Pizza

Pizza is a spicy occupied before baking flat bread made ​​of simple yeast dough from the Italian cuisine. Today, internationally popular variant with a tomato sauce and cheese as the base is probably from Naples.

Etymology

The etymology of the word pizza is not fully understood. The following tracks were pursued:

• The word comes from a Germanic language (eg Lombard ) and its etymology is related to that of snack.
• The word comes, as well as pesto (Latin pista ) = mashed encountered. Pistor is in Latin, the bakers and millers.
• He is Italian pitta (Latin picta) basis, this will likely turn from Greek pēktos ( πηκτός; fixed, congealed ).
• The word comes from the younger oriental - Semitic Region ( such as Arabic ) and has been migrated from there into Greek as pita and borrowed into Italian from there.
• The word is much older and is related to the Hebrew word פַת pat ( piece of bread; . Bibl still chunks ) or even mittelägypt. bjt ( flat bread ).
• The word comes from an Italian verb, eg: of tweezer, a dialect word that still occurs in some Italian dialects and is derived from the Latin pinsere ( pound ). In medieval Latin the verb was in the meaning " bake " used.
• Derived from the Neapolitan pizza Picea or " pluck " for, compare pitta Calabrian.

Whether the word from a Western European language was borrowed into Greek as pita for cakes or vice versa, can not be as clearly answered.

History

Antiquity

The preparation of pizza, which was originally recorded by bakeries in the blazing furnace, shows a relationship to other Tarte and flat breads that are often prepared in the still heat up bread oven since ancient times and can not be assigned without further a given country or region and for example, in Italy as focaccia (which already the Etruscans, who had 800-100 BC knew, ) are known. By Tarte which are injected at an early stage and are very flat shaped could a baker in advance to use the heat in the oven and so also estimate based on the duration of baking the cake, the optimum oven temperature for subsequent baking of the bread. Tarte, but may also Lahmacun ( knew the Assyrians as early as the 2nd millennium BC), are considered to be ancestors of the pizza. You can, however, be clearly distinguished by the usually different covering of real pizza.

18th century

The only beträufelte with olive oil, finished with sliced ​​tomatoes and oregano or basil pizza was documented as early as the mid-18th century, when the tomato in Southern Italy became popular. The name is probably older - the Apulian Pizza Pugliese or the Calabrian Pitta inchiusa for example, in addition dough only known since ancient ingredients like olive oil, onions, salt or lard. The Ligurian focaccia -like flatbreads are prevalent since the ancient times. Since pizza should be baked at very high temperature, resulting in the fewest households was possible, it was initially prepared but unbaked taken to the local baker, to a separate craft branch of Pizza maker who Pizzaiolo was who established the corresponding dough and finished.

A pizza that corresponds to today's ideas said to have been first produced in Naples from the pizzaiolo Raffaele Esposito on June 11, 1889 by the Pizzeria Brandi, said to have been commissioned, I and his wife Margherita to serve King Umberto a pizza. This is said to have patriotic occupied with ingredients in the Italian national colors: green basil, white mozzarella and red tomatoes. This story has, however, now refuted by historians. The Queen could be bring previously from the other pizza makers in the Pizza Palace. In 1880 here on a newspaper article appeared in the Washington Post; from a list of 35 different pizza toppings they chose eight species, which were then baked for them. In this pizza it was not to Esposito. He was just the only one who had kept the receipt of the court.

Presence

By Italian emigrants spread the pizza towards the end of the 19th century in the USA. After the Second World War Pizza was known in Europe outside Italy. Besides spaghetti pizza is now considered the most famous Italian national dish and is offered worldwide.

Specialized on Pizza Fast food chains exist in the U.S. since the late 1950s, in Germany since 1983. The first frozen pizzas arrived in the U.S. in the 1960s on the market a short time later in Europe.

