Italian pizza guide

Pizza has a long history as a flat bread lost in the mists of time, but the modern day pizza started life as a poor man’s street food in Naples in the 19th century. Sold in slices slathered in tomatoes by street vendors it didn’t take long until the first pizzeria opened, baking pizza in wood fired ovens for customers to eat in the restaurant. By the time Italy’s Queen Margherita visited the Pizzeria Brandi in 1889, pizza was becoming known throughout Italy and the red (tomato), white (mozzarella) and green (basil) pizza created for her to represent the colours of the new Italian flag is still a staple on a pizzeria menu today.

Italian pizzas are a far cry from the stodgy American style pizzas that we so often get as take aways. Always thin crust, they should be baked in wood-fired ovens, where the heat cooks the dough quickly so it is light and crispy. Skilled pizza chefs work the dough swiftly, stretching it out to a thin circle in no time, so that it doesn’t get tough.

There are a huge variety of toppings, some traditional combinations and other modern creative interpretations. Old favourites such as Quattro Formaggi, with four Italian cheeses, Capricciosa, with ham, mushrooms olives, artichokes and egg, rub shoulders with newcomers such as cherry tomato and rucola (rocket) on the menu in Italian pizzerias. Calzones, pizzas folded over to close in the filling which then puff up delightfully as they cook, can be filled with a wide variety of ingredients, from the classic spinach and ricotta combination, maybe with some ham thrown in, to a full on feast of melted mozzarella, ham, salami, artichokes and even egg.

Going out for a pizza in Italy is an informal affair, often with paper tablecloths and beer or coke instead of wine. There are no rules except that the pizza should be crisp and straight from the oven and you can make up your own pizza toppings as you like or go for an old favourite from the menu.

When you’re heading out for a pizza in Britain and want true Italian flavour, look for a restaurant that offers a wood fired pizza oven in the traditional Italian style. Pizza bases should be thin and crisp and the toppings shouldn’t be heaped too high; you want a generous scattering of the good bits like prosciutto, and a thin layer of mozzarella, not a smothering blanket, so that the flavours are well balanced and light.

Taste a real Italian pizza fresh and sizzling from a hot stone in a wood-fired oven in your local restaurant and you’ll never want to order a pizza delivery again.

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