Antonino Esposito knows a lot about pizza. Born in 1968, Esposito still lives and works in his hometown of Sorrento where he started both the pizzeria Ahum! and the restaurant Acqu' e Sale. In 2008, he came in second place at the World Pizza Championship and he is also the very first TV celebrity in the history of pizza in Italy with appearances on TV cooking shows. Esposito also recently opened a new self-titled pizzeria in Milan and writes often for trade magazines. He also makes videos, DVDs and books dedicated to the world of pizza. Another claim to fame for the pizza chef is his masterful invention of Frusta Sorrentina, a patented and well-known product born in 1996 that is shipped frozen in Italy and overseas to this day.
Frusta Sorrentina by Antonino Esposito
Esposito’s technique can be measured by his mastery of the wood-burning oven and his understanding of both the difficulties present in the production chain and the challenge of creating a product for home ovens. He knows the secrets that pizza makers use to make good pizza, to keep the dough soft and, above all, to make it taste delicious. He knows, for example, that to make a pizza at home, you need egg and lard.
While the egg makes the pizza golden without overcooking the dough and adds protein and fat, the lard adds flavor and softness: "It is imperceptible in the taste,” Antonino specifies keenly, “but the consistency is magic. And you really only need a teaspoon of it for the dough.”
For the rest, you need quality raw materials: strong flour, authentic mozzarella and tomato sauce prepared with care. Pizza is a simple food. When you eat it, you can almost taste the work that went into making it: the dough-kneading, the ingredient selection and the care that goes into creating flavor. "High food cost speaks for itself: a good product costs more but it provides added value in terms of taste. And nobody weighs the ingredients on a finished pizza. It’s the result that counts, not the price per kilo.” That means it’s essential to use only real fresh mozzarella and quality products. At least that's how Antonino Esposito does it.
Here is his recipe from Passione Pizza, a book about all things pizza.
Antonino Esposito’s Pizza Dough Recipe
Ingredients
Makes 5 pizzas
500 cc water
2 lb strong flour
1 oz carry-over dough (a piece of dough preserved from a previously-made pizza dough)
1 ½ tbsp salt
½ tsp brewer's yeast
Half an egg
Half teaspoon sugar
One teaspoon lard
For the pizza dough
Dissolve the carry-over dough in a bowl with the brewer's yeast, a little water and sugar.
Add ¼ of the flour, stir and then add salt.
Add ¼ more of the flour followed by the egg and lard then the rest of the flour, alternating with water. Stir until dough comes off the bowl.
Pour the dough on a lightly floured pastry board in the shape of a rectangle and fold it over itself a couple of times.
Form a brick with the dough and cover with a bowl. Let rest for 15 minutes.
Knead the dough again with your hands for about ten seconds, then fold it a couple of times and let it rest covered for another 15 minutes. Repeat this process two more times.
Divide the dough into five parts and form loaves. Place loaves a couple of cm apart and cover with a cloth.
Let rise overnight in a warm or temperature controlled place away from open air.
The trick for this stage? Use freshly greased plastic containers that allow the loaves to rise “vertically.”
After seven hours, transfer the loaves to the fridge or to a cool place.
Take them out one hour before using.
Shaping the dough with a bowl
Take a section of dough and work it with your fingers until you create a disc.
Take a large bowl (preferably a metal one) and turn it upside down.
Flour and place the dough on top of the bowl.
Start rolling out the dough by pushing it from the center to the outside of the bowl so that the disc widens.
Once you reach the desired width, transfer the dough back to the pastry board.
The right baking sheet for pizza
Made in the oven at home is the best. Esposito suggests a light non-stick pan so you don’t need oil and for quick and even distribution of heat. It's a perfect trick for a home oven that can’t reach the high temperatures of a wood-burning oven.
Spread the dough in the pizza pan and let rest until doubled in volume.
Prick with a fork and transfer to the oven.
The rule for tomatoes: peeled only!
The tomato you use must be peeled and the sauce must be prepared the day before.
The best choice is peeled San Marzano tomatoes because they have the right balance between water, pulp and seeds.
You must also crush them with your hands and season with oil, salt, crushed poached garlic and whole basil. Then let rest all night in the refrigerator.
You mean you don’t use tomato sauce? "The sauce is a meal in itself. Pizza is serious stuff!"
Cooking and seasoning the pizza
Bake the pizza until it turns just golden-brown and then season with tomatoes.
Bake again.
Three minutes from the end, remove it again and add the finely chopped mozzarella and grated Parmesan cheese.
When it comes out of the oven, remove the pizza from the pan and put it on a grill with extra-virgin olive oil and fresh basil.