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Pizza (, ) is a dish of Italian origin consisting of a usually round, flat base of
leavened Bread is a staple food prepared from a dough of flour (usually wheat) and water, usually by baking. Throughout recorded history and around the world, it has been an important part of many cultures' diet. It is one of the oldest human-made food ...
wheat-based dough topped with tomatoes,
cheese Cheese is a dairy product produced in wide ranges of flavors, textures, and forms by coagulation of the milk protein casein. It comprises proteins and fat from milk, usually the milk of cows, buffalo, goats, or sheep. During production, ...
, and often various other ingredients (such as various types of sausage, anchovies, mushrooms,
onions An onion (''Allium cepa'' L., from Latin ''cepa'' meaning "onion"), also known as the bulb onion or common onion, is a vegetable that is the most widely cultivated species of the genus ''Allium''. The shallot is a botanical variety of the onion ...
, olives, vegetables,
meat Meat is animal flesh that is eaten as food. Humans have hunted, farmed, and scavenged animals for meat since prehistoric times. The establishment of settlements in the Neolithic Revolution allowed the domestication of animals such as chic ...
, ham, etc.), which is then baked at a high temperature, traditionally in a wood-fired oven. A small pizza is sometimes called a
pizzetta A pizzetta (plural: pizzette) is a small pizza that can range in size from a finger food at around in diameter to that of a small personal-sized pizza. Preparation Pizzetta is typically prepared in the fashion of larger-sized pizza, using a dou ...
. A person who makes pizza is known as a pizzaiolo. In Italy, pizza served in a restaurant is presented unsliced, and is eaten with the use of a knife and fork. In casual settings, however, it is cut into wedges to be eaten while held in the hand. The term ''pizza'' was first recorded in the 10th century in a Latin manuscript from the Southern Italian town of
Gaeta Gaeta (; lat, Cāiēta; Southern Laziale: ''Gaieta'') is a city in the province of Latina, in Lazio, Southern Italy. Set on a promontory stretching towards the Gulf of Gaeta, it is from Rome and from Naples. The town has played a consp ...
in Lazio, on the border with Campania. Modern pizza was invented in Naples, and the dish and its variants have since become popular in many countries. It has become one of the most popular foods in the world and a common
fast food Fast food is a type of mass-produced food designed for commercial resale, with a strong priority placed on speed of service. It is a commercial term, limited to food sold in a restaurant or store with frozen, preheated or precooked ingredien ...
item in Europe,
North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
and Australasia; available at
pizzeria A pizzeria is a restaurant focusing on pizza. As well as pizza, dishes at pizzerias can include kebab, salads and pasta. Many pizzerias offer take-away, where the customer orders their food either in advance or at the restaurant and then take ...
s (restaurants specializing in pizza), restaurants offering Mediterranean cuisine, via pizza delivery, and as street food. Various food companies sell ready-baked pizzas, which may be
frozen Frozen may refer to: * the result of freezing * a paralysis response in extreme cases of fear Films * ''Frozen'' (1997 film), a film by Wang Xiaoshuai * ''Frozen'' (2005 film), a film by Juliet McKoen * ''Frozen'' (2007 film), a film by Sh ...
, in grocery stores, to be reheated in a home
oven upA double oven A ceramic oven An oven is a tool which is used to expose materials to a hot environment. Ovens contain a hollow chamber and provide a means of heating the chamber in a controlled way. In use since antiquity, they have been us ...
. In 2017, the world pizza market was
US$ The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...
128 billion, and in the US it was $44 billion spread over 76,000 pizzerias. Overall, 13% of the U.S. population aged 2 years and over consumed pizza on any given day. The ''Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana'' (lit. True Neapolitan Pizza Association) is a non-profit organization founded in 1984 with headquarters in Naples that aims to promote traditional Neapolitan pizza. In 2009, upon Italy's request, Neapolitan pizza was registered with the European Union as a Traditional Speciality Guaranteed dish, and in 2017 the art of its making was included on UNESCO's list of
intangible cultural heritage An intangible cultural heritage (ICH) is a practice, representation, expression, knowledge, or skill considered by UNESCO to be part of a place's cultural heritage. Buildings, historic places, monuments, and artifacts are cultural property. Int ...
.
Raffaele Esposito Raffaele Esposito () was an Italian chef and owner of a tavern called ''Pizzeria di Pietro e basta così'' ("Pietro's Pizzeria and that's enough") in the 19th century that had been founded in 1780 by Pietro Colicchio. Esposito is considered by som ...
is often considered to be the father of modern pizza.Arthur Schwartz, ''Naples at Table: Cooking in Campania'' (1998), p. 68. .John Dickie, ''Delizia!: The Epic History of the Italians and Their Food'' (2008), p. 186.Father Giuseppe Orsini, Joseph E. Orsini, ''Italian Baking Secrets'' (2007), p. 99.


