Pizza a dish commonly consisting of a flat, round base of dough baked with a topping of tomato sauce and cheese, typically with added meat or vegetables. The modern pizza was originally invented in Naples, Italy but the word pizza is Greek in origin, derived from the Greek word pektos meaning solid or clotted. The ancient Greeks covered their bread with oils, herbs cheese. The first major innovation that led to the flat bread pizza was when they only started using tomato as a topping. It was a common thing for the poor of the area around Naples to add tomato to their yeast-based flat bread, and so the pizza began.
Pizza is the world’s favorite food. We eat it anywhere – at home, in restaurants, on street corners. People have beem eating pizza, in one form or another, for centuries, pieces of flatbread, topped with savouries, served as a simple tasty meal for those who could not afford plates. There was a one story of the origins of pizza. A captain and his crew sat down beneath a tree and laid out ‘thin wheaten cakes as platters for their meal’. They then scattered the, with mushrooms and herbs they had found in the woods and guzzled them down, crust and all prompting the captains’ son to exclaim “Look! We’ve eaten our plates. But it was in the late 18-century Naples that the pizza as we know now came it into being.
Some Types of Pizza
Neopolitan Pizza
Neapolitan is the original pizza. This delicious pie dates all the way back to 18th century in Naples, Italy. During this time, the poorer citizens of this seaside city frequently purchased food that was cheap and could be eaten quickly. Luckily for them, Neapolitan pizza was affordable and readily available through numerous street vendors.
Chicago Pizza
Chicago pizza, also commonly referred to as deep-dish pizza, gets its name from the city it was invented in. During the early 1900’s, Italian immigrants in the windy city were searching for something similar to the Neapolitan pizza that they knew and loved. Instead of imitating the notoriously thin pie, Ike Sewell had something else in mind. He created a pizza with a thick crust that had raised edges, similar to a pie, and ingredients in reverse, with slices of mozzarella lining the dough followed by meat, vegetables, and then topped with a can of crushed tomatoes. This original creation led Sewell to create the now famous chain restaurant, Pizzeria Uno.
New York-Style Pizza
With its characteristic large, foldable slices and crispy outer crust, New York-style pizza is one of America’s most famous regional pizza types. Originally a variation of Neapolitan-style pizza, the New York slice has taken on a fame all its own, with some saying its unique flavor has to do with the minerals present in New York’s tap water supply.
Sicilian Pizza
Sicilian pizza, also known as “sfincione,” provides a thick cut of pizza with pillowy dough, a crunchy crust, and robust tomato sauce. This square-cut pizza is served with or without cheese, and often with the cheese underneath the sauce to prevent the pie from becoming soggy. Sicilian pizza was brought to America in the 19th century by Sicilian immigrants and became popular in the United States after the Second World War.
Greek Pizza
Greek pizza was created by Greek immigrants who came to America and were introduced to Italian pizza. Greek-style pizza, especially popular in the New England states, features a thick and chewy crust cooked in shallow, oiled pans, resulting in a nearly deep-fried bottom. While this style has a crust that is puffier and chewier than thin crust pizzas, it’s not quite as thick as a deep-dish or Sicilian crust.
California Pizza
California pizza, or gourmet pizza, is known for its unusual ingredients. This pizza got its start back in the late 1970’s when Chef Ed LaDou began experimenting with pizza recipes in the classic Italian restaurant, Prego. He created a pizza with mustard, ricotta, pate, and red pepper, and by chance, served it to Wolfgang Puck. Impressed with LaDou’s innovative pie, Puck invited him to be a head pizza chef at his restaurant. It was here that LaDou came up with over 250 unique pizza recipes that eventually formed the menu of the chain restaurant California Pizza Kitchen.
Detroit Pizza
Reflecting the city’s deep ties to the auto industry, Detroit-style pizza was originally baked in a square automotive parts pan in the 1940’s. Detroit pizza is first topped with pepperoni, followed by brick cheese which is spread to the very edges of the pan, yielding a caramelized cheese perimeter. Sauce is then spooned over the pizza, an order similar to Chicago-style pizza. This pizza features a thick, extra crispy crust that is tender and airy on the inside.
St. Louis Pizza
Looking for a light slice? St. Louis pizza features a thin crust with a cracker-like consistency that is made without yeast. Due to the crispy crust, St. Louis pizza is usually cut into three- or four-inch rectangles, known as “party” or “tavern” cut. This pizza features Provel processed cheese, which is a gooey combination of cheddar, Swiss, and provolone cheeses. St. Louis received an influx of Italian immigrants in the 19th century who were looking for employment opportunities. The Italian community, largely from Milan and Sicily, created the St. Louis-style pizza. Its sweet sauce is reminiscent of the Sicilian influence.
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