A taste OF THE REAL MCCOY! A taste OF THE REAL MCCOY!

V ibrant Naples is known for palaces, churches and frescos. But it's equally popular as the birthplace of the pizza Margher ita.

Words Gustasp and Jeroo Irani

Gustasp and Jeroo Irani are gluttons for adventurous escapades and their stories and photographs attempt to capture heritage, culture, hotspots and secret retreats the world over.

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The glamorous Italian city of Naples has a rakish devil-may-care charm while Rome, Italy's charming capital, has a grandiose aura. However, both are locked in a fight-to-the-finish battle for pizza supremacy.

Naples claims it birthed the quintessential "Pizza Margherita", slathered with sun-dried red tomato and mozzarella cheese. Rome, on the other hand, declares that its thin crust pizza is the best in the world. Since ancient times, flat breads with seasonal toppings, seared in wood-fired ovens were common not only in Naples but also in other regions of Italy.

It is believed that the pizza was born in Naples and, subsequently, has been raised there to the level of fine art, and is now laced with an intensity of taste and flavour, unknown in its early days.

However, to get hold of the real McCoy, head for the pizzerias with a sign on the door that says "La Vera Pizza Napoletana" (the real Neapolitan pizza). To earn this seal of approval, a pizza maker has to adhere to stringent guidelines. For instance, a Margherita has to be topped with mozzarella cheese (preferably made from buffalo milk) and extra virgin olive oil poured with a spiral motion. The dough must be tossed and kneaded by hand and the pizza must be cooked in a wood-fired oven that has reached a specific temperature!

We decided to narrow down our search to the quintessential pizza Margherita and the treasure hunt led us to Pizzeria Brandi, a pizzeria linked to the birth of this iconic dish. The pizzeria is snuggled in a noodle-like bylane on the corner of Via Chiaia, Naples, a very chic street where, in the past, intellectuals and the aristocratic folks used to shop at the most fashionable outlets or stop for a coffee at Gambrinus, a historic coffeehouse!

Where else to eat

Other top pizzerias to try in Naples

G orizia 1916

Pizzeria C arminiello

S tarita a Materdei

L’antica Pizzeria da Michele

P izzeria da Attilio

P izzeria Tutino

A ntica Friggitoria La Masardona

Smiling waiters in white T-shirts with the Brandi crest and black trousers waltzed around with pizza platters that they served to their ravenous clientele. Intoxicating aromas from wood-fired ovens assailed us and Italian wine flowed as freely as the waters that lap the Bay of Naples. Patrons watched the theatrics of daily life unfold around them on the sidewalk outside.

In the muted environs of the wood-beamed restaurant, tables were laid with gleaming white napery and cutlery. The eatery was adorned with 19th-century memorabilia, shrines to saints, gilded mirrors, and bouquets of flowers, beyond which one could see the kitchen and the pizzaioli (pizza makers) at work.

We watched dough being tossed in the air and shovelled, with all manner of toppings,

W hat else to see and do

• M useo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli: The National Archaeological Museum houses one of the world’s finest collections of Graeco-Roman artefacts.

into the scorching blood-red heart of the oven, only to emerge as a crisp tableaux of colour. As the restaurant filled up with customers, the order “pronto c a pala! [ready with the pizza shovel]” rang out with unfailing regularity. It all pointed to the fact that Pizzeria Brandi is more than just an eating-out experience; it’s a live performance and the staff seemed to enjoy playing their roles on life’s stage, with typical Italian gusto.

Said to be the oldest pizzeria in Naples and one of the best known, it has moved with the times but has nurtured its precious heritage. The direct descendants of the pizza maker who started the restaurant, runs it today with single-minded dedication. There were alluring combinations – topped with ruby-red tomatoes and local cheese, others with white bait, mushrooms or slathered with cream and smoked salmon; some were simmered with pork fat and cheese. However, for many at Brandi, pizzas are just a tantalising overture to be followed by such regional delicacies as liver slices rolled in laurel leaves; homemade sausages with varying amounts of meat accompanied with local-fresh broccoli and fried mozzarella sandwiches. We salivated in anticipation of the Margherita. The pizza had a well-cooked base and was embellished with tomatoes that eddied with swirls of mozzarella. We broke off slices, folded and popped them into our mouth - the Neapolitan way.

Local lore has it that in 1889, Raffaele Esposito, the then chef of Pizzeria Brandi, was invited to the royal palace at Capodimonte to prepare pizzas for the royal family. Raffaele prepared an assortment of pizzas for the royals and created one that contained the three colours of the new Italian flag: the red of tomato, white of the mozzarella and fresh green basil. Queen Margherita loved the one with mozzarella and tomatoes. Hence this pizza was christened "Pizza Margherita". The family even has in its possession a piece of yellowed paper from the official “taster” expressing royal satisfaction with the pizzas.

As we rounded off our meal on a sweet note – delicately-flavoured lemon ice cream – our host informed us that a number of celebrities including Luciano Pavarotti (noted Italian operatic tenor) and Chelsea Clinton (American author, advocate and teacher) have dined at Brandi.

• M useo di Capodimonte: This is one of Italy's largest and richest art galleries.

• C appella Sansevero: This Baroque chapel is home to Italian sculptor Giuseppe Sanmartino's masterpiece, Cristo velato (Veiled Christ).

• C atacombe di San Gennaro: Naples' oldest and most sacred catacombs is a Christian pilgrimage site.

• Teatro di San Carlo: One of Italy's oldest opera houses, where an evening show is magical.

• L ungomare: A laidback p edestrian sea front strip.

• C astel dell'Ovo: One of Naples’ oldest castles is known for its history and fantastic views.

• P ompeii: The ancient city is located in Campania, around 20 km from Naples.