Preparation

To prepare a simple dough of flour, water, a little yeast, salt and maybe a little olive oil is produced first, thoroughly kneaded and after a walk of at least one hour at room temperature (or overnight in the upper compartment of the refrigerator ) rolled or with floured hands pulled thin. Experienced pizza maker pull the dough over the back of your hand and roll it through circle let in the air.

Then the dough is not used too generously with the ingredients depending on the recipe. Usually, first with tomato slices, or more frequently passed with canned tomatoes or salsa pizzaiola ( a pre- cooked, creamy tomato sauce that is flavored strongly with oregano, basil, garlic and other things). This is followed by the cheese (eg mozzarella, parmesan or pecorino ) and the remaining ingredients to complete a little olive oil.

Finally, the pizza is baked just for a few minutes at the highest possible temperature of 400 to 500.degree. This is done in the lowest possible chamber. Stacking in racks or separately switchable lower and upper heat is therefore not common. The traditional dome is brick oven and the heat is generated directly over a fire in the oven. Modern ovens are heated by gas or electricity.

In household ovens to temperatures up to 250 ° C are usually possible, so the baking time will be extended and made ​​no optimal result. By using a pre-heated, mostly made of fireclay pizza stone instead of a baking tray to better results can be achieved, because this keeps the heat more evenly and prevents condensation.

Pizza Napoletana

In response to the proliferation of fast food pizza and frozen pizza the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana was established with support from the Campania region in 1984 in Naples, the respect of the tradition of the pizza napoletana has as its object. Its members, pizzerias around the world, have the right to call their pizza as Pizza Napoletana Verace ( real Neapolitan pizza). The traditional production method and use the correct ingredients is checked regularly.

On 9 February 2005, the Pizza Napoletana was registered as a trademark in the European Union, setting out the approved ingredients. The preparation of a verace pizza napoletana artigianale ( genuine handmade Neapolitan pizza) as specialità tradizionale garantita (STG, traditional specialty guaranteed ) 10791:98 and the EU Regulation 97/2010 is enshrined in the Italian standard UNI.

Since February 5, 2010 ( TSG TSG, engl. ) Is the traditional composition or the traditional manufacturing process of the product as a TSG protected. The Pizza Napoletana consists of the following raw materials: wheat flour, brewer's yeast, natural water, peeled tomatoes and / or small fresh tomatoes ( pomodorini ), sea salt or table salt, extra virgin olive oil. Other ingredients that can be used in the preparation of pizza Napoletana, are garlic and oregano, fresh basil and mozzarella di Bufala Campana PDO or mozzarella TSG Baking is carried out exclusively in wood burning stoves, where an essential for the preparation of baking temperature of 485 ° C is reached. The cooking time should not exceed 60 to 90 seconds. It is produced in two versions:

• Pizza Marinara with tomato, garlic, olive oil and oregano
• Pizza Margherita, with tomato, mozzarella or Fior di latte, olive oil and basil.

Pizza variants

Besides Pizza Napoletana in Italy there is still more pizza types that have regional tradition. This includes the Pizza Romana, a very thin and crispy pizza, which is mostly baked on the sheet. The Pizza Genovese, however, is a thicker pizza, more reminiscent of the archetypal form of the pita bread and is a further development of the focaccia. Widespread throughout Italy is pizza al taglio (pizza at a time, in our better known as "Meter Pizza "). This is often offered not only pizza, but also at the bakery where you can also usually the pizza bianca, pizza without lining gets.

Classic versions of the Neapolitan pizza, which need not necessarily contain tomatoes and cheese, are:

• Aglio olio e pizza, with garlic, olive oil and oregano
• Pizza con cozze, with mussels, garlic, olive oil and parsley
• Pizza alle vongole, with clams, tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, parsley and oregano
• Margherita bianca, without tomatoes
• Napoli Pizza, with tomato, mozzarella, anchovies, olive oil and oregano (in addition with capers and black olives )
• Regina Pizza, with tomato, mozzarella, mushrooms, boiled ham and oregano (in addition with black olives )

The linings may vary depending on the recipe in detail. The Neapolitan pizza is thin with a little thicker edge and is baked at nearly 500 ° C in about two minutes. Without cutlery they can "a libro " are ( as a book ), so double-folded into a triangle, consumed.

