Who Invented Pizza?

Who Invented Pizza?

Most of us think of pizza as an Italian food…most of us are right! The word “pizza” means “pie” and is a derivative of the Roman term “picea”. The Italians were also the first to use tomatoes on their pizzas.

Tomatoes had a bad reputation up until the 18 century. Many Europeans considered tomatoes poisonous, but by the late 18th century it was common to find pizzas with tomatoes sold on street corners in Naples. The pizzas were cheap to make and became a favorite food of the poor, eventually catching on with more people. So, the history of the pizza as we know it today can be traced to the city streets of Naples, Italy.

So, who invented pizza? The simple answer is "the Italians from Naples." Of course, there are two original types of Neapolitan pizza - the marinara variety and the Margherita. The first one supposedly was the fishermen's main fare.

The pizza bread of both varieties was baked using an oven (with wood for fuel). The pizza dough was prepared through hand kneading and hand tossing. It is generally thin, too. However, the toppings of each vary.

The marinara's toppings are composed of oregano, garlic and tomato (basil is also usually added) and olive oil (the extra virgin variety) is drizzled on top of the lot. On the other hand, the Margherita, which has been invented by Rafaelle Esposito for and named after Queen Margherita, has a wider assortment of toppings. These include all of the above marinara toppings plus mozzarella cheese, salt, pepper, parsley, etc.

Comin’ to America

The first pizza made in America found their way with the first Italian immigrants in the late 1800’s. Pizza was sold on the streets of Italian neighborhoods in all of the major metropolitan areas that they settled in.

The real explosion in the popularity of pizza took place in the 1094's. During WWI U.S. troops stationed in Italy had their first taste of pizza. When they arrive home they brought with them an appreciation for this great tasting food, and the growth of the U.S. pizza consumption began.

While the history of pizza is debatable, few would argue that we are glad it was...

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