Pizza is generally believed to come from the Italian city of Naples, though this is not certain. In its older form, it was a much simpler food; the dough was quicker to make then it is today, and the pizza was folded so that it could easily be held in the hand and eaten in the street. It looked more like a pie, which in fact is what "pizza" means.
The Neapolitan (Napoletana) pizza is the oldest form known and still a universal favourite. It is made with a thin, yeast-based dough and topped with tomato sauce, olives, anchovies and oregano. However, there are hundreds of varieties of pizza to choose from. Another classic is the Margherita. Supposedly made to honour Queen Margherita, it has the colours of the Italian flag – red, white and green (tomatoes, Mozarella cheese and basil.)
Pizza is popular with home cooks as it freezes well, so large quantities can be made in advance; you can be creative with the topping; and, if time is short, it's possible to buy the dough ready made.
The Neapolitan (Napoletana) pizza is the oldest form known and still a universal favourite. It is made with a thin, yeast-based dough and topped with tomato sauce, olives, anchovies and oregano. However, there are hundreds of varieties of pizza to choose from. Another classic is the Margherita. Supposedly made to honour Queen Margherita, it has the colours of the Italian flag – red, white and green (tomatoes, Mozarella cheese and basil.)
Pizza is popular with home cooks as it freezes well, so large quantities can be made in advance; you can be creative with the topping; and, if time is short, it's possible to buy the dough ready made.
