by Susan on 12/17/09 at 11:06 am
Pizza Margherita Now Protected By The Italian Government
If you take an informal poll and ask friends and family what their favorite Italian food is, chances are the answers will include spaghetti, lasagna and … pizza. Although the common belief is that pizza was invented by the Italians, the basic premise for pizza goes back to the ancient Middle East and Mediterranean cultures, whose people were regularly baking flat, unleavened bread, topped with oil, spices and other types of seasonings. The flat bread was very similar to a pita, which is still popular in that part of the world today.
Although the premise for what we consider pizza may have roots going back to ancient times, the Italians put their own spin and signature on what has become one of the world’s most beloved cuisines. Pizza is believed to have been created in Naples, Italy in the late 1800s. According to historical accounts, an Italian baker developed a dish to impress visiting royalty, King Umberto and Queen Margherita. To show how much he loved Italy, the baker chose to decorate the round flat bread with food that would be representative of the colors of the Italian flag – red, white and green. He decided on tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and basil.
Pizza's Precursor?
The king and queen were duly impressed with the masterpiece created in their honor. Word spread quickly about the baked sensation. Everyone wanted to make the now famous tomato, cheese and basil pie, and thus, pizza became an Italian menu staple. The original and traditional toppings, coupled with how the pie is prepared, are what makes a true pizza Napoletana – a pie from Naples (or Neapolitan pizza), and this variety of the patriotic pie was named Margherita, in honor of the Queen.
Pizza Comes to the U.S. with the Italian Immigrants
Pizza came to the United States with the Italian immigrants and became popular street food in the ethnic neighborhoods of New York and Chicago. It was considered more of a snack, rather than a meal, since it used leftover scraps for the base and toppings. Still, it was tasty, satisfying, and more importantly, inexpensive, so many Italians thought of pizza as “peasant food.” However, at the end of World War II, pizza’s popularity exploded beyond the Italian neighborhoods. Soldiers returning from the war had gotten a taste of pizza while serving in Italy, and wanted to have it available stateside. So it didn’t take long for the round pie to become a mainstream food item and spread into neighboring communities.
So while pizza has always been a casual food, it was curious to read that Neapolitan pizza, was awarded a “protective status” by the European Union, and any establishment claiming to produce traditional pizza Napoletana will be subject to strict rules and government oversight. The newly granted “TSG” label (traditional status guarantee) will assure consumers that the pizza contains certain ingredients and has been produced using specified methods.
Strict Ingredients and Specified Standards Define Neapolitan Pizza
Neapolitan pizza must contain durum wheat flour, fresh yeast, water, sea salt, extra virgin olive oil, mozzarella, and San Marzano tomatoes, which are cut no thicker than 1/3 of an inch. The base of the pizza must measure no more than one-eighth of an inch and have a raised crust. The dough has to be stretched by hand (no rolling pins allowed) and it must be baked on stone in a wood fired oven. Finally, the pizza has to be round. Any pizza that does not adhere to these standards cannot be called Neapolitan.
This was an exciting time for those who have been campaigning for more than five years to have the TSG label conferred upon Neapolitan pizza. These standards will now prevent imitators from claiming their machine-made and commercially-baked pizza products are the “real deal” and elevates pizza to new heights in the annals of gastronomic history.
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