Etymology

The word "pizza" first appeared in a Latin text from the town of
Gaeta Gaeta (; lat, Cāiēta; Southern Laziale: ''Gaieta'') is a city in the province of Latina, in Lazio, Southern Italy. Set on a promontory stretching towards the Gulf of Gaeta, it is from Rome and from Naples. The town has played a consp ...
, then still part of the Byzantine Empire, in 997 AD; the text states that a tenant of certain property is to give the bishop of Gaeta ''duodecim pizze'' ("twelve pizzas") every Christmas Day, and another twelve every Easter Sunday.Salvatore Riciniello (1987) ''Codice Diplomatico Gaetano'', Vol. I, La Poligrafica Suggested etymologies include: *
Byzantine Greek Medieval Greek (also known as Middle Greek, Byzantine Greek, or Romaic) is the stage of the Greek language between the end of classical antiquity in the 5th–6th centuries and the end of the Middle Ages, conventionally dated to the Ottoman co ...
and Late Latin ''pitta'' > ''pizza,'' ''cf.'' Modern Greek pitta bread and the Apulia and Calabrian (then Byzantine Italy) ''pitta,'' a round flat bread baked in the oven at high temperature sometimes with toppings. The word ''pitta'' can in turn be traced to either Ancient Greek πικτή (''pikte''), "fermented pastry", which in Latin became "picta", or Ancient Greek πίσσα (''pissa'',
Attic An attic (sometimes referred to as a '' loft'') is a space found directly below the pitched roof of a house or other building; an attic may also be called a ''sky parlor'' or a garret. Because attics fill the space between the ceiling of the ...
πίττα, ''pitta''), "pitch", or πήτεα (''pḗtea''), "bran" (πητίτης ''pētítēs'', "bran bread"). * The Etymological Dictionary of the Italian Language explains it as coming from dialectal ''pinza'' "clamp", as in modern Italian ''pinze'' "pliers, pincers, tongs, forceps". Their origin is from Latin ''pinsere'' "to pound, stamp". * The Lombardic word ''bizzo'' or ''pizzo'' meaning "mouthful" (related to the English words "bit" and "bite"), which was brought to Italy in the middle of the 6th century AD by the invading Lombards. The shift b>p could be explained by the
High German consonant shift In historical linguistics, the High German consonant shift or second Germanic consonant shift is a phonological development (sound change) that took place in the southern parts of the West Germanic dialect continuum in several phases. It probably ...
, and it has been noted in this connection that in German the word ''Imbiss'' means "snack".


