What is the word for pizza in italian

I have never seen a definitive answer regarding the origin of the name «pizza» but there are as many theories as there are pepperoni on a family-sized … uh … pie. Some of the simplest are that it’s a corruption/adaptation of the Greek «pita,» or that it comes from the Italian musical term, «pizzicato,» meaning «plucked,» supposedly because when the dish is done it is ‘plucked’ from the oven.

As to the «pie» part …

Why Pizza is Called Pie ? The Story of American Tomato Pie

» … Americans refer to pizza as ?pie? because early 20th century Italian immigrants to the United States made and sold a pizza called a ?pomidore pizza?. This unknown Italian food was translated to ?tomato pie? in English due to being round and cut into slices. As one of the first kinds of pizza sold in the US, the name ?pie? stuck and began to be used to refer to all types of pizza. Today, many New Yorkers still refer to pizza as ?pie?….»

I can’t say I’m familiar with all European culinary traditions but all those I have come across that call a dish a «pie,» it’s a decidedly hearty food, like (Russian) pirogi, (English) shepherd’s pie and Cornish pasty, or (Turkish) borek. Pizza, OTOH, was created as a street food for the cash-poor, a lot of bread with a little flavoring on it.

Tarts/tortes, OTOH, are more widespread in Europe and in Italian they’re called a «torta» or «crostata,» not a «pie.» And if there is no concept of a «pie» in the Italian lexicon, that would explain why the word doesn’t appear in any dictionaries.

As to the song, «That’s Amore,» «Dino Crocetti» was born and grew up in Steubenville, Ohio, and the song’s lyricist, Jack Brooks, was Liverpudlian, so I wouldn’t hang my hat on that as evidence of its authenticity.

EDIT:
RE: the Dean Martin song, he also uses the phrase, «pasta fazool,» which the songwriter used as a deliberate corruption of the Neapolitan word for beans, «fasuli,» to make it rhyme with «drool.» In the most of the rest of Italy it’s called «pasta fagioli» (fah-jo-lee) and Dino’s family were from Abruzzo, on the opposite coast from Naples. My guess is he used «like a big pizza pie» because that was the best he could do to rhyme with «when the moon hits your eye….»

Pizza is used only to describe pizza in Italy and no other pie like dish. There is more on the Italian origins later down the article.

What pizza means in Italian?

I’ve recently heard from a friend that the word “pizza” means “pie” in Italian.

Is pizza an Italian word?

Pizza, of course, is borrowed from Italian, but the deeper ingredients of the word, if you will, are unclear. Some think the Greek pitta (pita, with a root sense of “bran bread”) is the source. Others look to the Langobardic (an ancient German language in northern Italy) bizzo, meaning “bite.”

What is authentic Italian pizza?

With real italian pizza, you will find homemade sauce made from freshly peeled tomatoes and a blend of savory, complimenting herbs. You will also notice that authentic Italian pizza doesn’t combine the toppings and sauce to be cooked together. They simply layer the sauce along the crust.

Is pizza the Italian word for pie?

– Literally “pie” in Italian, making “pizza pie” redundant. It’s plural is pizza.

Is the Italian word for pie?

In Italian, the word pizza means ‘pie.

Why pizza is named pizza?

Pizza could come from the Greek word “pitta” meaning “pie”, or the Langobardic word “bizzo” meaning “bite”. It was first recorded in a Latin text dated 997 in Italy and entered into an Italian-English dictionary in 1598 as “a small cake or wafer.”

What is another word for pizza?

In this page you can discover 15 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for pizza, like: pizza-pie, pizzas, pepperoni, hot-dog, deli, calzone, kebab, bagel, sushi, takeaway and ice-cream.

What was pizza originally called?

A precursor of pizza was probably the focaccia, a flatbread known to the Romans as panis focacius, to which toppings were then added. Modern pizza evolved from similar flatbread dishes in Naples, Italy, in the 18th or early 19th century.

What’s a Sicilian style pizza?

Traditional Sicilian pizza is often thick crusted and rectangular, but can also be round and similar to the Neapolitan pizza. It is often topped with onions, anchovies, tomatoes, herbs and strong cheese such as caciocavallo and toma. Other versions do not include cheese.

What is the most popular pizza in Italy?

1. Pizza Napoletana. Born in Napoli, la pizza Napoletana is one of the most famous types of Italian pizza.

What are traditional Italian pizza toppings?

Authentic Italian pizza toppings

• Tomato Sauce.
• Mozzarella cheese.
• Parmesan cheese.
• Pecorino cheese.
• Garlic.
• Mushrooms.
• Proscuitto/cured ham.
• Chillies/peppers.

What is Italian pasta?

