THE HISTORY OF PIZZA

THE HISTORY OF PIZZA

The year is 1889. On a day of June, the city of Napoli welcomes the King Umberto I and his wife, Margherita. The Queen was hungry, thus she called the best pizzaiolo in town to prepare something for the royal couple. Raffaele Esposito, the best pizzamaker in the whole Peninsula, knew how to satisfy his queen. On a flat disc of bread he decided to recreate the Italian flag, symbol of the country. Basil for Green, Mozzarella for White and tomatoes for Red. However, it was not only the look that made quite the impression. The meal prepared by Esposito tasted so delicious that the Queen decided to publicly promote and celebrate the pizzaiolo and its delicious Pizza. In return of her appreciation, Esposi- Fishermen Returning Near Naples, Ivan Aivazovsky, 1874 to nominated the new dish he just made Pizza Margherita, after all Italians’ Queen. History was made.

Fishermen Returning Near Naples, Ivan Aivazovsky, 1874

This historical event cemented the legacy of Pizza in Italy, making the meal popular among both the plebe and the royals. Nonetheless, the 1889 event has not to be confused with the invention of pizza! While the very first pizzeria dates back to 1738 in the Port’Alba neighborhood of Napoli, the creation of pizza can be located way back in time! In fact, one could say that the plate we now call Pizza is indeed the synthesis of Italian history. How is that so?

It was with the Romans that bread started to be smashed in a circular form. At the time this proto-pizza was just a disc of flour mixed with salt, water and seasonings. Centuries pass and Olive Oil makes its way on the disc, alongside sliced Cheese. Instead of random seasonings, Basil becomes the privileged choice. We are now around the XVI century and the term Pizza is commonly used among the Italian population. In 1492 the Italian Christopher Colombus makes his way to the New World, bringing back to Italy tomatoes for the first time. The sauce made from the fruit turned out to be what the Pizza was lacking, and with the further addition of Mozzarella in the ‘800s, Pizza as we know it was finally born.

Basil, Mozzarella and Tomatoes. The Italian flag of food

Following the same history of Pasta, Pizza came to the Americas together with Italians who were moving from the Peninsula in the XIV century. There, this tasty disc’s popularity grew crazy! The first official pizzeria in the US appeared in New York City and from there it reached the West Coast and the rest of the world! There is almost no place on the globe where you won’t be able to find a Pizza!

Traveling from a country to another, the Italian Pizza blended with the local cultures it encountered, creating new ways of enjoying this dish. From Pepperoni Pizza in the US to Bánh Tráng Nướng in Vietnam. Be aware of counterfeits though! Italians are so proud of their authentic food that the Neapolitan Pizza gained in 2009 an STG certification to certify its quality. This certification proves that the pizza you are eating is made in the traditional way with certified Italian ingredients, such as Olive Oil, Mozzarella and so on. Another important recognition came from UNESCO in 2017, when the Art of Neapolitan “Pizzaiuoli” became inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The ultimate recognition for a meal that is indeed a culinary heritage for the whole world.

Little Italy in New York