Everything You have Ever Wanted to Know about the History of Pizza
Ask any kid what they want for dinner, and most will shout out, "Pizza!" This simple meal is popular all over the world in one form or another. While the precise beginnings of pizza are unknown, there are some early references to foods that sound suspiciously like pizza to point us in the right direction.
In Olden Times
When Darius the Great of Persia began conquering neighboring lands in the 6th century BC, his army cooked their meals of flat bread on their shields. This bread was then covered with cheese and dates. Could this be the first pizza? In the 3rd century BC, Cato the Elder, Roman historian, wrote of "flat rounds of dough dressed with olive oil, herbs and honey, baked on stones." Again, sounds like pizza, does not it?
In the first century AD, Marcus Gavius Apicius wrote a cookery book that gives us great insight into the cuisine of ancient Rome. One recipe describes a variety of toppings put onto a bread base. The toppings included chicken, cheese, pine nuts, mint, garlic, oil, and pepper. These are still common toppings found on pizza today!
In the ruins of Pompeii, there is further evidence of pizza eating. Pompeii was covered in ash when Mount Vesuvius erupted on August 24, 79 AD. Shops have been excavated that contained marble slabs and other tools of the pizza trade. A statue found in Pompeii currently resides in the Museo Nazionale in Naples, which is known as "I Pizzaiolo." This title means "one who creates pizza."
Modern Pizza
It was not until 1522 that tomatoes were introduced to Europe from the New World. At first, they were thought to be poisonous. It was not until the poor people of Naples began sampling the tomatoes and adding it to their dough that the modern pizza was created. The dough was topped with olive oil, lard, cheese, and herbs, along with the tomatoes. Neapolitan pies got the reputation of being the best in all of Italy. By the 17th century, visitors to Naples would be sure to make a trip to the poorer sections of the city to taste the "pizzaioli" that the peasants ate.
In the 18th century, Queen Maria Carolina d'Asburgo Lorena had a special oven put into the summer palace so she and her husband, Ferdinando IV of Naples, could serve pizza to their guests. By the 19th century, pizza was sold from stalls in the streets for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It was a popular treat to have Pizza Dough that had simple toppings like anchovies or mushrooms.
In the late 19th century, pizza finally made it to the New World. New York City sported the first pizzeria in 1905, but it just did not catch on. In 1943, Ike Sewell created the deep dish pizza in his restaurant, Pizzeria Uno in Chicago.
American soldiers in Italy during World War II really developed a taste for pizza. When they came home after the war, they wanted pizza. By the 1950s, pizza began its swift rise in popularity in the United States, becoming one of the top foods in the nation.
pizza dough recipes vary widely and you can use different kinds of flour and different flavorings for a range of wonderful homemade pizza results. At our site, you can find lots of pizza dough recipes to team with your favorite pizza sauce and pizza toppings. Nothing is as tasty as homemade pizza!
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