But in Italian, pasta means other things as well. In fact, pasta refers to something that has been impastato (kneaded, mixed into a dough or paste at some point). Think of the similarity of pasta and “paste.” Think of the simple paste you can make with flour and water.

What is the Italian word that means soft?

Morbido
Italian Word of the Day: Morbido (soft)

What is Italy’s national flag?

The flag of Italy features three colors: green, white and red. The flag is a vertical tricolor flag that is known in Italian as il Tricolore. It features three bands of equal sizes, with green located on the left “hoist” side, white in the middle, and red on the right.

Did pizza start in Italy?

Pizza was first invented in Naples, Italy as a fast, affordable, tasty meal for working-class Neapolitans on the go. While we all know and love these slices of today, pizza actually didn’t gain mass appeal until the 1940s, when immigrating Italians brought their classic slices to the United States.

How is pizza served in Italy?

Italians eat pizza with a fork and knife. Pizza is to be enjoyed straight from the oven and piping hot. Waiting for your dinner to cool down is just not an option – protocol says it should be enjoyed straight away. Therefore, if you grab a hot slice you’re begging for a burn.

Is pizza popular in Italy?

Italy – The Home of Pizza
Each day, approximately 1 million pizzas are consumed in Italy. Pizza here is popular both among locals and tourists who want to try a taste of authentic Italian cuisine. There are around 63,000 pizzerias in Italy, employing about 100,000 pizza makers.

What do you call a person who loves pizza?

Pizzaiolo Meaning | Best 1 Definitions of Pizzaiolo.

What is pizza maker called?

Definition of pizzaiolo
: a pizza maker According to one pizzaiolo (“dude who slings pizzas”), one should “always come for a pizza either before 8 pm or after 10 pm when the pizzeria is half-empty” for an optimum slice of pie.—

Is Za slang for pizza?

You know, a “za” — a slang term for pizza.

The word pizza is said to mean pie in Italian.

Why do Americans call macaroni noodles?

North Americans use that in reference to Asian noodles, in general, not Italian, but it would still make sense that some Americans would refer to them as noodles because many Americans are of German descent and in German one refers to pasta as “Die Nudeln”.

Do Italians use the word pasta?

First attested in English in 1874, the word “pasta” comes from Italian pasta, in turn from Latin pasta, latinisation of the Greek παστά (pasta) “barley porridge”.

What does the Italian word pasta mean in English?

But in Italian, pasta means other things as well. In fact, pasta refers to something that has been impastato (kneaded, mixed into a dough or paste at some point). Think of the similarity of pasta and “paste.” Think of the simple paste you can make with flour and water.

Who is Tony Soprano based on?

Vincent “Vinny Ocean” Palermo

What was Tony Soprano eating in the final scene?

One by one, the other members of his immediate family arrive – except for Meadow – and they start to eat onion rings and indulge in small talk.

What does 3am mean in The Sopranos?

Paulie was up countless nights haunted by the “3 o’clock” message to Tony and Paulie from Hell, via Chris from Mikey – Mikey, who said he wanted Tony murdered every time he was on screen in season 1. In the end of the series, Paulie, Tony and Patsi are the only 3 alive on the Jersey crew.

What if Ralph killed Tony?

But Ralph would probably be killed soon, Paulie would become Acting Boss and Junior might be killed to avoid him taking full control, it would be very bad for Ralph to survive, the Boss cannot be killed because someone has to answer for it if he vanishes or is found dead, Ralph was already hated so Tony being killed …

Who ordered the hit on Bobby Bacala?

Phil Leotardo

Who kills Bobby Bacala?

In Sunday night’s episode of “The Sopranos,” one of Tony’s two top aides, Bobby “Bacala” Baccalieri, was murdered by the New York mob. Tony’s other lieutenant, Silvio Dante, was shot, left for dead and may not regain consciousness. To make matters worse, Tony’s therapist of seven years, Dr. Melfi, fired him.

Who killed Bobby Bacala Jr?

Robert “Bobby Bacala” Baccalieri Jr. (1958-2007) was a DiMeo crime family capo and acting underboss. In 2007, Baccalieri was assassinated by the Lupertazzi crime family during a mob war between the DiMeo and Lupertazzi families.

Did Bobby Bacala wear a fat suit?

Steve Schirripa Wore a Fat Suit For The First Three Seasons. Bobby “Bacala” Baccalieri (Steve Schirripa) was the subject of many fat jokes from Tony Soprano over the course of the show. Days before shooting, Schirripa was fitted for a fat suit which he would wear throughout the first three seasons.

Does Tony Soprano kill his sister?