The pizza is closely related to the Calzone (literally, pants '), in which the sheet of dough is folded before baking on the base. The traditional, sumptuous filling is of ricotta cheese, prosciutto, mushrooms, mozzarella, parmesan and oregano. Originally, the calzone was not baked in the oven, but in a skillet in lard or oil, as it is still common as Pizza fritta in Naples.

In addition to these surface variants, there are now a vast number of other, like pizza salami, Funghi, prosciutto, Tonno, etc., which were named after the ingredients with which they are occupied. The Pizza quattro stagioni ( four seasons ) is occupied in neighborhoods any different, Pizza Diavolo (Devil's Pizza ) seasoned with hot peppers or spicy sausage, pizza quattro formaggi with 4 kinds of cheese (eg mozzarella, parmesan, gorgonzola and pecorino ) or pizza frutti di mare with seafood. The Hawaiian pizza with ham and pineapple may be of U.S. origin.

In the U.S., two types are widespread, " Chicago -style" and "New York -style" pizza. While the New York version is similar with its very thin soil of the Italian variant, the variant is from Chicago head: the dough forms a bowl shape is designed with mozzarella slices and filled with other ingredients. Finally, the entire top is covered with chopped tomatoes and sprinkled with parmesan cheese and oregano.

In Germany, a further variant as " American pizza " is popular, which is characterized mainly by a thick, airy floor and is inter alia by the restaurant chain Pizza Hut known.

Frozen pizza

Pre-baked and frozen pizza is one of the best-selling ready meals. In the 1960s, developed in the United States, they came via Italy to Europe. 1966 " mini pizzas " together with the associated Aufbackofen was presented by the Italian ice-cream manufacturer Motta at trade fairs in Frankfurt and Munich. Stock they had in boxes of 17 pieces 0.75 DM per piece.

Frozen pizza in large quantities introduced since 1968 ago the bakery producer Romano Freddi from Mantua. He developed the basics of shaping the dough, the Belegens and prebake for industrial scale production. In addition to the Italian company Esselunga he also supplied Dr. Oetker, the company that brought the first frozen pizza on the German market. Also in 1968 came the first manufacturer in Switzerland, 1970, the first in Germany, including Wagner, today one of Europe's market leader of frozen pizza with a share of over 30 % in Germany and 26 % in Europe. From Wagner was also the first time in 1976 brought frozen " brick oven pizza " in the market. The largest producer in Europe is the Freiberger Lebensmittel GmbH, which from the "Pizza Delivery Bakery" opened in 1976, a small Berlin operation, had founded Ernst Freiberger, son of an ice cream manufacturer ( Efa - cream).

Sales of frozen pizza rose rapidly in Germany: 1973 2.800 tons were produced, two years later, 3200. The 1975 by the Association for Consumer Research in 1980 predicted consumption of 8,400 tons was far exceeded, with over 23,000 tonnes in 2000 reached 160,000 tons and 253,000 tons in 2007, almost - the equivalent of around 768 million pieces. The following year, sales of frozen pizzas in retail decreased slightly and amounted to about 245,000 tonnes.

The production of frozen pizza differs in sequence from the traditional preparation from: The punched sheet of dough are first coated with tomato sauce and pre-cooked, then after cooling occupied with the other ingredients and finally snap-frozen. The dough contains wheat flour and yeast, modified starch and additional driving means, such as sodium bicarbonate, which enables the jaws without prior slow thawing. Both the pre-baking and when ready to bake in the household oven temperatures are far below those of a pizza oven. Some manufacturers also frozen pizza with uncooked ground is offered now.