The Original Italian Pizza Recipe: a True Classic Delight (2024)

The original Italian Pizza has become one of the most beloved and popular dishes worldwide.

The origin of pizza dates back to the 3rd century BC in the city of Naples, Italy. This flatbread was served as a snack to the poor of the city and was made from simple ingredients such as flour, oil, and salt.

As the popularity of this dish grew, the recipe was transformed and expanded. Toppings such as tomatoes and cheese were added to the pizza, making it a delicious and satisfying meal.

Today, pizza has become a staple food in Italy and is enjoyed around the world.

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What is the Recipe for the Original Italian Pizza?

The Original Italian Pizza Recipe: a True Classic Delight (1)

The recipe for the original Italian pizza is quite simple.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound of pizza dough
  • 1/2 cup of tomato sauce
  • 8 oz of mozzarella cheese, sliced or grated
  • Fresh basil leaves
  • Olive oil
  • Salt
  • Flour for dusting
  • Cornmeal (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 550°F (290°C) or its highest temperature.
  2. Dust your working surface with flour and gently stretch the pizza dough into a round shape, about 1/4 inch thick.
  3. Place the dough onto a floured pizza peel or a baking sheet dusted with cornmeal (if desired).
  4. Spread the tomato sauce evenly over the dough, leaving about a 1/2 inch border for the crust.
  5. Add the mozzarella cheese on top of the sauce.
  6. Drizzle olive oil over the cheese and sprinkle with salt.
  7. Place the pizza in the oven and bake for 8-12 minutes until the crust is golden and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
  8. Take the pizza out of the oven and top it with fresh basil leaves.
  9. Slice and serve hot.

Pizza Trivia Quiz: How Well You Know Italian Pizza?

Key Characteristics of the Original Pizza

The Original Italian Pizza Recipe: a True Classic Delight (2)

The key characteristics of the original pizza are the thin crust and the fresh, flavorful ingredients. It should have a crisp and light texture. The tomato sauce should be sweet and rich, and the cheese should be freshly grated. The pizza should also be garnished with fresh herbs and olive oil.

What was the original pizza in Italy?

The original Italian pizza was the Margherita, a classic red, white, and green pizza made with tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and basil. It was created in 1889 by pizzamaker Raffaele Esposito from Naples and named after Italy’s Queen Margherita of Savoy.

What is the most authentic Italian pizza?

Authentic Italian pizzas are made with simple ingredients and cooked in a wood-fired oven.

Classic Margherita pizza is the most well-known, topped with tomato sauce, fresh basil leaves, mozzarella cheese, and extra virgin olive oil.

Other traditional pies include Quattro Formaggi (four cheese), Diavola (spicy salami), and Capricciosa (tomato sauce, artichokes, mushrooms, olives).

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What is the oldest pizzeria in Italy?

Answer: Antica Pizzeria Port’Alba, located in Naples, Italy, is the oldest pizzeria in the world. It was founded in 1738 by baker Giovanbattista Comoletti and has served up pizza for over 280 years.

The pizza made there follows the traditional Neapolitan recipes passed down through generations. It remains one of the most popular restaurants among Naples locals and tourists.

You’ll taste the original Italian pizza if you eat there.

The Original Italian Pizza Recipe: a True Classic Delight (3)

What are some traditional Italian Pizzas?

  1. Margherita
  2. Marinara
  3. Quattro Formaggi
  4. Funghi
  5. Capricciosa
  6. Prosciutto Funghi
  7. Diavola
  8. Quattro Stagioni
  9. Verace
  10. Ortolana

In conclusion, the original Italian pizza is a simple and delicious dish that has become a staple in Italian cuisine. Its thin crust, fresh ingredients, and flavorful toppings characterize it.

When served, people should be able to taste the tomato sauce’s freshness and the cheese’s richness, and the herbs and olive oil should be evident in the aroma and flavor. The original Italian pizza is a classic treat that will delight everyone who tastes it.

Further Reading:

The Original Italian Pizza Recipe: a True Classic Delight (2024)

FAQs

What was the original Italian pizza? ›

Then, in 1889, modern pizza was born when pizzamaker Raffaele Esposito created the “Pizza Margherita” for the Queen consort of Italy, Margherita of Savoy. It contained only tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil to represent the colors of the Italian flag.

How is traditional Italian pizza made? ›

With real italian pizza, you will find homemade sauce made from freshly peeled tomatoes and a blend of savory, complimenting herbs. You will also notice that authentic Italian pizza doesn't combine the toppings and sauce to be cooked together. They simply layer the sauce along the crust.