Similar to the Aprile crew capos and the ostensible Aprile Curse, all the men who have been romantically involved with Janice on the show have met horrible demises, one of which she was directly responsible for. Richie was fatally shot by Janice after he punches her. Ralphie was beaten to death by her brother Tony.

Why did Phil Leotardo get whacked?

Leotardo rejected Soprano’s offer of compromise on an asbestos removal project, and Leotardo went to war with Soprano after he beat one of his men for threatening his daughter. DeConcini did not know where Leotardo was hiding, but he gave the DiMeos permission to whack his old boss.

Why did New York kill Tony?

The Lupertazzi family wanted Tony dead. There are a number of reasons why the New York family might have wanted to kill Tony. Tony severely beat Lupertazzi soldier Coco Cogliano in Season Six. Tony refused to give his cousin Tony Blundetto up after he murdered Joey Peeps and Billy Leotardo.

Table of Contents

1

Italian Translation. torta. More Italian words for pie. la torta noun.

Is pizza Italian word for pie?

What Do Italians Call Pizza? To clear any confusion, “pizza” does not mean “pie” in Italian. Pizza was only ever referred to as a pie (a tomato pie or an Italian pie) when Italian immigrants introduced the dish to the United States. Italians have only ever called pizza by its real name!

What do they call pizza in Italy?

The Italians use a variety of terms to describe their pizza. Crostata and torta are both used to describe savory and sweet pies, and pizza is a singular word that represents only one dish. There are other names for pizza, but these are the most common.

What do Italians call a small pizza?

Pizza al Padellino

Pizza al padellino, or “pan pizza,” is a type of pizza that’s baked in small, round pans. Think of it like Italian-style “deep dish.” Typically served in Torino, pizza al padellino has a thick soft crust, that gets slightly browned on the outside when baking.

How do you say cupcake in Italian?

Torta has two diminutive forms: the first is tortina (lit. ‘little cake’), which can also refer to a cupcake – although more often than not, Italians will simply say cupcake with an Italian accent.

Is pie another word for pizza?

Conclusion. Since the time of Italian immigrants, the name pie has been used to mean pizza. It is a common phenomenon in New York where Lombardi had his first pizza shop. Although many still refer to pizza as a pie, the two are not the same thing.

What was pizza originally called?

A precursor of pizza was probably the focaccia, a flatbread known to the Romans as panis focacius, to which toppings were then added. Modern pizza evolved from similar flatbread dishes in Naples, Italy, in the 18th or early 19th century.

Why is pie called pie?

“Pie” was the word for a magpie before it was a word for a pastry, from the Latin word for the bird, Pica (whence the name of the disorder that makes you eat weird things). Pica morphed into “pie” in Old French, following the proud French tradition of actually pronouncing as few consonants as possible.

Is Calzone a pie?

Essentially a pizza folded over itself, the calzone is like one big hand pie: filling neatly enclosed with dough, so you get browned crust in every bite. You can fill it with any pizza toppings; it should be substantial and fairly dry so the dough doesn’t leak or get soggy.

What is thick pizza called?

Sicilian pizza, also known as “sfincione,” provides a thick cut of pizza with pillowy dough, a crunchy crust, and robust tomato sauce.

Why is pizza called Za?

To elaborate: In 1985, the Defense Department reported that Soviet codebreakers had been stumped by the phrase “The rents will pay for the shwench’s ‘za.” To translate: “rents” means parents; “swench” grew annoyingly out of “shmen,” which was short for freshman; and, of course, ‘za is pizza.

What is the most popular pizza in Italy?

Margherita

It is the most famous pizza in Italy and worldwide. It is a variation of the most authentic pizza of Italy: Neapolitan pizza. The colors of the national flag of Italy inspired the toppings of Margherita: tomato (red), mozzarella (white), and basil (green).

What do they call pizza in Rome?

Pizza al Taglio. The word pizza in Rome actually refers to a type of bread — flat and bubbly, with a nice ratio of chewy inside and crisp outside. When dressed with just olive and salt, it’s called pizza bianca, a near-perfect food that Romans eat strips of for a snack.

What is white pizza called in Italy?

Pizza bianca literally translates as ‘white pizza’ but in actual fact, it is closer to a bread product than what many people consider to be pizza. A simple dough made of flour, yeast, salt, water, and olive oil, it is left to rise for many hours or days to encourage a light airiness.

What is the slang word for pizza?

pie: slang often used to refer to a full pizza.

What is a bakery called in Italy?

In Italy, the forno, or bakery, is the place where you buy bread, naturally: You can get bread at the grocery store, too, but the quality is incomparable and Italians are very traditional—they prefer to go to the bakery for their bread.

How do you say ice cream in Italian?

