizzas you get at Pizza Hut and Dominos. It’s misshapen, with a charred and blackened outer crust and just a few obvious toppings – tomato sauce, cheese and basil leaves.
But as the saying goes, Pizza Napoletana is more than the sum of its parts. In the case of the classic “Margherita” pizza, the yeasty crust combines with the sweet acidity of the San Marzano tomatoes, the richness of the mozzarella cheese, the spiciness of the basil, and hints of olive oil and sea salt to create the perfect synthesis of flavor and texture.








