Classic Italian Pizzas
- Neopolitan Pizzas: crispy and thin base, stone oven with oak-wood fire
- ex. Margherita Pizza: fresh basil, fresh tomatoes, olive oil, sea salt, garlic and mozzarella
- ex. Marinara Pizza: tomato, garlic, oregano and extra virgin olive oil
- Lazio (Rome) Pizzas: crispy and thin base, wood-fired oven
- Can be served as Pizza al taglio= pizza cooked in long, rectangular baking pans and relatively thick
- ex. Pizza Napoletana: tomato, mozzarella, anchovies, and oil
Story about Pizza
Italian Pizza Protection!
- There are many Italian stories about pizza, some fictional and others based on real events
- Raffaele Esposito of Naples, the premier pizza- maker of the city of Naples during 1880's, was asked to prepare special pizzas for King Umberto I and Queen Margherita. Although he was famous for his Marinara pizza, he deemed it unfit for the queen. So, he decided to make 3 new pizzas-- one with red tomato, white mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil. (By coincidence or not, the red, white, and green of the Italian flag) The Queen loved it and so the pizza was dubbed "Pizza Margherita"
- Italian pride for pizza is shown through the organization, Associazione Vera Pizza Napoletana (AVPN) which was established in 1984 to protect the Naples pizza by making strict requirements that pizza makers have to fulfill in respect of the tradition of the art of Neapolitan pizza making
- Includes ingredient guidelines (MUST BE FRESH and from a certain area)
History of Pizza
Descendants of Italian Modern Pizza
- Calzone: Italian turnover which is bread folded over with usual pizza ingredients
- Stromboli: roll made with bread, cheese, meat, and other pizza ingredients
- Deep Dish: Chicago- style pizza with a deeper crust
- The beginning of pizza is uncertain
- Ancient Pizza= bread with flavorful toppings
- Modern Pizza= flatbread with tomato sauce and cheese
- Back then, poor people in Italy could not afford plates so they would use flat pieces of bread to hold their food--> Italy is founder of modern pizza
Pizza: The Italian Masterpiece
Presentation by Shirley Chung