Gimme pizza
Abroad, pizza has been The New Noodle Soup or The New Meat for quite some time now. Almost here too. Learn about the five most important rival styles dominating pizzeria menus worldwide.
Neapolitan pizza
Margherita (tomato sauce, mozzarella, fresh basil), supposedly once created for the visit of Queen Margherita of Savoy to Naples, is often mentioned in the same breath as pizza Napoletana. Except in Naples.
Napoletana has been the only pizza in the world with an authenticity certification since 1984: VPN (Verace Pizza Napoletana). As a result, it is subject to strict rules: the crust is made exclusively from refined type 0 or 00 wheat flour with Neapolitan or fresh baker’s yeast (no dried yeast), water and salt.
It is kneaded, stretched and shaped by hand without a rolling pin, with a fairly thick cornicione (rim). On top go raw puréed San Marzano tomatoes grown on Italian soil, fior di latte mozzarella or buffalo mozzarella from Campania or Lazio, fresh basil leaves and fresh olive oil. The pizza must not bake for longer than 90 seconds at almost 500 °C(!) in a wood-fired oven.
New York pizzas are often Neapolitan, but XXL and baked in a coal-fired oven.
Roman pizza
Pizza with olive oil in the dough. And that is immediately the biggest difference from its Neapolitan ‘archrival’. The crust is crisp without a thick rim, and toppings range from uncooked crushed tomatoes, mushrooms, dried oregano, garlic, artichoke hearts, ham and hard-boiled eggs to olives.
Notably: pizza with anchovies is called ‘Napoletana’ in Rome and ‘Romana’ in Naples. Thick Roman pizza al taglio is cut into bite-sized squares and eaten to go.
Pizza with anchovies is called ‘Napoletana’ in Rome and ‘Romana’ in Naples.
Sicilian pizza
This sfincione is also popular in the States among descendants of Sicilian emigrants. There it goes by the name Grandma’s pizza. Especially in Chicago, where it is considered the precursor to Chicago deep-dish, or pan pizza.
Characteristics: it is cut into bite-sized squares from a usually rectangular pizza that has been baked in plenty of oil on a sheet with raised edges. The large amount of oil makes the crust crisp and the base itself spongy. And thanks to the high sides, it can hold plenty of toppings. Especially lots of (pecorino) cheese and tomatoes.
Chicago deep-dish or pan pizza
A staple among American families with Southern Italian roots. The moist base, enriched with olive oil and cornmeal, is baked in a round pan with a high rim, in which the pizza itself is built up layer by layer. Mainly with large quantities of cheese and chunky tomato sauce.
It is said to have originated at Pizzeria Uno in Chicago in 1943, but its roots are therefore in Sicily.
Detroit style pizza
A sheet pizza developed in Detroit, Michigan, and the sworn ‘enemy’ of Chicago deep-dish. Because: which came first and is more authentic? Both claim to have Sicilian ancestors.
The five differences: in Detroit, the sauce often goes over the cheese (although this is also said of the Chicago style). And the metal baking tray with raised edges originally came from the local automotive industry: a tray used to store screws and nuts. Difference 3: rectangular. 4: the crust is often baked twice. 5: the topping of loads of pepperoni.
The book Where to eat pizza by pizza watcher Daniel Young, with Marjan Ippel as editor for the Netherlands, lists the best pizzerias in the world. Including the pizza style they use.
Text: Marjan Ippel