Italian Word of the Day: Gelato (ice cream)

How do you spell sandwich in Italian?

Italian Word of the Day: Panino (sandwich)

What to call someone who loves pizza?

Pizzaiolo Meaning | Best 1 Definitions of Pizzaiolo.

What is the Spanish word for pizza?

Whereas in English “pizza” is pronounced pētsə, in Spanish it is pronounced pee-sah. If you are referring to one pizza the proper terminology is “la pizza” and if you are referring to multiple pies you say “las pizzas.” And if you’re looking for your closest pizza place, you can ask for the nearest “pizzería.”

Pizza

Pizza Margherita, the archetype of Neapolitan pizza
Type	Flatbread
Course	Lunch or dinner
Place of origin	Italy
Region or state	Campania (Naples)
Serving temperature	Hot or warm
Main ingredients	Dough, sauce (usually tomato sauce), cheese (dairy or vegan)
Variations	Calzone, panzerotti, stromboli
Cookbook: Pizza   Media: Pizza

Pizza ( PEET-sə, Italian: [ˈpittsa], Neapolitan: [ˈpittsə]) is a dish of Italian origin consisting of a usually round, flat base of leavened wheat-based dough topped with tomatoes, cheese, and often various other ingredients (such as various types of sausage, anchovies, mushrooms, onions, olives, vegetables, meat, ham, etc.), which is then baked at a high temperature, traditionally in a wood-fired oven.^[1] A small pizza is sometimes called a pizzetta. A person who makes pizza is known as a pizzaiolo.

In Italy, pizza served in a restaurant is presented unsliced, and is eaten with the use of a knife and fork.^[2][3] In casual settings, however, it is cut into wedges to be eaten while held in the hand.

The term pizza was first recorded in the 10th century in a Latin manuscript from the Southern Italian town of Gaeta in Lazio, on the border with Campania.^[4] Modern pizza was invented in Naples, and the dish and its variants have since become one of the most popular foods in the world and a common fast food item in Europe, the Americas and Australasia; available at pizzerias (restaurants specializing in pizza), restaurants offering Mediterranean cuisine, via pizza delivery, and as street food.^[5] Various food companies sell ready-baked pizzas, which may be frozen, in grocery stores, to be reheated in a home oven.

In 2017, the world pizza market was US$128 billion, and in the US it was $44 billion spread over 76,000 pizzerias.^[6] Overall, 13% of the U.S. population aged 2 years and over consumed pizza on any given day.^[7]

The Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (lit. True Neapolitan Pizza Association) is a non-profit organization founded in 1984 with headquarters in Naples that aims to promote traditional Neapolitan pizza.^[8] In 2009, upon Italy’s request, Neapolitan pizza was registered with the European Union as a Traditional Speciality Guaranteed dish,^[9][10] and in 2017 the art of its making was included on UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage.^[11]

Raffaele Esposito is often considered to be the father of modern pizza.^{[12][13][14][15]}

Etymology

The word «pizza» first appeared in a Latin text from the town of Gaeta, then still part of the Byzantine Empire, in 997 AD; the text states that a tenant of certain property is to give the bishop of Gaeta duodecim pizze («twelve pizzas») every Christmas Day, and another twelve every Easter Sunday.^[4][16]

Suggested etymologies include:

• Byzantine Greek and Late Latin pitta > pizza, cf. Modern Greek pitta bread and the Apulia and Calabrian (then Byzantine Italy) pitta,^[17] a round flat bread baked in the oven at high temperature sometimes with toppings. The word pitta can in turn be traced to either Ancient Greek πικτή (pikte), «fermented pastry», which in Latin became «picta», or Ancient Greek πίσσα (pissa, Attic πίττα, pitta), «pitch»,^[18][19] or πήτεα (pḗtea), «bran» (πητίτης pētítēs, «bran bread»).^[20]
• The Etymological Dictionary of the Italian Language explains it as coming from dialectal pinza «clamp», as in modern Italian pinze «pliers, pincers, tongs, forceps». Their origin is from Latin pinsere «to pound, stamp».^[21]
• The Lombardic word bizzo or pizzo meaning «mouthful» (related to the English words «bit» and «bite»), which was brought to Italy in the middle of the 6th century AD by the invading Lombards.^[4][22] The shift b>p could be explained by the High German consonant shift, and it has been noted in this connection that in German the word Imbiss means «snack».

