I prefer a thick but crispy crust. The tomato sauce shouldn't be too sweet. For meats, I like Italian sausage. Extras include onions,mushrooms, black olives, and peppers (both hot & mild) , and lots of shredded mozzarella cheese.
This is my idealized American-style pizza. What about you guys? I really wanna know how an authentic Italian or Sicilian pizza should be prepared. I do know that pepperoni was an American invention, and I don't care much for it.
You guys will love this. A web search revealed this:
"Raffaele Esposito is credited for creating the modern pizza. Genevieve Thiers writes, “He first experimented with adding only cheese to bread, then added sauce underneath it and let the dough take the shape of a large round pie.” As his pizza began to gain recognition in Naples, he was asked to make pies for the visit of the Italian King Umberto I and Queen Margherita in 1889. Esposito is said to have made three pies, but the one that the Queen favored was designed to express his loyalty to Italy, sharing the colors of the Italian flag. He used basil for green, mozzarella cheese for white and tomatoes for red. He named this invention Pizza Margherita in honor of the Queen. This pizza is what is commonly referred to in modern times as “cheese pizza.” "
There you have it-- we can thank Mr. Esposito of Naples for creating the modern pizza we all know and love. He deserves a place in the Culinary Hall of Fame, along with the Earl of Sandwich and many others. LOL
bassplayer617 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > You guys will love this. A web search revealed > this: > > "Raffaele Esposito is credited for creating the > modern pizza. Genevieve Thiers writes, “He first > experimented with adding only cheese to bread, > then added sauce underneath it and let the dough > take the shape of a large round pie.” As his pizza > began to gain recognition in Naples, he was asked > to make pies for the visit of the Italian King > Umberto I and Queen Margherita in 1889. Esposito > is said to have made three pies, but the one that > the Queen favored was designed to express his > loyalty to Italy, sharing the colors of the > Italian flag. He used basil for green, mozzarella > cheese for white and tomatoes for red. He named > this invention Pizza Margherita in honor of the > Queen. This pizza is what is commonly referred to > in modern times as “cheese pizza.” " > > There you have it-- we can thank Mr. Esposito of > Naples for creating the modern pizza we all know > and love. He deserves a place in the Culinary Hall > of Fame, along with the Earl of Sandwich and many > others. LOL > >
Of course I too know that story! Here in Naples I live five minutes away from the pizzeria where pizza Margherita was born!
For a good pizza two things are essential: the bottom should be thin and crispy, and the tomato sauce should be made of quality tomatoes and not be too sweet. Most deepfrozen pizzas and takeaways don't get it right. Ever tried dr. Oetker's Big American? It's like a sandwich soaked in ketchup, plain horrible.. The best pizza I ever had was in an unsightly pizzeria/take away in a little sidestreet in Bologna, with a taste that exploded in your mouth. Best accompanied by a large beer.
For toppings: anchovies, oregano, capers, olives, artichok hearts.. And please, no pineapple or other Hawaïan stuff for me!
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2005-03-14 12:25 by Greg.
My personal fav is pizza margherita style, but with "stracchino" instead of mozzarella + olives.
This is the way it is often prepared in liguria.
But my no. 1 fav, although not properly a "pizza" is the "pizzata" made in recco.
Recco is a small town at the seaside just close to Genova, famous worldwide mainly for its "focaccia al formaggio" and "pesto" sauce.
The "pizzata" is a combination of a "focaccia al formaggio" with a "pizza".
Preparation.
Step 1 (the focaccia al formaggio)
Knead flower + water and little salt. Let it rest for a wile. Prepare two very thin layers. Get a large round pan that you can use in the oven. Sprinkle some yellow mais flower (the one you use for Polenta) on the pan. Fit one layer on the pan. Add crescenza cheese, like you would add mozzarella to a normal pizza. Close the focaccia with the upper layer.
Step 2 (pizzata)
On the second layer put some tomato sauce, again crescenza and some small green olives.