History

Foods similar to pizza have been made since the Neolithic Age. Records of people adding other ingredients to
bread Bread is a staple food prepared from a dough of flour (usually wheat) and water, usually by baking. Throughout recorded history and around the world, it has been an important part of many cultures' diet. It is one of the oldest human-made f ...
to make it more flavorful can be found throughout ancient history. In the 6th century BC, the Persian soldiers of the
Achaemenid Empire The Achaemenid Empire or Achaemenian Empire (; peo, 𐎧𐏁𐏂, , ), also called the First Persian Empire, was an ancient Iranian empire founded by Cyrus the Great in 550 BC. Based in Western Asia, it was contemporarily the largest em ...
during the rule of
Darius the Great Darius I ( peo, 𐎭𐎠𐎼𐎹𐎺𐎢𐏁 ; grc-gre, Δαρεῖος ; – 486 BCE), commonly known as Darius the Great, was a Persian ruler who served as the third King of Kings of the Achaemenid Empire, reigning from 522 BCE until his d ...
baked flatbreads with cheese and
dates Date or dates may refer to: *Date (fruit), the fruit of the date palm (''Phoenix dactylifera'') Social activity *Dating, a form of courtship involving social activity, with the aim of assessing a potential partner **Group dating *Play date, an ...
on top of their battle shields and the ancient Greeks supplemented their bread with oils, herbs, and cheese. An early reference to a pizza-like food occurs in the '' Aeneid'', when Celaeno, queen of the
Harpies In Greek mythology and Roman mythology, a harpy (plural harpies, , ; lat, harpȳia) is a half-human and half-bird personification of storm winds. They feature in Homeric poems. Descriptions They were generally depicted as birds with the head ...
, foretells that the Trojans would not find peace until they are forced by hunger to eat their tables (Book III). In Book VII, Aeneas and his men are served a meal that includes round cakes (like pita bread) topped with cooked vegetables. When they eat the bread, they realize that these are the "tables" prophesied by Celaeno. The first mention of the word "pizza" comes from a notarial document written in Latin and dating to May 997 AD from
Gaeta Gaeta (; lat, Cāiēta; Southern Laziale: ''Gaieta'') is a city in the province of Latina, in Lazio, Southern Italy. Set on a promontory stretching towards the Gulf of Gaeta, it is from Rome and from Naples. The town has played a consp ...
, demanding a payment of "twelve pizzas, a pork shoulder, and a pork kidney on Christmas Day, and 12 pizzas and a couple of chickens on Easter Day." Modern pizza evolved from similar flatbread dishes in Naples, Italy, in the 18th or early 19th century. Before that time, flatbread was often topped with ingredients such as garlic, salt, lard, and cheese. It is uncertain when tomatoes were first added and there are many conflicting claims. Until about 1830, pizza was sold from open-air stands and out of pizza bakeries. A popular contemporary legend holds that the archetypal pizza, '' pizza Margherita'', was invented in 1889, when the
Royal Palace of Capodimonte The Royal Palace of Capodimonte ( it, Reggia di Capodimonte) is a large palazzo in Naples, Italy. It was formerly the summer residence and hunting lodge of the Bourbon kings of the Two Sicilies, one of the two royal palaces in Naples. Today, it c ...
commissioned the Neapolitan
pizzaiolo Pizza (, ) is a dish of Italian origin consisting of a usually round, flat base of leavened wheat-based dough topped with tomatoes, cheese, and often various other ingredients (such as various types of sausage, anchovies, mushrooms, oni ...
(pizza maker)
Raffaele Esposito Raffaele Esposito () was an Italian chef and owner of a tavern called ''Pizzeria di Pietro e basta così'' ("Pietro's Pizzeria and that's enough") in the 19th century that had been founded in 1780 by Pietro Colicchio. Esposito is considered by som ...
to create a pizza in honor of the visiting
Queen Margherita Margherita of Savoy (''Margherita Maria Teresa Giovanna''; 20 November 1851 – 4 January 1926) was Queen of Italy by marriage to Umberto I. Life Early life Margherita was born to Prince Ferdinand of Savoy, Duke of Genoa and Princess Elisabeth ...
. Of the three different pizzas he created, the Queen strongly preferred a pizza swathed in the colors of the Italian flag — red (tomato), green (basil), and white (mozzarella). Supposedly, this kind of pizza was then named after the Queen, although later research cast doubt on this legend. An official letter of recognition from the Queen's "head of service" remains on display in Esposito's shop, now called the Pizzeria Brandi. Pizza was taken to the United States by
Italian immigrants The Italian diaspora is the large-scale emigration of Italians from Italy. There were two major Italian diasporas in Italian history. The first diaspora began around 1880, two decades after the Risorgimento, Unification of Italy, and ended in the ...
in the late nineteenth century and first appeared in areas where they concentrated. The country's first pizzeria,
Lombardi's Lombardi's is a pizzeria located at 32 Spring Street on the corner of Mott Street in the Nolita neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan, New York City. Opened in 1905, it has been recognized by the Pizza Hall of Fame as the first pizzeria in t ...
, opened in New York City in 1905. Following World War II, veterans returning from the Italian Campaign, who were introduced to Italy's native cuisine, proved a ready market for pizza in particular.


Preparation

Pizza is sold fresh or
frozen Frozen may refer to: * the result of freezing * a paralysis response in extreme cases of fear Films * ''Frozen'' (1997 film), a film by Wang Xiaoshuai * ''Frozen'' (2005 film), a film by Juliet McKoen * ''Frozen'' (2007 film), a film by Sh ...
, and whole or in portion-size slices. Methods have been developed to overcome challenges such as preventing the sauce from combining with the dough, and producing a crust that can be frozen and reheated without becoming rigid. There are frozen pizzas with raw ingredients and self-rising crusts. Another form of pizza is available from
take and bake pizzeria A take and bake pizzeria, sometimes just known as a take and bake (or alternatively, take-n-bake), is a pizzeria which sells uncooked pizzas to customers, who then cook the pizzas at home in their own ovens. Take-and-bake pizzas are typically ma ...
s. This pizza is assembled in the store, then sold unbaked to customers to bake in their own ovens. Some grocery stores sell fresh dough along with sauce and basic ingredients, to assemble at home before baking in an oven. File:Pizza 1 bg.jpg, Pizza dough being kneaded before being left undisturbed and allowed time to
proof Proof most often refers to: * Proof (truth), argument or sufficient evidence for the truth of a proposition * Alcohol proof, a measure of an alcoholic drink's strength Proof may also refer to: Mathematics and formal logic * Formal proof, a con ...
File:Jupiter - Flickr - Joe Parks.jpg, Traditional pizza dough being tossed File:US Navy 070406-N-2959L-756 Members of USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) First Class Association prepare and put toppings on pizzas in the galley as part of a special dinner prepared for the crew.jpg, Toppings being placed on pan pizzas File:Neapolitan pizza.jpg, An unbaked Neapolitan pizza on a metal peel, ready for the oven File:Frozen pizza.jpg, A wrapped, mass-produced frozen pizza to be baked at home