History

Foods similar to pizza have been made since the Neolithic Age.^[23] Records of people adding other ingredients to bread to make it more flavorful can be found throughout ancient history. In the 6th century BC, the Persian soldiers of the Achaemenid Empire during the rule of Darius the Great baked flatbreads with cheese and dates on top of their battle shields^[24][25] and the ancient Greeks supplemented their bread with oils, herbs, and cheese.^[26][27] An early reference to a pizza-like food occurs in the Aeneid, when Celaeno, queen of the Harpies, foretells that the Trojans would not find peace until they are forced by hunger to eat their tables (Book III). In Book VII, Aeneas and his men are served a meal that includes round cakes (like pita bread) topped with cooked vegetables. When they eat the bread, they realize that these are the «tables» prophesied by Celaeno.^[28]
The first mention of the word «pizza» comes from a notarial document written in Latin and dating to May 997 AD from Gaeta, demanding a payment of «twelve pizzas, a pork shoulder, and a pork kidney on Christmas Day, and 12 pizzas and a couple of chickens on Easter Day.»^[29]

Modern pizza evolved from similar flatbread dishes in Naples, Italy, in the 18th or early 19th century.^[30] Before that time, flatbread was often topped with ingredients such as garlic, salt, lard, and cheese. It is uncertain when tomatoes were first added and there are many conflicting claims.^[30] Until about 1830, pizza was sold from open-air stands and out of pizza bakeries.

A popular contemporary legend holds that the archetypal pizza, pizza Margherita, was invented in 1889, when the Royal Palace of Capodimonte commissioned the Neapolitan pizzaiolo (pizza maker) Raffaele Esposito to create a pizza in honor of the visiting Queen Margherita. Of the three different pizzas he created, the Queen strongly preferred a pizza swathed in the colors of the Italian flag — red (tomato), green (basil), and white (mozzarella). Supposedly, this kind of pizza was then named after the Queen,^[31] although later research cast doubt on this legend.^[32] An official letter of recognition from the Queen’s «head of service» remains on display in Esposito’s shop, now called the Pizzeria Brandi.^[33]

Pizza was taken to the United States by Italian immigrants in the late nineteenth century^[34] and first appeared in areas where they concentrated. The country’s first pizzeria, Lombardi’s, opened in New York City in 1905.^[35] Following World War II, veterans returning from the Italian Campaign, who were introduced to Italy’s native cuisine, proved a ready market for pizza in particular.^[36]

Preparation

Pizza is sold fresh or frozen, and whole or in portion-size slices. Methods have been developed to overcome challenges such as preventing the sauce from combining with the dough, and producing a crust that can be frozen and reheated without becoming rigid. There are frozen pizzas with raw ingredients and self-rising crusts.

Another form of pizza is available from take and bake pizzerias. This pizza is assembled in the store, then sold unbaked to customers to bake in their own ovens. Some grocery stores sell fresh dough along with sauce and basic ingredients, to assemble at home before baking in an oven.

• Pizza preparation

• 

  Pizza dough being kneaded before being left undisturbed and allowed time to proof

• 

  Traditional pizza dough being tossed

• 

  Toppings being placed on pan pizzas

• 

  An unbaked Neapolitan pizza on a metal peel, ready for the oven

Baking

In restaurants, pizza can be baked in an oven with fire bricks above the heat source, an electric deck oven, a conveyor belt oven, or, in traditional style in a wood or coal-fired brick oven. The pizza is slid into the oven on a long paddle, called a peel, and baked directly on hot bricks, a screen (a round metal grate, typically aluminum), or whatever the oven surface is. Before use, a peel is typically sprinkled with cornmeal to allow the pizza to easily slide on and off it.^[37] When made at home, a pizza can be baked on a pizza stone in a regular oven to reproduce some of the heating effect of a brick oven. Cooking directly on a metal surface results in too rapid heat transfer to the crust, burning it.^[38] Some home chefs use a wood-fired pizza oven, usually installed outdoors. As in restaurants, these are often dome-shaped, as pizza ovens have been for centuries,^[39] in order to achieve even heat distribution. Another variation is grilled pizza, in which the pizza is baked directly on a barbecue grill. Greek pizza, like deep dish Chicago and Sicilian style pizza, is baked in a pan rather than directly on the bricks of the pizza oven.

Most restaurants use standard and purpose-built pizza preparation tables to assemble their pizzas. Mass production of pizza by chains can be completely automated.

