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Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana

Pizzeria Antica strives to provide Champaign/Urbana with an authentic Neapolitan pizza experience according to the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, (AVPN, The True Neapolitan Pizza Association). AVPN is a non-profit organization founded in June 1984 in Naples Italy. Its mission is to promote and protect in Italy, and worldwide, the “Verace Pizza Napoletana“ (VPN, “True Neapolitan Pizza“). VPN is a pizza made in accordance with the characteristics described in the International Regulations for Obtaining a Collective Brand Mark of “Vera Pizza Napoletana“, in force since 1984, edited and registered by AVPN.

In order to produce a true Neapolitan Pizzeria Antica adheres to the following traditions and specifications:

1. Wood-burning oven: Antica’s Neapolitan pizzas are cooked in an oven hand built by Stefano Ferrera in Naples Italy.  Our wood-fired dome oven operates at a temperature of about 900 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Proper Ingredients: Antica only uses fresh, all-natural, non-processed ingredients either imported from Naples or the Campania region or locally sourced when available :

  • Flour:  Antimo Caputo Tipo “00”.
  • Fresh tomatoes: Italian San Marzano peeled tomatoes strained, broken up and homogenized by hand.
  • Mozzarella: Certified mozzarella di bufala campana D.O.P or Grande Fior di latte.
  • Academia Barrilla 100% Italian grown extra virgin olive oil.
  • Fresh Basil. Locally sourced when available
  • Cheese: Parmesan Reggiano Italian hand grated hard cheeses.
  • Fresh Garlic. Locally sourced when available
  • Oregano: “Origanum vulgare” from the “Labiatae” family. Locally sourced when available.
  • Mediterranean Sea salt
  • Yeast: Compressed yeast biologically produced, solid, soft and beige in color, with quite a dull taste and a low degree of acidity.
  • No fats or dairy are used in Antica dough.

3. Proper technique for the preparation of the dough: Antica Dough is prepared daily with a Mecnosud low friction Italian fork mixer.

4. Proper technique for the preparation of the pizza: Antica balls and opens the dough only by hand, we transfer the pizza on a peel by hand and adjust the shape, the pizza is cooked for approximately 90 seconds.

5. Proper Equipment: Anitca prepares its pizzas on an Italian marble slab work surface, we utilize Neapolitan aluminum pizza peels to introduce the pizza into the oven and a long handle metal round peel to turn and remove the pizza from the oven.

6. Final Product: Antica’s Pizza Napoletana are approximately 11 inches with a raised edge crust of about 1 inch and a thin center. Antica’s pizza is soft and elastic, and easily foldable.