Baking

In restaurants, pizza can be baked in an oven with fire bricks above the heat source, an electric deck oven, a
conveyor belt A conveyor belt is the carrying medium of a belt conveyor system (often shortened to belt conveyor). A belt conveyor system is one of many types of conveyor systems. A belt conveyor system consists of two or more pulleys (sometimes referred to ...
oven, or, in traditional style in a wood or coal-fired brick oven. The pizza is slid into the oven on a long paddle, called a peel, and baked directly on hot bricks, a screen (a round metal grate, typically aluminum), or whatever the oven surface is. Before use, a peel is typically sprinkled with cornmeal to allow the pizza to easily slide on and off it. When made at home, a pizza can be baked on a
pizza stone A baking stone is a portable cooking surface used in baking. It may be made of ceramic, stone or, more recently, salt. Food is put on the stone, which is then placed in an oven, though sometimes the stone is heated first. Baking stones are used m ...
in a regular oven to reproduce some of the heating effect of a brick oven. Cooking directly on a metal surface results in too rapid heat transfer to the crust, burning it. Some home chefs use a wood-fired pizza oven, usually installed outdoors. As in restaurants, these are often dome-shaped, as pizza ovens have been for centuries, in order to achieve even heat distribution. Another variation is grilled pizza, in which the pizza is baked directly on a barbecue grill. Greek pizza, like deep dish Chicago and Sicilian style pizza, is baked in a pan rather than directly on the bricks of the pizza oven. Most restaurants use standard and purpose-built pizza preparation tables to assemble their pizzas.
Mass production Mass production, also known as flow production or continuous production, is the production of substantial amounts of standardized products in a constant flow, including and especially on assembly lines. Together with job production and batch ...
of pizza by
chains A chain is a serial assembly of connected pieces, called links, typically made of metal, with an overall character similar to that of a rope in that it is flexible and curved in compression but linear, rigid, and load-bearing in tension. A c ...
can be completely automated. File:Pizza im Pizzaofen von Maurizio.jpg, Pizzas baking in a traditional wood-fired brick oven File:Pizza baking in Wood-fired oven.jpg, A pizza being removed with a wooden peel File:Eataly Las Vegas - Feb 2019 - Sarah Stierch 12.jpg, Charred crust on a Pizza Margherita, an acceptable trait in artisanal pizza File:Grilled_pizza_2.jpg, Pizza grilling on an outdoor gas range


Crust

The bottom of the pizza, called the "crust", may vary widely according to style – thin as in a typical hand-tossed Neapolitan pizza or thick as in a deep-dish Chicago-style. It is traditionally plain, but may also be seasoned with garlic or herbs, or stuffed with cheese. The outer edge of the pizza is sometimes referred to as the ''cornicione''. Some pizza dough contains sugar, to help its yeast rise and enhance browning of the crust.
Dipping sauce A dip or dipping sauce is a common condiment for many types of food. Dips are used to add flavor or texture to a food, such as pita bread, dumplings, crackers, chopped raw vegetables, fruits, seafood, cubed pieces of meat and cheese, potato chi ...
specifically for pizza was invented by American pizza chain Papa John's Pizza in 1984 and has since been adopted by some when eating pizza, especially the crust.


Cheese

Mozzarella cheese is commonly used on pizza, with the buffalo mozzarella produced in the surroundings of Naples. Other cheeses are also used, particularly Italian cheeses including provolone, pecorino romano, ricotta, and
scamorza Scamorza () is a Southern Italian cow's milk cheese. It can also be made from other milks, but that is less common. It is a stretched-curd cheese, in which the fresh curd matures in its own whey for several hours to allow acidity to develop thr ...
. Less expensive processed cheeses or cheese analogues have been developed for mass-market pizzas to produce desirable qualities like browning, melting, stretchiness, consistent fat and moisture content, and stable shelf life. This quest to create the ideal and economical pizza cheese has involved many studies and experiments analyzing the impact of vegetable oil, manufacturing and culture processes, denatured whey proteins, and other changes in manufacture. In 1997, it was estimated that annual production of pizza cheese was in the U.S. and in Europe.


