The world has Italy to thank for some life-saving inventions. In fact, some, such as the artificial heart and the ambulance, can literally save lives. There are other Italian inventions though that feel like life-savers when you need a pick-me-up. One of these is the pizzeria and people from Sydney, NSW to Toronto, ON can't imagine the world without authentic Neapolitan pizza.
There are as many different preferences as there are varieties of pizza. Some people swear by a thick crust that holds at least five toppings. Others like their pie Chicago deep-dish style. Many people also prefer simplicity and tradition.
Eating cheese and herbs on top of a crust is as old as civilization itself. The ancient Greeks did it. The Romans even added some honey to the mix. However, it was only after tomatoes, a New World food, reached Europe and became easily available that the pizza was invented. It started out as a food for poor people and originated in the working-class neighborhoods of Naples towards the end of the 19th century.
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 instance, there are regulations about exactly what type of flour may be used to make the crust. Even the yeast has to be of a specific kind and using dry yeast is not allowed. Mixing and kneading by hand is obviously preferable but it's perfectly fine to use a dough mixer at low speed.
Creating the base is truly an art form and you may not use a rolling pin. The challenge is to make a base that's thinner than 3 mm and do this completely by hand. Once the toppings have been added, the crust is cooked to perfection in a stone oven that is very hot. The oven must be wood-fired and even the kind of wood used has to adhere to AVPN regulations. The pie cannot spend more than 90 seconds in the oven.
The AVPN recognizes only three variants when it comes to the toppings. The marinara has tomato, oregano, garlic and olive oil. The Margherita Extra uses buffalo mozzarella that comes from the Campania region, extra-virgin olive oil, fresh basil and tomatoes. Probably the most common variant is the Margherita, which is similar to the Margherita Extra but where regulations about the cheese and oil used are less strict. However, not just any tomato will do and only a handful of varieties are acceptable.
Because the toppings form a type of soup once the pie is cooked, they can make the crust soggy. This is why the pie isn't sliced before serving. If you really want to eat it with your hands, it can be folded in paper. Otherwise, simply use a knife and fork. Finally, check that your pizzeria is an AVPN or a VPN member and you'll know that what you're eating is the real thing.
There are as many different preferences as there are varieties of pizza. Some people swear by a thick crust that holds at least five toppings. Others like their pie Chicago deep-dish style. Many people also prefer simplicity and tradition.
Eating cheese and herbs on top of a crust is as old as civilization itself. The ancient Greeks did it. The Romans even added some honey to the mix. However, it was only after tomatoes, a New World food, reached Europe and became easily available that the pizza was invented. It started out as a food for poor people and originated in the working-class neighborhoods of Naples towards the end of the 19th century.
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 instance, there are regulations about exactly what type of flour may be used to make the crust. Even the yeast has to be of a specific kind and using dry yeast is not allowed. Mixing and kneading by hand is obviously preferable but it's perfectly fine to use a dough mixer at low speed.
Creating the base is truly an art form and you may not use a rolling pin. The challenge is to make a base that's thinner than 3 mm and do this completely by hand. Once the toppings have been added, the crust is cooked to perfection in a stone oven that is very hot. The oven must be wood-fired and even the kind of wood used has to adhere to AVPN regulations. The pie cannot spend more than 90 seconds in the oven.
The AVPN recognizes only three variants when it comes to the toppings. The marinara has tomato, oregano, garlic and olive oil. The Margherita Extra uses buffalo mozzarella that comes from the Campania region, extra-virgin olive oil, fresh basil and tomatoes. Probably the most common variant is the Margherita, which is similar to the Margherita Extra but where regulations about the cheese and oil used are less strict. However, not just any tomato will do and only a handful of varieties are acceptable.
Because the toppings form a type of soup once the pie is cooked, they can make the crust soggy. This is why the pie isn't sliced before serving. If you really want to eat it with your hands, it can be folded in paper. Otherwise, simply use a knife and fork. Finally, check that your pizzeria is an AVPN or a VPN member and you'll know that what you're eating is the real thing.
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