A brief history of pizza

Some dishes are our favorites throughout our lives. We can’t imagine almost any gathering, trip, fun family lunch, or watching a movie without them. For several centuries, pizza has been successfully conquering the palates of all generations around the world, and it is hard to find someone who does not enjoy this simple Mediterranean specialty with joy.

How did it come about?

Although the exact origin of pizza is unknown, it is safe to say that the idea of dough sprinkled with different ingredients is as old as the dough itself. For thousands of years before our era, oil and available fruits and vegetables were added to baked thin crusts in the shape of a plate in order to obtain nutritionally valuable meals. Almost every country and culture had its own version and combination of ingredients until the flourishing of overseas trade in Naples and rapid population growth brought with it new ideas and a new homeland for pizza.

Favorite Street Food

Originally, pizza was a dish, first of all, of the lower layers of society and merchants arriving from the countryside to the city. It was sold at improvised stands on the street, and the most popular additions were young cheese, anchovies, and garlic. It is interesting that the versions of pizza at that time knew more sweet than salty combinations! The dough was round, but to make it easier to eat on the go, it was often twisted or folded several times.

Interesting Combinations

Although the European continent was familiar with the tomato as early as the 16th century, it was not a favorite food among Europeans for a long time, so it is not surprising that it was rarely used in cooking at that time. Almost a century later, the inhabitants of Naples figured it out and started adding fresh tomatoes to the dough, which led to the creation of pizza most similar to what we know today. The simple art of cooking tomatoes came a little later, and since then, it has been used in the form of a paste that is applied to the dough before the other ingredients.

In Honor of the Queen and King

In 1889, King Umberto I and Queen Margarita announced their visit to Naples. One of the main requests of the royal couple was to be served local specialties and the food that Neapolitans prefer to consume. Then the wise local baker Rafael Esposito entered the scene and enriched the most important visit with the tastes of several types of pizza. Despite the apprehension of the rest of the servants, the king and especially the queen were delighted with the taste of this simple dish, and legend says that Margherita symbolically liked the pizza with tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and basil the most – no coincidence that the colors are identical to the Italian flag.

Good News Travels Fast, Even to Outer Space

Shortly after the queen’s delight, pizza began to conquer the hearts of gourmets all over Italy. Each region creates its own unique recipe that is served both at court and in street bakeries. Mozzarella, Siciliana, Margherita – these are just some of the types that were popular at the time. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the news about pizza crossed the ocean, and at an unstoppable speed, it began to be a favorite dish of all generations, until today when it is difficult to imagine even the smallest populated place without a good pizzeria. The year 2001 was proof that good taste knows no bounds because it was then that the first pizza was delivered in space. Astronauts on the space station could enjoy their favorite Earth food without any distractions!