Pizza Di Napoli

This Neapolitan-style white pizza skips the tomato sauce and leans into sweet-savory vegetable toppings that would make any Italian grandmother proud. Fire-roasted bell peppers (charred under the broiler until blistered, then steamed in a paper bag to loosen the skins) provide the sweet backbone. Garlicky wilted spinach adds green balance. Slow-cooked onions, braised first in water and then dried out until caramelized, bring the sweet umami.

Using pre-made Italian bread shells turns this into a weeknight recipe rather than a weekend project. Layer the cooked vegetables in alternating rows on each shell for visual appeal, sandwich between two layers of cheese so the bottom layer binds to the crust and the top melts into a blanket, and bake at 450°F (230°C) for 8 to 10 minutes.

Each small pizza serves one, or cuts in half for two. Finish with cracked pepper, a drizzle of good olive oil, or a sprinkle of red pepper flakes. A simple green salad alongside and a glass of white wine, and you have a home-cooked version of a Naples cafe lunch.

Chef Tips

• Char the peppers until the skins are completely black. Partial charring makes peeling a nightmare.
• Put hot peppers in a paper bag (not plastic) and close tight. Steam loosens the skins in 10 minutes.
• Caramelize onions low and slow. Rushing with high heat burns them and misses the sweet.
• Squeeze wilted spinach dry before putting it on the pizza. Wet spinach makes a soggy pie.
• Use pre-shredded mozzarella for easy melting, or shred your own for better stretch.

Variations

• Add thinly sliced roasted garlic cloves scattered over the top.
• Swap spinach for arugula added after baking for peppery freshness.
• Finish with a scatter of fresh basil, crumbled goat cheese, or a drizzle of balsamic glaze.