• Pizza baking

• 

  Pizzas baking in a traditional wood-fired brick oven

• 

  A pizza being removed with a wooden peel

• 

  Pizza grilling on an outdoor gas range

Crust

The bottom of the pizza, called the «crust», may vary widely according to style – thin as in a typical hand-tossed Neapolitan pizza or thick as in a deep-dish Chicago-style. It is traditionally plain, but may also be seasoned with garlic or herbs, or stuffed with cheese. The outer edge of the pizza is sometimes referred to as the cornicione.^[40] Some pizza dough contains sugar, to help its yeast rise and enhance browning of the crust.^[41]

Dipping sauce specifically for pizza was invented by American pizza chain Papa John’s Pizza in 1984 and has since been adopted by some when eating pizza, especially the crust.^[42]

Cheese

Mozzarella cheese is commonly used on pizza, with the buffalo mozzarella produced in the surroundings of Naples.^[43] Other cheeses are also used, particularly Italian cheeses including provolone, pecorino romano, ricotta, and scamorza. Less expensive processed cheeses or cheese analogues have been developed for mass-market pizzas to produce desirable qualities like browning, melting, stretchiness, consistent fat and moisture content, and stable shelf life. This quest to create the ideal and economical pizza cheese has involved many studies and experiments analyzing the impact of vegetable oil, manufacturing and culture processes, denatured whey proteins, and other changes in manufacture. In 1997, it was estimated that annual production of pizza cheese was 1 million metric tons (1,100,000 short tons) in the U.S. and 100,000 metric tons (110,000 short tons) in Europe.^[44]

Varieties and styles

A great number of pizza varieties exist, defined by the choice of toppings and sometimes also crust. There are also several styles of pizza, defined by their preparation method. The following lists feature only the notable ones.

Varieties

Pizza varieties

Image	Name	Characteristic ingredients	Origin	First attested	Notes
	Pizza capricciosa	Ham, mushrooms, artichokes, egg	Italy		Similar to Pizza quattro stagioni, but with toppings mixed rather than separated.
	Clam pie	Clams	New England	1950s	Pizza version of the covered pie served in New England since colonial times.
	Hawaiian pizza	Pineapple, ham or bacon	Canada	1962	Tends to divide opinion.[45]
	Pizza Margherita	Tomatoes, mozzarella, basil	Naples, Italy	1800s	The archetypical Neapolitan pizza.
	Pizza marinara	Tomato sauce, olive oil, oregano, garlic. No cheese.	Naples, Italy	1734	One of the oldest Neapolitan pizze.
	Pizza pugliese	Tomato, onion, mozzarella	Apulia, Italy
	Pizza quattro formaggi	Prepared using four kinds of cheese (Italian: [ˈkwattro forˈmaddʒi], «four cheeses»): Mozzarella, Gorgonzola and two others depending on the region	Lazio, Italy	1700s
	Pizza quattro stagioni	Artichokes, mushroom, ham, tomatoes	Italy		The toppings are separated by quarter, representing the cycle of the seasons.
	Seafood pizza	Seafood, such as fish, shellfish or squid			Subvarieties include Pizza frutti di mare (no cheese) and Pizza pescatore (with mussels or squid).

Styles

Pizza styles

Image	Name	Characteristics	Origin	First attested
	California-style pizza	Distinguished by the use of non-traditional ingredients, especially varieties of fresh produce.	California, USA	1980
	Calzone	Pizza folded in half turnover-style.	Naples, Italy	1700s
	Chicago-style pizza	Baked in a pan with a high edge that holds in a thick layer of toppings. The crust is sometimes stuffed with cheese or other ingredients.	Chicago, USA	c. 1940s
	Deep-fried pizza	The pizza is deep-fried (cooked in oil) instead of baked.	Scotland and Italy
	Detroit-style pizza	The cheese is spread to the edges and caramelizes against the high-sided heavyweight rectangular pan, giving the crust a lacy, crispy edge.	Detroit, USA	1946
	Grandma pizza	Thin, square, baked in a sheet pan, «reminiscent of pizzas cooked at home by Italian housewives without a pizza oven».[46]	Long Island, USA	Early 1900s
	Greek pizza	Proofed and baked in a shallow pan; the crust is light and similar to foccaccia.	Connecticut, USA	1955
	Italian tomato pie	Made from thick dough covered by tomato paste; a variation on Sicilian pizza. Also called pizza strips (when cut as in the image), gravy pie, church pie, red bread, party pizza, etc.	USA	early 1900s
	Jumbo slice	Very large slice of pizza sold as street food.	New York and Washington D.C., USA	1981
	New York-style pizza	Neapolitan-derived pizza with a characteristic thin foldable crust	New York metropolitan area (and beyond)	early 1900s
	Pizzetta	Small pizza served as an hors d’oeuvre or snack.
	St. Louis-style pizza	The style has a thin cracker-like crust made without yeast, generally uses Provel cheese, and is cut into squares or rectangles instead of wedges.	St. Louis, USA	1945

