Vege mite work on NY pizza

NEW York master pizza chef Giovanni Fabiano is convinced he committed the most cardinal of sins when he first tried Vegemite.

“When I first tasted Vegemite, it was from a spoon – the biggest no-no ever, I later learned,” he said. “It’s not something you can eat out of the jar, like peanut butter. But it is a delicious addition to cooking. So that’s why I’m trying to introduce America to it in a different way.

“I then tried Vegemite on toast, and although I thought it was good, I couldn’t help thinking to myself – Australia – you’re doing it wrong! It’d be even better on top of one of my pizza pies!”

Fabiano (above), who is about to start selling Vegemite Pizzas at his family restaurant, Rosa’s Pizza in Brooklyn, said if Australians can get their head around eating Vegemite on a pizza, we should start expanding other culinary horizons.

“From what I’ve heard, Australians most often eat it on toast with lots of butter. But Vegemite has an amazing, unique flavour that’s great in cooking as well,” he said.

“In New York City, you don’t need to go far to talk to an Aussie. And you don’t need to be talking for long before they start prattling on about the stuff.”

Fabiano said the reluctance to embrace Vegemite is all to do with perception and, plainly, eating it the wrong way.

So what is on Fabiano’s Vegemite pizza?

“It’s like a classic margherita pizza but with a bit of a twist: the pizza is made with a classic tomato sauce base, topped with a drizzle of Vegemite Squeezy and plenty of mozzarella cheese,” he said.