Chef Vinny Lauria of 208 Duecento Otto is a self-proclaimed 'nerd' when it comes to pizza. He studies every pie with the precision of a scientist and obsession of a comic-book collector.

But his aim is a genuine Naples-style pie, and the standards of l'Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (Association for Real Neapolitan Pizza) - think of it as the Italian pizza police - are most exacting. Mr. Lauria's signature slice is the D.O.C., named after the Italian quality label denominazione di origine controllata, which is awarded for excellence in regional food and modeled after the French appellation d'origine contrôlée (A.O.C.) system. Here's how it comes together:

The base: Italian doppio zero flour is required to make an authentic pizza napoletana. A high-gluten wheat flour, it's extra fine, making for a smoother dough. That dough is turned into a round that's 35 centimeters in diameter and a superthin three millimeters thick (with an elevated edge the Italians call the cornicione, or cornice), dimensions achieved entirely through delicate stretching by hand. 'Rolling pins are strictly forbidden,' says Mr. Lauria, and tossing is also a no-no.

The cheeses: Mozzarella di Bufala Campana, made from the milk of water buffalo living in the marshlands of Campania and Lazio, has an intense milky flavor. To reduce the moisture (too much would makes the pizza soggy), the chef finely dices the cheese and drains it for two hours through cheesecloth. Scamorza cheese, a close cousin of mozzarella, adds a signature smoky flavor.

The sauce: Fresh cherrytomatoes, crushed by hand, serve as sauce and topping on the D.O.C. pizza. (The other pies at the restaurant are made with San Marzano tomato sauce.)

The baking: The pizza association declares that this can be achieved only in an Italian-made, dome-shaped brick oven, which ensures even heat distribution. The handcrafted example at 208 Duecento Otto, shipped over from Naples, heats up to 485