THE MAKING OF PIZZA

THE MAKING OF PIZZA

The Italian pizza, its essential aroma and flavor is known and appreciated both in Italy and abroad. Pizza can have different doughs, toppings and shapes, but what is the real original recipe?

In 1984 Antonio Pace and Lello Surace united the most important and renowned pizza makers of the time; they wanted to draw up the rules to recognize a True Neapolitan Pizza and differentiate it from the many other existing varieties, thus giving it maximum dignity and gratitude. Neapolitan pizza has some aesthetic requirements to be considered as such. It is rounded, with a diameter that must not exceed 35cm, and has a raised edge (the famous “cornicione”). Additionally, it must be soft and fragrant. The ingredients are very important too. The philosophy here is “keep it simple”: water, salt, yeast and flour are the only ingredients you need to prepare the pizza dough.

For what concerns the topping, according to tradition, the products used should be of Campania origin. Fresh tomatoes, mozzarella di bufala, fresh basil, and olive oil; are found in recipes that have been handed down through generations. Baking must take place strictly inside a wood-fired oven. The baking temperature of the pizza in a wood oven is crucial for a tasty and crunchy final product. A wood-burning oven can reach very high temperatures and the dough immediately forms a crunchy crust on the edges and on the base. Additionally, the burning wood releases multiple aromas, giving the pizza a whole different flavor.

However, over the years, pizza doughs have undergone an evolution aimed at differentiating the use of raw materials. Amongst the variants, the one made up with wholemeal flours has now become a classic for pizza processing. This kind of dough has many nutritional benefits, as the one made with kamut flour.

Perhaps what constitutes the most alternative and innovative dough in the panorama of pizza doughs is the one made by adding vegetable charcoal. This dough is characterized by a very dark, color and is known for its high digestibility: in fact, vegetable carbon promotes the absorption of gases, and therefore the body’s natural digestive processes.

The variety of pizza, however, does not only concern the different types of dough, but also the toppings. What are the pizzas that are never missing on an Italian menu?

The pizza Margherita is probably the most famous pizza that exists and in the world it is considered the true symbol that represents Italy. The toppings for Margherita pizza are simple and very fresh: tomato sauce, Italian olive oil, fresh basil and mozzarella.

The pizza Quattro Formaggi is one of the types of pizza that do not involve the use of tomato sauce. The main cheeses for the Quattro Formaggi are mozzarella, gorgonzola, parmesan and fontina or gruyere. Pizza Capricciosa is made up of mozzarella, tomato sauce, olive oil, cooked ham, mushrooms, artichokes and black olives. Pizza alla pala is another type of Italian pizza that can have a different connotation depending on where you order it. Invented in Rome, this long, oval-shaped pizza is served on a wooden “shovel”, hence the name. Another kind of pizza invented in Rome is the Roman Round Pizza, often called “Scrocchiarella” because of its crunchiness.

The pizza Quattro Stagioni, another great classic, allows you to taste four slices of pizza with different toppings. Each wedge represents a different season, but the base for all is made up of tomato sauce and mozzarella. Spring is represented by the artichokes, autumn by the mushrooms, summer by tomatoes and basil, and winter by cooked ham and black olives.

Then we have the sliced pizza, which is characterized by a very long leavening process and a very moist dough. It is rolled out in large rectangular pans, then baked. The result is a soft and light pizza, about 1 cm high and very different from classic pizzas such as the Neapolitan one.

The most famous Sicilian pizza is the Sfincione. The recipe was originally imported through Sicilian immigrants who went to the United States in search of work and today it is very popular. The Sfincione resembles pizza by the slice: it is a soft and rather thick pizza, generally served in square slices. Its traditional toppings are tomato sauce, onions, anchovies, herbs and a cheese with a strong flavor like caciocavallo. Sicily offers other kinds of pizzas, like the “Pizzòlu” of Siracusa, a round pizza filled with raw ham, cheese, rocket or other fresh ingredients. In Catania the pizzerias serve the Schiacciata: a layer of pizza dough, a layer of cheese and anchovies (or potatoes, sausages and broccoli), and tomato sauce. Then the pizza is covered with another layer of dough and brushed with beaten egg.

Pizza Fritta is often used as a “quick lunch” or as “street food”. It is huge and also cheap, especially if purchased on the street. The dough is the same as that used for Neapolitan pizza, but with a rather substantial filling. The traditional filling for fried pizza is ricotta, cicoli and a sprinkling of pepper. However, it is also filled with fiordilatte and tomato sauce, or with fresh ricotta and salami. Once the filling has been added, the pizza is closed in a crescent shape and then fried in boiling oil for a few minutes.

The Calzone is very similar to fried pizza, but it is cooked in a wood oven. The Neapolitan version of Calzone has in fact the same crescent shape as the fried pizza, but the pizza maker adds some tomato sauce and fresh basil before cooking it in the oven.