To most non-Italians, knowledge about pizza is limited to its perceived image: a round crust topped with tomato and mozzarella. Only when you try making your own pizza at home do you realize that it’s not as easy as it sounds—or looks.

It was at Mercato Centrale, in Piazza dei Cinquecento, Rome, that my first encounter with Italian food took place. Only after almost giving the seller a heart attack by randomly choosing my pizza slice—a barbaric idea he rejected, insisting I make up my mind—did I realize that Italians take food very seriously.

From pizza al padellino in Torino, pizza napoletana and calzone in Napoli, to pizza al taglio in Rome and sfincione in Sicilia, pizza styles vary widely from one region to another.

And because life is unpredictable, one day, as I was contemplating my genuine regret for not having anyone to ask about the secret of Neapolitan pizza—the much-praised style everyone talks about—it finally happened: a Neapolitan chef sat next to me on a flight from Vilnius to Warsaw.

So, I dared to ask my newfound friend the question and learned that their pizza secret relies on two things: the dough and the tomato sauce. For the former, “it should rest in the fridge for 72 hours,” and for the latter, “the sauce tastes better if you use tomatoes grown in Naples.”

Here are some details to keep in mind when preparing pizza:

1. Let the dough rest adequately
Personally, I wouldn’t keep the dough in the fridge for three days for the simple reason that when hunger strikes, there’s no time for lengthy experiments. Letting the dough rest overnight or for several nights in the fridge will require more work afterward on the floured counter due to yeast fermentation. Usually, I let the dough rest for about an hour at room temperature before working with it.

2. Choose flavorful tomatoes for your homemade sauce
When it comes to tomato sauce, most of us buy it from the supermarket—something no Italian would understand. If you want your pizza to be truly flavorful, make your own tomato sauce.

It doesn’t take much time to prepare, and you can store it in a jar in the fridge to use for other recipes. For homemade tomato sauce, it’s advisable to pick high-quality, ripe tomatoes.

3. Opt for simple toppings
When it comes to pizza toppings, Italians stick to certain combinations and avoid experimenting with things like ‘pineapple and bacon.’ For enhanced flavors, use simple ingredients instead—tomato sauce, mozzarella, and basil, for example.

4. Find the optimal baking temperature
Our grandparents didn’t have electric ovens—they used wood-fired ovens that could reach soaring temperatures. It’s not just the heat but also the method of heat generation that makes pizza cooked in a wood-fired oven so delicious.

I prefer to bake my pizza at 210°C in a preheated oven. There’s no fixed baking time—pizza cooks quickly, so keep an eye on it until the dough turns a crispy golden color.

5. Beer, wine, or chocolate milk with pizza?
Finally, if you drink occasionally, you know that wine and pizza make the perfect pairing. However, the toppings play a significant role in determining the right wine choice.

This doesn’t mean you have to drink alcohol to enjoy your freshly baked pizza, but if you do opt for a glass of wine, make sure to pair it wisely.
Here are some pairing suggestions: Food & Wine.

Image credits: Paul Espinoza