Italy has given the world some wonderful things, from great architecture to great art in all its forms. The country even came up with concepts that modern life would be unimaginable without, such as indoor plumbing. For many people the world over, whether they live in Toronto, ON or in Melbourne, VIC, Italy's greatest contribution to their general happiness and enjoyment of life has been the authentic Neapolitan pizza.
Few people can truly say that they don't love pizza. After all, that combination of gooey cheese and crispy crust makes for comfort food like nothing else. Some people want as many toppings as they can fit onto the base and may also prefer the base to be thick and soft. Others like to keep things traditional with only the very basic toppings and a thin crust.
The tradition of eating something with a bread-like base and topped with a combination of cheese and different herbs goes back centuries, to Ancient Greece. The Romans used honey on their version too. The variant that has become everyone's favorite comfort food is actually relatively new. The tomato base only came towards the end of the 19th century, when tomatoes had become widespread in Europe. People in the poor neighborhoods of Naples combined tomatoes with cheese on a thin crust for a satisfying meal.
With so many variations to the original nowadays, the Italians have started an organization to separate the real thing from the impostors. It's called the True Neapolitan Pizza Association and uses the Italian abbreviation AVPN, while the American branch is known as the VPN. If a pizzeria wants to call their pies authentically Neapolitan, they need to adhere to a very strict set of guidelines.
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.
The base must be formed completely by hand. Using a rolling pin is not allowed. This can be hard work, since the base cannot be thicker than 3 mm. It's usually not very big either, so that the pie will be perfect for one person. Cooking it requires a maximum of 90 seconds in a hot wood-fired oven, so that it's crispy. The AVPN even specifies the type of wood that can be used in the oven.
For the toppings, things need to be kept simple, with tomatoes and fresh basil, buffalo mozzarella and a drizzle of olive oil. This is of course the classic Margherita pizza and if you really want it to be the real thing, be sure to use cheese that comes from Campania and that the tomatoes are of an approved variety. Another version consists of tomatoes with garlic, oregano and the compulsory bit of olive oil. This is known as the marinara.
The final product is never served already sliced because this could make the crust soggy. Neapolitans normally use a knife and fork to eat the pie. However, some pizzerias will fold the crust in special paper so that you can eat it without utensils. If you want to be sure that your slice of cheesy goodness is authentic, check that the pizzeria is a member of the AVPN or VPN.
Few people can truly say that they don't love pizza. After all, that combination of gooey cheese and crispy crust makes for comfort food like nothing else. Some people want as many toppings as they can fit onto the base and may also prefer the base to be thick and soft. Others like to keep things traditional with only the very basic toppings and a thin crust.
The tradition of eating something with a bread-like base and topped with a combination of cheese and different herbs goes back centuries, to Ancient Greece. The Romans used honey on their version too. The variant that has become everyone's favorite comfort food is actually relatively new. The tomato base only came towards the end of the 19th century, when tomatoes had become widespread in Europe. People in the poor neighborhoods of Naples combined tomatoes with cheese on a thin crust for a satisfying meal.
With so many variations to the original nowadays, the Italians have started an organization to separate the real thing from the impostors. It's called the True Neapolitan Pizza Association and uses the Italian abbreviation AVPN, while the American branch is known as the VPN. If a pizzeria wants to call their pies authentically Neapolitan, they need to adhere to a very strict set of guidelines.
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.
The base must be formed completely by hand. Using a rolling pin is not allowed. This can be hard work, since the base cannot be thicker than 3 mm. It's usually not very big either, so that the pie will be perfect for one person. Cooking it requires a maximum of 90 seconds in a hot wood-fired oven, so that it's crispy. The AVPN even specifies the type of wood that can be used in the oven.
For the toppings, things need to be kept simple, with tomatoes and fresh basil, buffalo mozzarella and a drizzle of olive oil. This is of course the classic Margherita pizza and if you really want it to be the real thing, be sure to use cheese that comes from Campania and that the tomatoes are of an approved variety. Another version consists of tomatoes with garlic, oregano and the compulsory bit of olive oil. This is known as the marinara.
The final product is never served already sliced because this could make the crust soggy. Neapolitans normally use a knife and fork to eat the pie. However, some pizzerias will fold the crust in special paper so that you can eat it without utensils. If you want to be sure that your slice of cheesy goodness is authentic, check that the pizzeria is a member of the AVPN or VPN.
About the Author:
When you are looking for information about authentic Neapolitan pizza, go to our web pages here today. You can see details at http://www.pizzaepazzi.ca now.
No comments:
Post a Comment