Mmm... the delicious aroma of fresh pizza! Cheesy, tomato-y, slightly doughy with a hint of savory spices. It's no wonder why pizza is the most beloved food in the world.
The history of pizza is as rich as its flavor! Origins of flatbreads lie in the ancient Middle East while adding toppings dates back to the ancient Romans and Greeks. They baked flatbreads and topped them with available local spices and olive oil. But the yummy cheesy pizza with tomato sauce and toppings that we all know and love today originates from Italy.
In 18th century Naples, pizza consisted of flatbread topped with lard, salt, and garlic. The dish was popular amongst peasants because it was wholesome and cheap!
It was not until the Spanish brought the tomato from the Americas and they eventually reached Naples and Sicily that the iconic pizza was created.
In 1889 Queen Margherita of France was visiting Italy. During her time in Naples, she requested to eat what the locals ate. This pizza was called "alla mozzarella" and consisted of flatbread, lard,
mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil. Sound familiar? The queen loved the pizza so much that she declared it her favorite thus it was named after her, The Margherita Pizza!
Image: Margherita of Savoy
Pizza quickly made its way to Spain, France, England, and eventually across the pond to the United States where it was introduced by Italian immigrants. The first Pizzeria was opened in New York City by Gennaro Lombardi in 1905 however it didn't gain massive popularity until shortly after WWII when pizza started to become the most popular food in the US and across the globe.
Interestingly enough, Lombardi's is still open and operating today located at 32 Spring St. New York, NY 10012.
Image: Lombardi's
According to Taste Atlas, in an ironic twist of fate, American-style pizza has been re-exported back to Italy, where it has also gained popularity today. In 2008, two Italian associations called Real Pizza and the Association of Neapolitan Pizza-makers introduced new regulations on what constitutes a true Neapolitan pizza. Those regulations state that a real, legally protected Neapolitan Margherita should be made with exact amounts of mozzarella, salt, and tomatoes, and it should be baked in a wood-fired oven at 485°C.
Though regulations have been put in place for the Margherita, people are still as inventive and experimental with flavors today as they were back in the 1800s. This is arguably due to the access to ingredients that were not as prevalent back then, thus many variations of the pizza are made every day including toppings like onions, veggies, peppers, ham, prosciutto, hamburger, truffles, lobster, caviar, and more!
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