What is the original Italian pizza topping? ›

Any toppings you want, the classic authentic toppings would be tomato sauce, oregano or basil, salt, garlic and olive oil, although you can layer your dough with whatever you desire.

What is the most authentic Italian pizza? ›

Neapolitan-style pizza

Neapolitan pizza features a soft, chewy crust with a slightly charred exterior. It's typically cooked in a wood-fired oven at very high temperatures for a short period. Since pizza originated in Naples, many stick to this type on principle.

What is the original of pizza? ›

Pizza has a long history. Flatbreads with toppings were consumed by the ancient Egyptians, Romans and Greeks. (The latter ate a version with herbs and oil, similar to today's focaccia.) But the modern birthplace of pizza is southwestern Italy's Campania region, home to the city of Naples.

What does real Italian pizza taste like? ›

The Italian version has a more fresh and flavorful sauce than the American version. Italians have a distinctive mozzarella di Bufala cheese, a mozzarella cheese created from buffalo's milk. They use this cheese as scoops of fresh cheese instead of grating them, which provides a fresh taste to the entire pizza.

Do Italians put cheese on pizza? ›

While many people think that cheese must be included in every pizza, the truth is that real Italian pizza doesn't always have cheese toppings. Cheese in Pizza isn't an authentic version in Italy at all. This answer might have surprised you. There are many traditional pizza recipes that don't include cheese.

What flour do Italians use for pizza? ›

All Purpose Flour or Bread Flour mixed with Semola Remacinata di Grano Duro for thick crust pan pizza. “00” Farina di Grano Tenero mixed with Bread Flour for long rise, thin crust pizza (pizzeria style) “00” Farina di Grano Tenero for fresh, egg pasta.

Is original Italian pizza thin crust? ›

Thin crust is a signature of authentic Italian pizza. The dough is stretched thinly to form a thin crust as it gets baked in the oven.

What was Italian pizza like before tomatoes? ›

In 1600 we get to the real beginning of modern pizza. Bread dough baked in wood-fired ovens, seasoned with garlic, lard and coarse salt—or, in the “richer” version, with caciocavallo cheese and basil. With the discovery of the Americas, the tomato arrived in Italy and everything took on a different flavor.

What are the two types of pizza in Italy? ›

Pizzaiolos (“pizzamakers” in Italian) all over the city of Naples toss this dough in multiple sizes and flavors–pizza Marinara (just tomato sauce) and Margherita (tomato sauce and mozzarella) toppings being the most common.

What did the original Italian pizza look like? ›

An often recounted story holds that on June 11, 1889, to honour the queen consort of Italy, Margherita of Savoy, the Neapolitan pizza maker Raffaele Esposito created the "Pizza Margherita", a pizza garnished with tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil, to represent the national colours of Italy as on the Flag of Italy.

Do Italians put tomato sauce on pizza? ›

The Toppings

A traditional Italian pizza would just resort to some fresh basil leaves which, together with the red tomato sauce and the white Mozarella di Bufala cheese complete the tri-colour of the Italian flag. However, depending upon the mood, one can sprinkle some oregano and fresh olive oil for a hint of spice.

What is the number one pizza in Italy? ›

Margherita: This classic pizza originates from Naples, Italy and is made with tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, and olive oil. It is the most popular pizza in Italy and is considered the national dish of the country.

What is the official pizza of Italy? ›

Neapolitan pizza has a protected status granted by the Italian Standardization Body administered by the Associazione Vera Pizza Napoletana (AVPN). A protected designation is available to pizzerias that meet strict requirements in following Neapolitan traditions in the art of pizza making.

What is the oldest Italian pizzeria? ›

Nestled in the city's bustling centre, the famous Antica Pizzeria Port'Alba is not only the oldest pizzeria in Naples, Italy but the oldest pizzeria in the world. While the restaurant dates back to 1830, the origins of the business go back much further than that.

What did Italians use for pizza before tomatoes? ›

In 1600 we get to the real beginning of modern pizza. Bread dough baked in wood-fired ovens, seasoned with garlic, lard and coarse salt—or, in the “richer” version, with caciocavallo cheese and basil. With the discovery of the Americas, the tomato arrived in Italy and everything took on a different flavor.

Did Italian pizza originally have cheese? ›

The pizza we know today emerged in 18th-century Naples.

One solution: pizzas from street vendors, who priced and sized slices according to a customer's budget. Sometimes the toppings were as simple as garlic and salt, but they could also include cheese, basil, and occasionally tomatoes.

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