السبت، 7 يونيو 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.

Few people can truly say that they don't love pizza. After all, that combination of gooey cheese and crispy crust makes for comfort food like nothing else. Some people want as many toppings as they can fit onto the base and may also prefer the base to be thick and soft. Others like to keep things traditional with only the very basic toppings and a thin crust.

Eating cheese and herbs on top of a crust is as old as civilization itself. The ancient Greeks did it. The Romans even added some honey to the mix. However, it was only after tomatoes, a New World food, reached Europe and became easily available that the pizza was invented. It started out as a food for poor people and originated in the working-class neighborhoods of Naples towards the end of the 19th century.

With so many variations to the original nowadays, the Italians have started an organization to separate the real thing from the impostors. It's called the True Neapolitan Pizza Association and uses the Italian abbreviation AVPN, while the American branch is known as the VPN. If a pizzeria wants to call their pies authentically Neapolitan, they need to adhere to a very strict set of guidelines.

The regulations for the crust specify everything from what it may contain to how thick it should be. Only certain types of flour are allowed and dry yeast is a no-no. While kneading the dough by hand is the traditional way to do it, using a mixer set at a low speed is acceptable too.

To form the base, you may only use your hands. The base must be very thin, up to a maximum of 3 mm. It's normally quite small too: about 10 or 12 inches. To cook it once the toppings have been added, you need a stone oven that has been heated by burning oak wood. The oven should be very hot so that the pie will be done after only a minute and a half.

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.

To prevent the crust from becoming soggy, the end product is served whole, rather than cut into slices. You then need to use a knife and fork to cut and eat it. If you want to eat your pie on the street, the pizzeria may place it onto heavy paper and then fold it twice. Just make sure that the pizzeria is a member of either the AVPN or the VPN.




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