Varieties and styles

A great number of pizza varieties exist, defined by the choice of toppings and sometimes also crust. There are also several styles of pizza, defined by their preparation method. The following lists feature only the notable ones.


Varieties


Styles


By region of origin


Italy

Authentic Neapolitan pizza (''pizza napoletana'') is made with San Marzano tomatoes, grown on the volcanic plains south of Mount Vesuvius, and either mozzarella di bufala Campana, made with milk from water buffalo raised in the marshlands of Campania and Lazio or
Fior-di-latte Mozzarella (, ; nap, muzzarella ) is a southern Italian cheese traditionally made from Italian buffalo's milk by the pasta filata method. Fresh mozzarella is generally white but when seasoned it turns to a light yellow depending on the anim ...
. Buffalo mozzarella is protected with its own European
protected designation of origin The protected designation of origin (PDO) is a type of geographical indication of the European Union and the United Kingdom aimed at preserving the designations of origin of food-related products. The designation was created in 1992 and its main ...
. Other traditional pizzas include ''
pizza alla marinara Pizza marinara, also known as pizza alla marinara, is a style of Neapolitan pizza in Italian cuisine seasoned with only tomato sauce, extra virgin olive oil, oregano and garlic. It is supposedly the most ancient tomato-topped pizza. History It ...
'', which is topped with marinara sauce and is supposedly the most ancient tomato-topped pizza,
pizza capricciosa Pizza capricciosa () is a style of pizza in Italian cuisine prepared with mozzarella cheese, Italian baked ham, mushroom, artichoke and tomato. Types of edible mushrooms used may include '' cremini'' (white mushrooms) and others. Some versions ma ...
, which is prepared with mozzarella cheese, baked ham, mushroom, artichoke, and tomato, and
pizza pugliese Pizza pugliese () is a style of pizza in Italian cuisine prepared with tomato, onion, and mozzarella. It is named after the region of Apulia (called in Italian ''Puglia''). It should not be confused with ''pizza barese'', the local Barese vari ...
, prepared with tomato, mozzarella, and onions. A popular variant of pizza in Italy is
Sicilian pizza Sicilian pizza is pizza prepared in a manner that originated in Sicily, Italy. Sicilian pizza is also known as ''sfincione'' (; scn, sfinciuni ) or focaccia with toppings. This type of pizza became a popular dish in western Sicily by the mid-1 ...
(locally called ''sfincione'' or ''sfinciuni''), a thick-crust or deep-dish pizza originating during the 17th century in Sicily: it is essentially a focaccia that is typically topped with tomato sauce and other ingredients. Until the 1860s, ''sfincione'' was the type of pizza usually consumed in Sicily, especially in the Western portion of the island. Other variations of pizzas are also found in other regions of Italy, for example ''pizza al padellino'' or ''pizza al tegamino'', a small-sized, thick-crust, deep-dish pizza typically served in Turin, Piedmont.


United States

The first pizzeria in the U.S. was opened in New York City's Little Italy in 1905. Common toppings for pizza in the United States include anchovies, ground beef, chicken, ham, mushrooms, olives, onions, peppers, pepperoni, pineapple, salami, sausage, spinach, steak, and tomatoes. Distinct regional types developed in the 20th century, including Buffalo, California, Chicago, Detroit, Greek, New Haven,
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...
, and St. Louis styles. These regional variations include deep-dish, stuffed, pockets, turnovers, rolled, and pizza-on-a-stick, each with seemingly limitless combinations of sauce and toppings. Thirteen percent of the United States population consumes pizza on any given day.
Pizza chains Pizza (, ) is a dish of Italian origin consisting of a usually round, flat base of leavened wheat-based dough topped with tomatoes, cheese, and often various other ingredients (such as various types of sausage, anchovies, mushrooms, onio ...
such as Domino's Pizza, Pizza Hut, and Papa John's, pizzas from
take and bake pizzeria A take and bake pizzeria, sometimes just known as a take and bake (or alternatively, take-n-bake), is a pizzeria which sells uncooked pizzas to customers, who then cook the pizzas at home in their own ovens. Take-and-bake pizzas are typically ma ...
s, and chilled or frozen pizzas from supermarkets make pizza readily available nationwide.


