The world has Italy to thank for some life-saving inventions. In fact, some, such as the artificial heart and the ambulance, can literally save lives. There are other Italian inventions though that feel like life-savers when you need a pick-me-up. One of these is the pizzeria and people from Sydney, NSW to Toronto, ON can't imagine the world without authentic Neapolitan pizza.
There are as many different preferences as there are varieties of pizza. Some people swear by a thick crust that holds at least five toppings. Others like their pie Chicago deep-dish style. Many people also prefer simplicity and tradition.
The concept of a bread-like crust topped with cheese and herbs is not a new one. The ancient Greeks had a version, as did the Romans, who also added honey. The pie that most people know today came much later, though, after tomatoes made it from the New World to Europe. It originated in Naples during the late 19th century and was originally a type of food for the working class.
Making Italy's favorite food specialty is serious business. There is even an organization that tries to protect the traditional way of doing things. The AVPN is the True Neapolitan Pizza Association and is based in Naples. It has strict regulations on exactly how a pie may be created to still be recognized as Naples-style. Its branch in the Americas is called the VPN.
For a pizza to be recognized as truly Neapolitan, every detail is important. It starts with the dough for the crust, which may be made using only specific types of yeast and flour. It should be kneaded by hand or by using a low setting on an electric mixer.
Creating the base is truly an art form and you may not use a rolling pin. The challenge is to make a base that's thinner than 3 mm and do this completely by hand. Once the toppings have been added, the crust is cooked to perfection in a stone oven that is very hot. The oven must be wood-fired and even the kind of wood used has to adhere to AVPN regulations. The pie cannot spend more than 90 seconds in the oven.
The AVPN recognizes only three variants when it comes to the toppings. The marinara has tomato, oregano, garlic and olive oil. The Margherita Extra uses buffalo mozzarella that comes from the Campania region, extra-virgin olive oil, fresh basil and tomatoes. Probably the most common variant is the Margherita, which is similar to the Margherita Extra but where regulations about the cheese and oil used are less strict. However, not just any tomato will do and only a handful of varieties are acceptable.
Because the toppings form a type of soup once the pie is cooked, they can make the crust soggy. This is why the pie isn't sliced before serving. If you really want to eat it with your hands, it can be folded in paper. Otherwise, simply use a knife and fork. Finally, check that your pizzeria is an AVPN or a VPN member and you'll know that what you're eating is the real thing.
There are as many different preferences as there are varieties of pizza. Some people swear by a thick crust that holds at least five toppings. Others like their pie Chicago deep-dish style. Many people also prefer simplicity and tradition.
The concept of a bread-like crust topped with cheese and herbs is not a new one. The ancient Greeks had a version, as did the Romans, who also added honey. The pie that most people know today came much later, though, after tomatoes made it from the New World to Europe. It originated in Naples during the late 19th century and was originally a type of food for the working class.
Making Italy's favorite food specialty is serious business. There is even an organization that tries to protect the traditional way of doing things. The AVPN is the True Neapolitan Pizza Association and is based in Naples. It has strict regulations on exactly how a pie may be created to still be recognized as Naples-style. Its branch in the Americas is called the VPN.
For a pizza to be recognized as truly Neapolitan, every detail is important. It starts with the dough for the crust, which may be made using only specific types of yeast and flour. It should be kneaded by hand or by using a low setting on an electric mixer.
Creating the base is truly an art form and you may not use a rolling pin. The challenge is to make a base that's thinner than 3 mm and do this completely by hand. Once the toppings have been added, the crust is cooked to perfection in a stone oven that is very hot. The oven must be wood-fired and even the kind of wood used has to adhere to AVPN regulations. The pie cannot spend more than 90 seconds in the oven.
The AVPN recognizes only three variants when it comes to the toppings. The marinara has tomato, oregano, garlic and olive oil. The Margherita Extra uses buffalo mozzarella that comes from the Campania region, extra-virgin olive oil, fresh basil and tomatoes. Probably the most common variant is the Margherita, which is similar to the Margherita Extra but where regulations about the cheese and oil used are less strict. However, not just any tomato will do and only a handful of varieties are acceptable.
Because the toppings form a type of soup once the pie is cooked, they can make the crust soggy. This is why the pie isn't sliced before serving. If you really want to eat it with your hands, it can be folded in paper. Otherwise, simply use a knife and fork. Finally, check that your pizzeria is an AVPN or a VPN member and you'll know that what you're eating is the real thing.
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