Text 25112, 102 rader
Skriven 2012-05-20 23:58:00 av JIM WELLER (1:123/140)
Ärende: Pizza authenticity
==========================
This is what blogger Manuela Zangara, born and brought up in Milan by
Sicilian parents had to say on the subject:

Pizza toppings - the do's and don'ts

The first time I went to eat pizza outside of Italy and I read the
menu I was shocked.  There are so many weird (or beyond weird)
topping combinations that it makes my skin crawl.  Now, everyone is
free to eat their pizza as he/she pleases. Only in many cases it is
not something an Italian would call a pizza.  I am not going to
detail all the strange toppings I have seen in my travels as that
would take hours. I am just going to clear up a few basic
misconceptions.

Let's start from the sauce.  There is only one pizza sauce: tomato
sauce.  You can add some salt, extra virgin olive oil and oregano to
the tomato puree or leave it plain if you like, but anything other
than that is not what Italians use on their pizza.  I have recently
seen a plethora of places making pizza with ketchup or barbecue
sauce!

Now, let's move on to the cheese.  The basic cheese is always
mozzarella.  Many places though do not use real or good quality
mozzarella.  It is easy to spot the difference.  When cooked, real
mozzarella melts but it is still soft and stretchy and it still
tastes somewhat milky, unlike the "other" cheese that gets chewy,
oily, plasticky and is much heavier.  When I make my pizza at home,
I prefer to use bocconcini or mozzarella fior di latte. Not the
shredded "mozzarella" (?) that I find at the shops.

As for the remaining toppings. there are so many combinations that I
will not be able to list all of them here.  I will just write a list
of "classic" Italian toppings with the original name and list of
ingredients.  But before I get into it, a quick note: Italian piazza
does not come overflowing with toppings.  The "real" Italian pizza
has "just enough" toppings to balance the flavours.

DO's/Authentic toppings (all the cured meats are sliced, not cubed
and are added AFTER the pizza is cooked with the exception of salami
and ham):

MARGHERITA - Tomato sauce, Italian mozzarella, basil
MARINARA - Tomato sauce, garlic, oregano, extra virgin olive oil
CAPRICCIOSA - Tomato sauce, Italian mozzarella, ham, olives,
mushrooms, artichokes, and/or whatever the chef desires
QUATTRO STAGIONI -Tomato Sauce, Italian mozzarella, ham, olives,
mushrooms, artichokes, the last four of which are put in each 1/4 of
the pizza to symbolise the 4 seasons.
PROSCIUTTO CRUDO - Tomato sauce, Italian mozzarella, prosciutto
PROSCIUTTO COTTO - Tomato sauce, Italian mozzarella, ham
BRESAOLA/PROSCIUTTO, RUCOLA e GRANA - Tomato sauce,
bresaola/prosciutto, rocket, shaved Grana Padano
DIAVOLA - Tomato sauce, Italian mozzarella, hot salami
FUNGHI - Tomato sauce, Italian mozzarella, fresh mushrooms
QUATTRO FORMAGGI - Tomato sauce, Italian mozzarella, Grana Padano,
gorgonzola, ricotta/taleggio/fontina/provolone
SALSICCIA - Tomato sauce, Italian mozzarella, Italian sausage
TONNO e CIPOLLA - Tomato sauce, Italian mozzarella, tuna and onion
GORGONZOLA e SPECK/PROSCIUTTO - Tomato sauce, Italian mozzarella,
speck/prosciutto, gorgonzola

In general, you can put almost any kind of vegetable, cured meat and
cheese.

DON'Ts/Not Authentic toppings:

HAWAIIAN - ham and pineapple
SUPREME - pepperoni, bacon, capsicum, ground beef, Italian sausage,
mushroom, pineapple and oregano
MEATLOVERS - bacon, pepperoni, ham, beef, Italian sausage and
mozzarella on BBQ sauce
GOURMET PIZZA's - in general. none of them are authentic.

In general Italians will NEVER put the following on a pizza:

Pineapple, chicken, ground meat, any meat unless cured (the only
exception being sausage), bacon, salmon, satay or tandoori chicken,
ketchup, BBQ sauce.

So, if you want to eat or make authentic pizza, you know what
toppings to go for!  Happy pizza!

xxx                                

That is not to say that some of the topping combinations invented
outside of Italy are not delicious, just not authentic or
traditional.

I am especially proud of my caribou chili, jack cheese and refried
beans pizza! [g] -jw


Cheers

YK Jim


... I drank myself into an ill-advised pizza binge.

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