Argentina

Argentina, and more specifically Buenos Aires, saw significant
Italian immigration The Italian diaspora is the large-scale emigration of Italians from Italy. There were two major Italian diasporas in Italian history. The first diaspora began around 1880, two decades after the Risorgimento, Unification of Italy, and ended in the ...
at the end of the 19th century. Immigrants from Naples and Genoa opened the first pizza bars, though over time Spanish residents came to own the majority of the pizza businesses. Standard Argentine pizza has a thicker crust, called "media masa" (half dough) than traditional Italian style pizza and uses more cheese. In Argentina pizza slices are often served topped with
fainá Farinata (), socca (), torta di ceci (), or cecina () is a type of thin, unleavened pancake or crêpe made from chickpea flour. It originated in Italy and later became a typical food of the Ligurian Sea coast, from Nice to Sardinia and Elba isl ...
, a Genoese chickpea-flour pancake, and accompanied by moscato wine. The most popular variety of pizza is called "muzzarella" (mozzarella), similar to Neapolitan pizza (bread, tomato sauce and cheese) but made with a thicker "media masa" crust, triple cheese and tomato sauce, usually also with olives. It can be found in nearly every corner of the country; Buenos Aires is considered the city with the most pizza bars per person of the world. Other popular varieties include ham, tomato slices, red pepper and
longaniza Longaniza (, or ) is a Spanish sausage (embutido) similar to a chorizo and also closely associated with the Portuguese linguiça. Its defining characteristics are interpreted differently from region to region. It is popular in the cuisines of ...
. Two Argentine-originated varieties of pizza with onion, are also very popular:
fugazza with cheese Fugazza con queso (from Genoese dialect: ''fugassa'', Italian: focaccia), or simply Fugazza, is a common type of Argentinian pizza originating in Buenos Aires that consists of a thick pizza crust topped with onions, cheese, and sometimes olives. ...
, a regular pizza crust topped with cheese and onions, and
fugazzetta Fugazza con queso (from Genoese dialect: ''fugassa'', Italian: focaccia), or simply Fugazza, is a common type of Argentinian pizza originating in Buenos Aires that consists of a thick pizza crust topped with onions, cheese, and sometimes olives ...
, with the cheese between two pizza crusts, with onions on top.


Records

according to '' Guinness World Records'': *The world's largest pizza was prepared in Rome in December 2012, and measured . The pizza was named "Ottavia" in homage to the first Roman emperor Octavian Augustus, and was made with a
gluten-free A gluten-free diet (GFD) is a nutritional plan that strictly excludes gluten, which is a mixture of proteins found in wheat (and all of its species and hybrids, such as spelt, kamut, and triticale), as well as barley, rye, and oats. The inclus ...
base. *The world's longest pizza was long; it was made in
Fontana, California Fontana is a city in San Bernardino County, California. Founded by Azariel Blanchard Miller in 1913, it remained essentially rural until World War II, when entrepreneur Henry J. Kaiser built a large steel mill in the area. It is now a regional h ...
in 2017. *The world's most expensive commercially available pizza recognised by ''Guinness World Records'' costs US$2,700, and was sold at Industry Kitchen (USA) in New York, New York, USA, as of 24 April 2017. It is made of black
squid ink Cephalopod ink is a dark-coloured or luminous ink released into water by most species of cephalopod, usually as an escape mechanism. All cephalopods, with the exception of the Nautilidae and the Cirrina (deep-sea octopuses), are able to release ...
dough, and topped with UK white Stilton cheese, French foie gras and truffles, Ossetra caviar from the Caspian Sea, Almas caviar, and 24K gold leaves. *More expensive pizzas have been reported, but are not recognised by ''Guinness World Records'', such as the "Pizza Royale 007" at Haggis restaurant in Glasgow, Scotland, which is topped with caviar, lobster, and 24-carat gold dust, and the caviar pizza made by Nino's Bellissima pizzeria in New York City, New York. *A pizza made by the restaurateur Domenico Crolla that included toppings such as sunblush-tomato sauce, Scottish smoked salmon, medallions of venison,
edible gold Edible gold is a particular type of gold authorized by the European Union and the United States as a food additive, under the International Numbering System for Food Additives, code . It is used in the haute cuisine in a gastronomical trend towards ...
,
lobster Lobsters are a family (biology), family (Nephropidae, Synonym (taxonomy), synonym Homaridae) of marine crustaceans. They have long bodies with muscular tails and live in crevices or burrows on the sea floor. Three of their five pairs of legs ...
marinated in cognac, and champagne-soaked caviar. The pizza was auctioned for charity in 2007, raising .


Pizza and health

Some pizzas mass-produced by
pizza chain Pizza delivery is a service in which a pizzeria or pizza chain delivers a pizza to a customer. An order is typically made either by telephone, or over the internet, in which the customer can request pizza type and size, and other items to be ...
s have been criticized as having an unhealthy balance of ingredients. Pizza can be high in salt and fat, and is high in calories. The USDA reports an average sodium content of 5,101 mg per pizza in fast food chains. There are concerns about undesirable health effects.


