Galentine’s Neapolitan Pizza from Elene Ferrante’s ‘My Brilliant Friend’
“He took me on Via Constantinopoli, to Port’Alba to Piazza Dante, to Via Toledo. I was overwhelmed by the names, the noise of the traffic the voices, the colours, the festive atmosphere, the effort of keeping everything in mind so that I could talk about it later with Lila, the ease with which he bought me a pizza melting with ricotta, the fruit seller from whom he bought me a yellow peach.”
Although Galentine’s Day started as fiction, invented by the ineffable Leslie Knopp in Parks and Rec, it has very much become a part of real women’s lives to celebrate the importance of platonic love and the joys of female friendship.
As years go by, regardless of my romantic relationship status, I become more and more grateful for the friendships with the women in my life. They’re not an after-thought or alternative to coupledom; they are cherished independently- giving me a sense of deep connection, intimacy and stability through the changing seasons of life in a way that differs from romantic attachments, however ardent.
Case in point: I’ve never planned a matching tattoo with a partner but I am now contemplating one with a dear pal as a way to celebrate our two-decade long friendship.
These friendships have a precious sturdiness to them, grounded on a bedrock of support, commitment and trust. Despite not being able see each other weekly due geographical proximity or even simply life's general chaos, these friendships endure and sustain me through both triumphs and tragedies. Galentine’s Day is a perfect excuse to celebrate these friendships, celebrating the joys and richness that these women bring to our lives.
Thinking of the richness of long term friendship, I immediately thought of the first novel of Ferrante’s acclaimed Neapolitan Quartet, ‘My Brilliant Friend’, which charts two best friends’ journey into adulthood in a post-war Italy with great emotional depth and luminous storytelling.
Set in the impoverished outskirts of 1950s Naples, the girls grow up amidst the violence, political unrest and corruption of their community, learning to rely on each other above anything else. Ferrante’s depiction of the bond between Elena and Lila is unforgettable, capturing the intensity, rawness and tension of their volatile friendship as they navigate their prospective destinities and paths to adulthood. The relationship and characterisation is breathtakingly vivid, as is the portrait of Naples, its families and customs and it is a glorious, gripping, heartbreaking read. The HBO adaption of this, and the second novel in the series, is also absolutely worth checking out.
Given its Italian setting, the novel is stuffed full of food that I long to eat: pistachio creme pastries, pasta e potata (hello double carb heaven!), decadent prosciutto-stuffed sandwiches; all of which would have been worthy contenders for book-inspired Galentine’s recipes but let’s admit it, there’s something quite special about making pizza for the people you love.
Yes, this recipe is a moderate faff and there are speedier pizza dough recipes around but if you have the time and fridge space, make this to share with your favourite people. Pizza, like true friendship, is worth going the extra mile.
Unsplash: [Klara Kulikova]
Neapolitan Pizza with ricotta and basil
Recipe adapted from the wonderful Kate Young.
Makes 6 individual pizzas
Ingredients
Pizza Dough
500g type 00 flour or plain flour
300ml water (at blood temperature)
20g fresh yeast (or 5g fast action yeast)
1tsp salt
Handful of semolina
Toppings
Olive oil
Passata or homemade tomato sauce
Ricotta or vegan ricotta (I suggest this recipe for vegan ricotta)
Fresh basil
Chilli oil, capers, anchovies etc
Method
1. About 72 hours before you plan on eating the pizza, prepare the dough. Crumble the yeast into the mixing bowl, add the water and whisk together. Add the flour and salt and mix with your hand. Tip onto the bench and knead for ten minutes, until the dough is soft, smooth and elastic.
2. Clean the mixing bowl and return the dough to it. Cover with cling film and leave to rise for half an hour at room temperature. Move the dough to the fridge, and leave for 24 hours.
3. After 24 hours, split the dough into six even pieces and shape into balls. Place on a baking tray lined with paper, sprinkle with flour and cover with cling film. Return to the fridge for a further two days. .
5. About an hour and a half before you want to eat the pizza, remove the dough from the fridge. Let it to come to room temperature, and then rise for a final hour. While the dough is rising, place a baking tray/pizza stone (if you happen to have one hanging about) to your oven and turn it on to the hottest setting (should be between 240C - 300C).
6. Each ball of dough will be full of irregular holes; this is exactly what you're looking for. Instead of rolling the dough out with a rolling pin, push and pull it gently into a roundish shape with your hands and keep the crust a little thicker than the centre.
7. Sprinkle some polenta on your surface, so that the dough doesn't stick. Trickle some olive oil into the centre, and spread it over the dough with your fingertips. Spoon a tablespoon of passata onto the base, and then add your ricotta, basil and any other toppings.
8. Carefully maneuver the pizza onto the stone/baking tray in the oven and close the door of the oven quickly. Bake for around seven minutes, until the base is puffed and blackened in places.
9. Try to let the pizza cool for a couple of minutes, then devour joyously with your best pals.
Written by Hannah Stephenson
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