By region of origin

Italy

Authentic Neapolitan pizza (pizza napoletana) is made with San Marzano tomatoes, grown on the volcanic plains south of Mount Vesuvius, and either mozzarella di bufala Campana, made with milk from water buffalo raised in the marshlands of Campania and Lazio^[47] or Fior-di-latte. Buffalo mozzarella is protected with its own European protected designation of origin.^[47] Other traditional pizzas include pizza alla marinara, which is topped with marinara sauce and is supposedly the most ancient tomato-topped pizza,^[48] pizza capricciosa, which is prepared with mozzarella cheese, baked ham, mushroom, artichoke, and tomato,^[49] and pizza pugliese, prepared with tomato, mozzarella, and onions.^[50]

A popular variant of pizza in Italy is Sicilian pizza (locally called sfincione or sfinciuni),^[51][52] a thick-crust or deep-dish pizza originating during the 17th century in Sicily: it is essentially a focaccia that is typically topped with tomato sauce and other ingredients. Until the 1860s, sfincione was the type of pizza usually consumed in Sicily, especially in the Western portion of the island.^[53] Other variations of pizzas are also found in other regions of Italy, for example pizza al padellino or pizza al tegamino, a small-sized, thick-crust, deep-dish pizza typically served in Turin, Piedmont.^[54][55][56]

United States

The first pizzeria in the U.S. was opened in New York City’s Little Italy in 1905.^[57] Common toppings for pizza in the United States include anchovies, ground beef, chicken, ham, mushrooms, olives, onions, peppers, pepperoni, salami, sausage, spinach, steak, and tomatoes. Distinct regional types developed in the 20th century, including Buffalo,^[58] California, Chicago, Detroit, Greek, New Haven, New York, and St. Louis styles.^[59] These regional variations include deep-dish, stuffed, pockets, turnovers, rolled, and pizza-on-a-stick, each with seemingly limitless combinations of sauce and toppings. Some pizzas named after various regions, such as «Hawaiian pizza» topped with pineapple, actually originate elsewhere, in this case Canada.^[60] Regional toppings include; various Wisconsin cheeses in Wisconsin and the Midwest,^[61] while either or both green chile and piñon are popular in New Mexico and the Southwest,^[62][63] in both Wisconsin and New Mexico ranch dressing is a popular dipping option.^[64][62]

Thirteen percent of the United States population consumes pizza on any given day.^[65] Pizza chains such as Domino’s Pizza, Pizza Hut, and Papa John’s, pizzas from take and bake pizzerias, and chilled or frozen pizzas from supermarkets make pizza readily available nationwide.

Argentina

Argentina, and more specifically Buenos Aires, saw significant Italian immigration at the end of the 19th century. Immigrants from Naples and Genoa opened the first pizza bars, though over time Spanish residents came to own the majority of the pizza businesses.

Standard Argentine pizza has a thicker crust, called «media masa» (half dough) than traditional Italian style pizza and uses more cheese. In Argentina pizza slices are often served topped with fainá, a Genoese chickpea-flour pancake, and accompanied by moscato wine. The most popular variety of pizza is called «muzzarella» (mozzarella), similar to Neapolitan pizza (bread, tomato sauce and cheese) but made with a thicker «media masa» crust, triple cheese and tomato sauce, usually also with olives. It can be found in nearly every corner of the country; Buenos Aires is considered the city with the most pizza bars per person of the world.^[66] Other popular varieties include ham, tomato slices, red pepper and longaniza. Two Argentine-originated varieties of pizza with onion, are also very popular: fugazza with cheese, a regular pizza crust topped with cheese and onions, and fugazzetta, with the cheese between two pizza crusts, with onions on top.^[67][68]

Records

As of 2021 according to Guinness World Records:

• The world’s largest pizza was prepared in Rome in December 2012, and measured 1,261 square meters (13,570 square feet). The pizza was named «Ottavia» in homage to the first Roman emperor Octavian Augustus, and was made with a gluten-free base.^[69]
• The world’s longest pizza was 1,930.39 meters (6,333 feet 3+1⁄2 inches) long; it was made in Fontana, California in 2017.^[70] Other previous records include that of Marquinetti (Tomelloso, Spain), where a 1141.5 m pizza was achieved, itself surpassing a previous record in Poland.^[71]
• The world’s most expensive commercially available pizza recognised by Guinness World Records costs US$2,700, and was sold at Industry Kitchen (USA) in New York, New York, USA, as of 24 April 2017. It is made of black squid ink dough, and topped with UK white Stilton cheese, French foie gras and truffles, Ossetra caviar from the Caspian Sea, Almas caviar, and 24K gold leaves.^[72]
• More expensive pizzas have been reported, but are not recognised by Guinness World Records, such as the £4,200 «Pizza Royale 007» at Haggis restaurant in Glasgow, Scotland, which is topped with caviar, lobster, and 24-carat gold dust, and the US$1,000 caviar pizza made by Nino’s Bellissima pizzeria in New York City, New York.^[73]
• A pizza made by the restaurateur Domenico Crolla that included toppings such as sunblush-tomato sauce, Scottish smoked salmon, medallions of venison, edible gold, lobster marinated in cognac, and champagne-soaked caviar. The pizza was auctioned for charity in 2007, raising £2,150.^[74]