Similar dishes

*
Calzone A calzone (, , ; "stocking" or "trouser") is an Italian oven-baked folded pizza, often described as a turnover, made with leavened dough. It originated in Naples in the 18th century. A typical calzone is made from salted bread dough, baked in ...
and
stromboli Stromboli ( , ; scn, Struògnuli ) is an island in the Tyrrhenian Sea, off the north coast of Sicily, containing Mount Stromboli, one of the four active volcanoes in Italy. It is one of the eight Aeolian Islands, a volcanic arc north of Sici ...
are similar dishes that are often made of pizza dough folded (calzone) or rolled (stromboli) around a filling. * Panzerotti are similar to calzones, but fried rather than baked. *
Piadina ''Piadina'' or ''piada'' is a thin Italian flatbread, typically prepared in the Romagna historical region (Forlì, Cesena, Ravenna and Rimini). It is usually made with white flour, lard or olive oil, salt and water. The dough was traditional ...
is a thin Italian flatbread, typically prepared in the Romagna historical region. * Focaccia is a flat
leavened Bread is a staple food prepared from a dough of flour (usually wheat) and water, usually by baking. Throughout recorded history and around the world, it has been an important part of many cultures' diet. It is one of the oldest human-made food ...
oven-baked Italian bread, similar in style and texture to pizza; in some places, it is called ''pizza bianca'' ("white pizza"). * "Farinata" or "cecina". A Ligurian (
farinata Farinata (), socca (), torta di ceci (), or cecina () is a type of thin, unleavened pancake or crêpe made from chickpea flour. It originated in Italy and later became a typical food of the Ligurian Sea coast, from Nice to Sardinia and Elba isla ...
) and Tuscan (
cecina Cecina may refer to: * Cecina (meat), a Spanish and Mexican culinary specialty made of beef * ''Cecina'' (gastropod), a genus of freshwater snails in the family Pomatiopsidae * Cecina, Tuscany, Italy * Caecinia gens, an ancient Roman family * Far ...
) regional dish made from chickpea flour, water, salt, and olive oil. Also called '' socca'' in the Provence region of France. Often baked in a brick oven, and typically weighed and sold by the slice. * The Alsatian ''
Flammekueche Flammekueche ( Alsatian; Standard German: ''Flammkuchen''), or tarte flambée ( French), is a speciality of the region of Alsace, German-speaking Moselle, Baden and the Palatinate. It is composed of bread dough rolled out very thinly in the sh ...
'' (Standard German: ''Flammkuchen'', French: ''Tarte flambée)'' is a thin disc of dough covered in crème fraîche, onions, and bacon. *
Garlic fingers Garlic fingers (French: Doigts à l'ail) known also as garlic cheese fingers are an Atlantic Canadian dish, similar to a pizza in shape and size and made with the same type of dough. Instead of being cut in triangular slices, they are presented ...
is an Atlantic Canadian dish, similar to a pizza in shape and size, and made with similar dough. It is garnished with melted butter, garlic, cheese, and sometimes bacon. * The Anatolian ''
Lahmacun Lahmacun ( pronounced ''lahmajoun'') or Lahmajo ( hy, Լահմաջո) is a flatbread topped with minced meat (most commonly beef or lamb), minced vegetables, and herbs including onions, garlic, tomatoes, red peppers, and parsley, flavored with ...
'' (Arabic: ''laḥm bi'ajīn''; Armenian: ''lahmajoun''; also ''Turkish pizza'' or ''Armenian pizza'') is a meat-topped dough round. The base is very thin, and the layer of meat often includes chopped vegetables. * The Levantine '' Manakish'' (Arabic: ''ma'ujnāt'') and '' Sfiha'' (Arabic: ''laḥm bi'ajīn''; also ''Arab pizza'') are dishes similar to pizza. *
Panizza Panizza is an Italian surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bartolomeo Panizza (1785–1867), Italian anatomist * Darrell Panizza (born 1959), Australian footballer and coach * Ettore Panizza (1875–1967), Argentianian conductor and ...
is half a stick of bread (often baguette), topped with the usual pizza ingredients, baked in an oven. * The
Macedonian Macedonian most often refers to someone or something from or related to Macedonia. Macedonian(s) may specifically refer to: People Modern * Macedonians (ethnic group), a nation and a South Slavic ethnic group primarily associated with North M ...
''
Pastrmajlija Pastrmajlija (Macedonian language, Macedonian: Пастрмајлија) is a Macedonians (ethnic group), Macedonian bread pie made from dough and meat. Pastrmalija is usually oval-shaped with sliced meat cubes on top of it. Its name derives from ...
'' is a bread pie made from dough and meat. It is usually oval-shaped with chopped meat on top of it. * The
Provençal Provençal may refer to: *Of Provence, a region of France * Provençal dialect, a dialect of the Occitan language, spoken in the southeast of France *''Provençal'', meaning the whole Occitan language *Franco-Provençal language, a distinct Roman ...
''
Pissaladière Pissaladière (, , ; oc, label= Niçard, pissaladiera or ; lij, piscialandrea ) is a dish of flatbread with toppings in the cuisines of Liguria (especially Genoa) and Nice. It is often compared to pizza. The dough is usually a bread dough thic ...
'' is similar to an Italian pizza, with a slightly thicker crust and a topping of cooked onions, anchovies, and olives. * Pizza bagel is a bagel with toppings similar to that of traditional pizzas. * Pizza bread is an open-faced sandwich made of bread, tomato sauce, cheese, and various toppings. * Pizza sticks are baked with pizza dough and pizza ingredients. Bread dough may also be used in their preparation, and some versions are fried. *
Pizza Rolls Pizza snack rolls (also called pizza rolls, pizza bites, pizza snacks, or pizza poppers) are a frozen food product consisting of bite-sized breaded pizza pockets with an interior of tomato sauce, imitation cheese and various pizza toppings. They ...
are a trade-marked commercial product. * Okonomiyaki, a Japanese dish cooked on a hotplate, is often referred to as "Japanese pizza". *"Zanzibar pizza" is a street food served in Stone Town, Zanzibar, Tanzania. It uses a dough much thinner than pizza dough, almost like filo dough, filled with minced beef, onions, and an egg, similar to Moroccan basṭīla. *
Zwiebelkuchen Zwiebelkuchen (German for "onion cake") is a savory German onion cake made of steamed onions, diced bacon, cream, and caraway seeds on either a yeast or leavened dough. See also * Flammkuchen Similar Alsatian and South-Western German dish * List ...
, a German onion tart, often baked with diced bacon and caraway seeds.


