Giovanni’s Childhood Pizza (and Why He Still Thinks About It Every Day)

By Giovanni
·
Sat, Jul 19, 25

Background

When Giovanni was a kid in Ponticelli, the streets smelled like tomato and smoke. Every Sunday his mother would make the same pizza: tomato base, mozzarella, and a few slices of prosciutto cotto. No toppings to show off, just real ingredients and a hot oven.

He says if he could eat any pizza right now, it would still be that one. Not truffle, not burrata, not anything fancy. Just that red and white slice that tasted like home. Every time he makes it, it takes him back — to his family kitchen, the noise of the street, and that feeling that everything was perfect for a moment.

It might be simple, but it is pure Naples.

Method

  1. Preheat your oven to 250°C on bake or convection mode with no fan force. If you are using a pizza stone, place it in now to preheat fully.
  2. Open your Based Pizza base and spread a thin layer of tomato sauce across the surface. Add mozzarella and slices of ham. Drizzle lightly with olive oil.
  3. Bake for 5–6 minutes until the cheese melts and the base turns crisp and golden.
  4. Once out of the oven, top with pieces of fresh fior di latte, fresh basil leaves, and a final drizzle of olive oil. Slice and serve immediately.

Ingredients

• 1 Based Pizza sourdough base
• 3 tbsp tomato sauce
• 80 g mozzarella, sliced
• 3–4 slices prosciutto cotto
• 60 g fresh fior di latte, torn
• A few fresh basil leaves
• 1 tbsp olive oil

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Cooking Instructions

Top.
Cook.
Serve.

Step 1: Preheat Your Oven

Start by setting your conventional oven to bake mode, avoiding fan-forced. Preheat to maximum, typically 250°C to 280°C, and wait until fully heated. For gas or wood-fired ovens, preheat to 320°C for that signature wood-fired blistered finish.

Step 2: Add Toppings

Make Based Pizza your own. Top it your way, from simple to gourmet. For ideas, click here.

Step 3: Bake to Perfection

In a conventional oven, place the topped base directly on the rack—no tray needed. Bake for about 6 minutes. In a gas or wood-fired oven, cook on the stone for 90 to 120 seconds.

Enjoy simply perfect pizza, effortlessly.

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