Pizza is one of the most popular dishes, loved by many in the world. Struggling to order for your dinner, parties or at a cafe? Pizza is a top suggestion and why would it not be? The crispy yet soft crust, cheese still bubbling from the heat of the woodfire, perfectly charred veggies and meat chunks with a perfect sauce are just *a chef’s kiss*! Ever wondered who was the mastermind behind the invention of pizza? Let’s dough, I mean, delve into this not-so-cheesy question.
A Highly Debatable Question: Who Invented Pizza?
There is no doubt that ‘Who invented pizza?’ is a majorly debatable question among the connoisseurs of pizza. The answer to this important question is rather complex and not a single entity. The story of Queen Margherita’s visit to Naples, Italy in 1889 is one of the most widely circulated theories surrounding the invention of pizza. A chef at Pizzeria Brandi named Raffaele Esposito is believed to have been the mastermind behind the creation of pizza. Apparently, he named it after her, Margherita.
There is even a patriotic angle to it. The pizza made by Raffaele Esposito was combined with red tomato sauce, white mozzarella cheese and green basil leaves. Red, white and green are the colours of the Italian flag. But the initial question of who invented pizza doesn’t stop here and for that, we have to travel to the Middle East and Greece.
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Was It Italians Or Egyptians Or Someone Else?
Let’s go further back than the 1880s. There have been many examples and instances of baked flatbreads loaded with toppings across the lands of Greece and the Middle East, especially ancient Egypt. Ancient Egypt had a baked flatbread of ghee, flour and other ingredients called fiteer. Then there is literary evidence of pizza-like bread in Rome in ‘Aeneid by Virgil: In Book VII’.
Yes, even the flatbreads without a red sauce are also called pizzas. There is a version of white pizza called Pizza Bianca, which doesn’t contain pizza sauce; it is also referred to as a pie. At the end of the day, the invention of pizza comes down to the notion of how you describe a pizza and the location you are at. Hence, the inventor of pizza is not just a single person or country. It has been around for a long time, with variations.
Fast forward to today; pizza is one of the best-selling food items and has undergone many changes. We have vegan pizza, gluten-free pizza, sans pizza, base pizza, seafood pizza, and let’s not forget about another highly debatable pineapple on pizza. Go experiment some more and you might unlock a new pizza flavour as well.
Also Read: These 8 Places Dish Out The Best Pizzas In Delhi, Right From Cheesiest Delights To Thinnest Crust
Happy Pizza Day!
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