What does it really take to craft the world’s best pizza? Is it the recipe? The ingredients? The oven? Or is it something deeper something you can’t quite measure, like passion, patience, and soul?
In this behind-the-scenes story, we peel back the layers of what goes into making what many consider the finest pizza on the planet. At the heart of it all is Anthony Mangieri, founder and pizzaiolo of Una Pizza Napoletana in New York City a man who doesn’t just make pizza. He lives it.
Whether you’re a pizza enthusiast, an aspiring home chef, or simply someone who loves great food stories, this journey into the obsessive world of true Neapolitan pizza-making will leave you inspired. Ultimately, it may even leave you a little hungry, too.
🔥 The Secret Begins with the Dough: Alive, Ancient, and Always Changing
You may think pizza starts with toppings. Not here. At Una Pizza Napoletana, everything begins at 9:00 AM with the dough the heart and soul of every pizza.
Anthony doesn’t follow a static recipe. Instead, he treats his dough like a living, breathing creature. He adjusts each batch based on the weather, humidity, and even his mood. Then, using a carefully curated blend of 4–8 types of Italian flour, he shapes the dough by instinct not by measurement.
“There is no fixed formula,” Anthony says. “Every day the dough changes because the environment changes.”
This level of mindfulness transforms dough-making from routine into ritual. It’s a daily meditation where technique and feeling dance in harmony.
🌊 It’s All in the Water and Salt But Timing is Everything
What makes this dough so distinctive isn’t just the flour. In fact, it’s the NYC tap water and Sicilian sea salt added at exactly the right time that truly set it apart.
Anthony mixes in the salt only after the gluten has developed, ensuring it doesn’t interfere with the dough’s structure. While most kitchens skip this crucial detail, he never compromises.
And that’s the point: no shortcuts, no substitutions, just unrelenting precision.
“A dough that’s too wet can be amazing or impossible,” Anthony warns.
⚖️ Dough Balling: Gentle Hands, Big Flavor
Once the dough is rested and fermented, it’s time to shape it. This isn’t about punching, kneading, or rough handling. Anthony’s process is gentle, intentional, and almost meditative.
Each ball is hand-rolled and folded just right to preserve its air pockets, ensuring an open, airy crust after baking.
This is where the texture of the final pizza is decided. Get this wrong, and no amount of toppings can save it.
🔥 Firing Up the Beast: The Italian Brick Oven
Before a single pizza hits the peel, the wood-fired brick oven must be tamed. This is no ordinary oven it’s a handmade, Italian import that reaches blazing temperatures using a mix of oak and birch.
Anthony feeds the fire with practiced patience, waiting for the bricks to turn white signaling that the oven is primed for perfect baking.
“You don’t set a timer. You read the oven. You feel it.”
The oven, like the dough, is alive. It demands respect. And it gives back only what you put into it.
🍅 Minimalism on Purpose: Simplicity Is the Highest Form of Flavor
In a world obsessed with loaded toppings, Una Pizza Napoletana goes in the opposite direction.
Each pizza is topped with just a few ingredients: high-quality crushed San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella di bufala, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, and fresh basil. That’s it.
But the result? Explosive flavor in every bite.
“The simpler it is, the more each element matters.”
This minimalist approach requires every ingredient to be exceptional. There’s no place to hide only flavor to reveal.
🧀 From Oven to Table in Under 2 Minutes
Once topped, the pizza is launched into the scorching oven. In just 90 to 100 seconds, it transforms: the crust puffs, blisters, and chars in spots; the cheese melts and bubbles; the sauce caramelizes ever so slightly.
It’s a beautiful, blistered masterpiece.
This is not your average Friday night delivery pizza. This is artisan craftsmanship made edible.
🍐 A Sweet Surprise: Sorbetto as a Family Tribute
You wouldn’t expect the world’s best pizza shop to serve dessert but Anthony does. And like everything else, it’s personal.
He makes a homemade Asian pear sorbetto, inspired by his grandfather. No stabilizers. No fake stuff. Just fruit, water, sugar, and a little Sicilian almond flour.