Pizza and health

Some pizzas mass-produced by pizza chains have been criticized as having an unhealthy balance of ingredients. Pizza can be high in salt and fat, and is high in calories. The USDA reports an average sodium content of 5,101 mg per 36 cm (14 in) pizza in fast food chains.^[75] There are concerns about undesirable health effects.^[76][77]

Similar dishes

• Calzone and stromboli are similar dishes that are often made of pizza dough folded (calzone) or rolled (stromboli) around a filling.
• Panzerotti are similar to calzones, but fried rather than baked.
• Piadina is a thin Italian flatbread, typically prepared in the Romagna historical region.
• Focaccia is a flat leavened oven-baked Italian bread, similar in style and texture to pizza; in some places, it is called pizza bianca («white pizza»).^[78]
• «Farinata» or «cecina».^[79] A Ligurian (farinata) and Tuscan (cecina) regional dish made from chickpea flour, water, salt, and olive oil. Also called socca in the Provence region of France. Often baked in a brick oven, and typically weighed and sold by the slice.
• Coca is a similar dish consumed mainly in Catalonia and neighbouring regions, but that has extended to other areas in Spain, and to Algeria. There are sweet and savoury versions.
• The Alsatian Flammekueche^[80] (Standard German: Flammkuchen, French: Tarte flambée) is a thin disc of dough covered in crème fraîche, onions, and bacon.
• Garlic fingers is an Atlantic Canadian dish, similar to a pizza in shape and size, and made with similar dough. It is garnished with melted butter, garlic, cheese, and sometimes bacon.
• The Anatolian Lahmacun (Arabic: laḥm bi’ajīn; Armenian: lahmajoun; also Turkish pizza or Armenian pizza) is a meat-topped dough round. The base is very thin, and the layer of meat often includes chopped vegetables.^[81]
• The Levantine Manakish (Arabic: ma’ujnāt) and Sfiha (Arabic: laḥm bi’ajīn; also Arab pizza) are dishes similar to pizza.
• Panizza is half a stick of bread (often baguette), topped with the usual pizza ingredients, baked in an oven.
• The Macedonian Pastrmajlija is a bread pie made from dough and meat. It is usually oval-shaped with chopped meat on top of it.
• The Provençal Pissaladière is similar to an Italian pizza, with a slightly thicker crust and a topping of cooked onions, anchovies, and olives.
• Pizza bagel is a bagel with toppings similar to that of traditional pizzas.
• Pizza bread is an open-faced sandwich made of bread, tomato sauce, cheese,^[82] and various toppings.
• Pizza sticks are baked with pizza dough and pizza ingredients.^[83] Bread dough may also be used in their preparation,^[84] and some versions are fried.^[85]
• Pizza Rolls are a trade-marked commercial product.
• Okonomiyaki, a Japanese dish cooked on a hotplate, is often referred to as «Japanese pizza».^[86]
• «Zanzibar pizza» is a street food served in Stone Town, Zanzibar, Tanzania. It uses a dough much thinner than pizza dough, almost like filo dough, filled with minced beef, onions, and an egg, similar to Moroccan basṭīla.^[87]
• Zwiebelkuchen, a German onion tart, often baked with diced bacon and caraway seeds.

See also

References

Further reading

• «The Saveur Ultimate Guide to Pizza». Saveur. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
• Kliman, Todd (September 5, 2012). «Easy as pie: A Guide to Regional Pizza». The Washingtonian. Explanation of eight pizza styles: Maryland, Roman, «Gourmet» Wood-fired, Generic boxed, New York, Neapolitan, Chicago, and New Haven.
• Helstosky, Carol (2008). Pizza: A Global History. London: Reaktion Books. ISBN 978-1-86189-391-8. OCLC 225876066.
• Chudgar, Sonya (March 22, 2012). «An Expert Guide to World-Class Pizza». QSR Magazine. Retrieved October 16, 2012.* Raichlen, Steven (2008). The Barbecue! Bible. Workman Publishing. pp. 381–384. ISBN 978-0761149446.
• Delpha, J.; Oringer, K. (2015). Grilled Pizza the Right Way. Macmillan. ISBN 978-1-62414-106-5. 208 pages.

External links