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Pizza through the ages
Pop anything on a bread base, top it off with some cheese and toss it into the oven, that’s what most people pass for a pizza today. However, the dish, which goes centuries back is much more than that. Ahead of February 9, which is celebrated as
Pizza Day largely in the US, we revisit the traditional Italian delicacy and its presentday variations.
The dish has a long, complex and uncertain history explains chef Luca D’Amora. “The first pizza was the Marinara pizza, born in about 1734. It was composed of tomato sauce, fresco, garlic, oregano and extra virgin oil. It was called Marinara, not because it contained fish but because it was a poor food item consumed mainly by sailors in Naples, Italy. The Margherita was born in 1889 in Naples, in honour of the Queen of Italy, Margherita di Savoia’s visit,” says Luca. The traditional pizza, which once represented the Italian flag with its ingredients — tomatoes, mozzarella and basil, has evolved over the years, “We offer Neapolitan pizzas, the classic Margherita and some variants with black Italian truffles, taleggio cheese and rosemary. However, in my humble opinion the best pizza would be the Margherita and Marinara, the flavours of my house,” adds Luca.
MIXING THINGS UP
However, people now want to experiment and add their own twist to the traditional flavours. From ingredients such as meatballs, pineapples to even chocolate, the possibilities are endless. “From an ulta (upside down) pizza or cheese stuffed base, people want something new and exciting every day. We like sticking to the traditional wood fired thin-crust pizza, with our special home-made sauce and well-sourced ingredients to add a punch of flavours,” says chef Nikhil Ganacharya. He also says that he likes experimenting with different ingredients and has come up with options like the spicy meatball pizza and the pulled chicken sriracha pizza. Sticking to more authentic flavours, chef Salim Mondal, suggests that ingredients such as sun-dried tomatoes, olives, onions and bell peppers, which they use in their house special pizza, are the life of any pizza.
OUT OF THE BOX
Moving as far away as possible from the traditional ingredients, exist dessert pizzas. These pizzas are an after meal delicacy, usually enjoyed with toppings such as candies, fresh fruits and hazelnut spreads. “We were among the first ones to introduce this pizza with Nutella and fruit toppings, which changes the scenario and stirs into an after meal dessert perfectly. From thin crust to deep dish, with unlimited exotic toppings, pizzas today have become a culture more than anything else,” says Krishna Gupta, managing director of a cafe.