It’s cold, pure, and clean exactly what you want after a rich pizza.
A sweet ending to a deeply savory experience.
💡 What You Can Learn from Making the World’s Best Pizza
You might not have a wood-fired oven or access to buffalo mozzarella. Nevertheless, here are a few takeaways you can use at home:
1. Use the Best Ingredients You Can Afford
Whether it’s tomatoes or salt, quality shines through in simple recipes.
2. Let Dough Be a Living Thing
Experiment with fermentation. Try using a sourdough starter or biga. Watch how it responds to time and temperature.
3. Heat Is Key
If you don’t have a pizza oven, don’t worry. Instead, invest in a pizza stone or steel. Preheat it well. A hot surface is crucial for good crust.
4. Keep It Simple
Great pizza isn’t about piling it high it’s about choosing well. One or two standout toppings are often better than five average ones.
👨🍳 The Soul of Pizza is the Person Behind It
Watching Anthony Mangieri make pizza is like watching an artist paint. Every movement is purposeful. Every detail, intentional.
What makes his pizza the best isn’t just technique it’s care. It’s the humility to do the same thing every day and still chase perfection. That mindset is something every cook professional or home can learn from.
🎥 Want to See the Magic in Action?
This article is inspired by the stunning video:
“A Day Making The World’s #1 Pizza in NYC” by Bon Appétit, featuring the legendary Anthony Mangieri of Una Pizza Napoletana.
You can watch it here: Watch the full video on YouTube
#SpicedUpRecipes #WorldsBestPizza #NeapolitanPizza #PizzaArt #AuthenticItalianPizza
How the World’s Best Pizza Is Made
Ingredients
Dough (for 2 pizzas):
- 300 g Caputo 00 flour or similar high-protein Italian-style flour
- 195 g NYC-style tap water or filtered water, cold
- 9 g Sicilian sea salt
- 1 g fresh yeast or 0.3g instant dry yeast
Toppings:
- 160 g San Marzano tomatoes hand-crushed
- 200 g fresh mozzarella preferably buffalo mozzarella or high-quality fior di latte, sliced
- Fresh basil leaves 6–8 leaves
- Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
Instructions
Mix the Dough
- In a large bowl, combine the flour and most of the water. Mix by hand until just combined. Let rest for 15–20 minutes (autolyse). Then add yeast and the remaining water slowly. Once incorporated, add the sea salt and knead until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
Bulk Ferment
- Cover the bowl and let the dough rest at room temperature for 2–3 hours. It should begin to rise slightly.
Cold Fermentation
- Transfer the dough to an airtight container and refrigerate for 18–24 hours. This slow fermentation enhances flavor and texture.
Ball and Rest
- Remove the dough from the fridge. Divide into two equal portions and shape into tight dough balls. Place them on a floured tray, cover, and let rest at room temperature for 3–4 hours.
Preheat the Oven
- If you have a pizza oven, heat it to 850–900°F (450–480°C). If using a home oven, preheat to the maximum (500°F/260°C) with a pizza stone or steel in place for at least 45 minutes.
Shape the Dough
- On a lightly floured surface, gently stretch each dough ball into a 10–12” round. Avoid using a rolling pin to preserve the air bubbles.
Add Toppings
- Spread a thin layer of crushed San Marzano tomatoes over the base. Add slices of fresh mozzarella and a few basil leaves. Drizzle lightly with extra virgin olive oil.
Bake
- In a pizza oven: Bake directly on the stone for 90–120 seconds, rotating every 20 seconds.
- In a home oven: Transfer to the preheated stone or steel and bake for 6–8 minutes, or until crust is golden and cheese is bubbling.
Serve
- Finish with a touch more olive oil or fresh basil if desired. Serve immediately while hot and crisp.
Notes
- NYC tap water and Sicilian sea salt are part of the secret—use mineral-rich water and quality salt if those aren’t available.
- Let the dough rest at each stage. Time = flavor.
- For extra puff in your crust, do not over-handle or deflate your dough when shaping.
- No pizza oven? Use a pizza steel or stone and preheat thoroughly.