Gallery

File:Pizza capricciosa, Munich.jpg,
Pizza capricciosa Pizza capricciosa () is a style of pizza in Italian cuisine prepared with mozzarella cheese, Italian baked ham, mushroom, artichoke and tomato. Types of edible mushrooms used may include '' cremini'' (white mushrooms) and others. Some versions ma ...
File:Tarte flambée alsacienne 514471722.jpg, A
tarte flambée Flammekueche ( Alsatian; Standard German: ''Flammkuchen''), or tarte flambée ( French), is a speciality of the region of Alsace, German-speaking Moselle, Baden and the Palatinate. It is composed of bread dough rolled out very thinly in the sh ...
File:Vegetarian pizza.jpg, A vegetarian pizza File:Garlic Fingers.jpg,
Garlic fingers Garlic fingers (French: Doigts à l'ail) known also as garlic cheese fingers are an Atlantic Canadian dish, similar to a pizza in shape and size and made with the same type of dough. Instead of being cut in triangular slices, they are presented ...
, the archetype of Canadian pizza File:Hamburger pizza at Kotipizza.jpg, A hamburger pizza served at a
Kotipizza Kotipizza Oyj is the largest pizza restaurant chain in the Nordic countries. ' is Finnish and translates as "home". Kotipizza is part of Kotipizza Group, and it operates a chain of pizza franchises in Finland. In 2021, there were 290 Kotipizza re ...
restaurant in Finland File:Fugazzeta en pizzeria Guerrin, Buenos Aires.JPG, Argentine
fugazzetta Fugazza con queso (from Genoese dialect: ''fugassa'', Italian: focaccia), or simply Fugazza, is a common type of Argentinian pizza originating in Buenos Aires that consists of a thick pizza crust topped with onions, cheese, and sometimes olives ...
.


See also

* * List of baked goods *
List of Italian dishes This is a list of Italian dishes and foods. Italian cuisine has developed through centuries of social and political changes, with roots as far back as the 4th century BC. Italian cuisine has its origins in Etruscan, ancient Greek, and ancien ...
* List of pizza chains * List of pizza varieties by country * * * * * * * * * * *


References


Further reading

* * Explanation of eight pizza styles: Maryland, Roman, "Gourmet" Wood-fired, Generic boxed, New York, Neapolitan, Chicago, and New Haven. * * * * 208 pages.


External links

* * {{Authority control Cheese dishes Convenience foods Flatbread dishes Food combinations Italian cuisine Italian inventions Italian-American cuisine Mediterranean cuisine National dishes Neapolitan cuisine Popular culture Snack foods Types of food World cuisine