samedi 7 juin 2014

What To Look For In Authentic Neapolitan Pizza

By Sally Delacruz


Italy has given the world some wonderful things, from great architecture to great art in all its forms. The country even came up with concepts that modern life would be unimaginable without, such as indoor plumbing. For many people the world over, whether they live in Toronto, ON or in Melbourne, VIC, Italy's greatest contribution to their general happiness and enjoyment of life has been the authentic Neapolitan pizza.

There are as many different preferences as there are varieties of pizza. Some people swear by a thick crust that holds at least five toppings. Others like their pie Chicago deep-dish style. Many people also prefer simplicity and tradition.

The tradition of eating something with a bread-like base and topped with a combination of cheese and different herbs goes back centuries, to Ancient Greece. The Romans used honey on their version too. The variant that has become everyone's favorite comfort food is actually relatively new. The tomato base only came towards the end of the 19th century, when tomatoes had become widespread in Europe. People in the poor neighborhoods of Naples combined tomatoes with cheese on a thin crust for a satisfying meal.

Making Italy's favorite food specialty is serious business. There is even an organization that tries to protect the traditional way of doing things. The AVPN is the True Neapolitan Pizza Association and is based in Naples. It has strict regulations on exactly how a pie may be created to still be recognized as Naples-style. Its branch in the Americas is called the VPN.

For a pizza to be recognized as truly Neapolitan, every detail is important. It starts with the dough for the crust, which may be made using only specific types of yeast and flour. It should be kneaded by hand or by using a low setting on an electric mixer.

Creating the base is truly an art form and you may not use a rolling pin. The challenge is to make a base that's thinner than 3 mm and do this completely by hand. Once the toppings have been added, the crust is cooked to perfection in a stone oven that is very hot. The oven must be wood-fired and even the kind of wood used has to adhere to AVPN regulations. The pie cannot spend more than 90 seconds in the oven.

Pizza from Naples traditionally includes only the simplest of toppings. The Margherita is the best known version, with the mozzarella cheese accompanied only by tomato, olive oil and fresh basil. Another officially recognized version specifically uses buffalo mozzarella from Campania and extra-virgin olive oil. The marinara variant consists of tomato with olive oil, oregano and garlic. There are specifications on the variants of tomatoes that can be used.

Because the toppings form a type of soup once the pie is cooked, they can make the crust soggy. This is why the pie isn't sliced before serving. If you really want to eat it with your hands, it can be folded in paper. Otherwise, simply use a knife and fork. Finally, check that your pizzeria is an AVPN or a VPN member and you'll know that what you're eating is the real thing.




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