The Story of Pizza

Today everyone loves pizza with lots of cheese and different toppings. It's so yummy! But have you ever thought about the origin of Pizza and how it became so famous. Let's discover some of the interesting facts and history about pizza.

Origin of Pizza: Pizza was originally founded by the early Greeks who first baked large, round and flat breads. Eventually the idea of flat bread became famous in Italy where, in the 18th century, the flat breads called Pizzas were sold on the streets and in the markets. At that time Pizza had no toppings and it was enjoyed naturally.

Introduction of toppings: In about 1889, Queen Margherita, accompanied by her husband, Umberto I, took an inspection tour of her Italian Kingdom. During her travels The Queen tasted and loved the bread and would eat it every time she was out amongst the people. Summoning Chef Rafaelle Esposito from his pizzeria to the royal palace, the queen ordered him to bake a selection of pizzas for her pleasure. To honor the queen who was so beloved by her subjects, Rafaelle decided to make a very special pizza just for her. He baked a Pizza topped with tomatoes, Mozarella Cheese, and fresh Basil (to represent the colors of the Italian flag: Red, white, and green).

This Pizza became even more popular with the Italian people. This is how topping Pizza was introduced. Variations began to be made in different parts of the country. In Bologna, for example, meat began to be added into the topping mix. Neapolitan Pizza became quite popular and it brought garlic and crumbly Neapolitan cheeses into the mixture as well as herbs, fresh vegetables, and other spices and flavorings.

Pizza in the Renaissance: That time pizza was a thin mixing made with a base of eggs, butter, sugar that was cooked in the oven, or fried. The discovery of America marks another important step in the history of Pizza. In Europe, many land produce were introduced and that soon became part of pizza toppings such as corn, tomatoes, potatoes, beans, peppers and zucchini. From then on the era of the modern pizza begins.

Pizza in the XVIII and XIX centuries:  Pizza becomes the dish of the Neapolitan kitchen between 1700s and 1800s. Antica Pizzeria Port'Alba, the world's first pizzeria, opened in Naples in 1830, and is still in business to this day. After the Second World War pizza goes out of the borders of the south of Italy through the thousands of immigrants that move with their families to the North of Italy and to European countries such as France, Belgium, Germany, and England.

Pizza Crust: The bread base of the pizza is called the crust. The thickness varies according to style. The crust is traditionally plain, but may also be seasoned with butter, garlic, or herbs, or stuffed with cheese. In some pizza different sauce is also used.

• Different baking methods:
• Gas canister (stone bricks above the heat source) oven
• An electric deck oven
• Conveyor belt oven
• A wood or coal-fired brick oven
• When making pizza at home, it can be baked on a "pizza stone" in a regular oven to imitate the effect of a brick oven.

Frozen Pizza: Nowadays Pizza is also available as a frozen in supermarket. The Second World War was on and Francis Ferrari, Italo-American from Newark, got a letter from his brother Fred who was fighting for the marines corps in Jwo-Jima. "If I could have a pizza" said the letter "like the one which mama made at home, I would put up with all the sufferings". After many attempts, Francis managed to invent frozen pizza.

 

Pizzas can be made either healthy or fatty, depending upon what you use for the toppings. Today we celebrate Pizza. February 9 is International Pizza Day and the Guinness Book of Records states that the largest Pizza ever made and eaten was created in Havana, Florida and was 100 feet and 1 inch across! So, next time you eat a Pizza, stop and think of Queen Margherita and Chef Rafaelle and be grateful that a Queen would dare stoop to eat peasant bread.

(Sources: pizzabusiness.altervista.org, inmamaskitchen.com)

(Image Sources: all-pizza-recipes.blogspot.com, twu.ca, malaikasplace.blogspot.com)