In the narrow alleyways of Naples’ Quartieri Spagnoli, pizza fritta emerged during World War II as necessity transformed crisis into culinary innovation. When Allied bombing damaged many wood-fired ovens and ingredients became scarce, Neapolitan pizzaioli turned to a different cooking method – deep frying. What began as a wartime adaptation became a cherished street food…
Marinara Pizza: The Essential Neapolitan Classic In the bustling port city of Naples, the marinara pizza stands as a testament to simplicity’s enduring appeal. Despite its seafaring name, this pizza contains no fish or seafood. Instead, it earned its moniker from the mariners’ wives who would prepare these simple, cheese-less pizzas for their husbands returning…
In Buenos Aires, pizza isn’t just food – it’s a cultural institution that rivals the city’s famed steakhouses. Born from the massive Italian immigration wave of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Argentine pizza evolved into something distinctly its own, reflecting both its Italian roots and the abundance of its new home. The defining…
Detroit-Style Pizza: Motor City’s Square Slice Revolution In the pantheon of American pizzas, Detroit-style stands apart – a testament to industrial ingenuity and the city’s automotive heritage. Born in the post-war boom of the 1940s, this distinctive square pie first emerged at Buddy’s Rendezvous, where automotive parts trays, originally used to store small machine parts,…
Lets start with a little history lesson. Step into any New York pizzeria, and among the rotating carousel of thin-crust slices, you’ll likely spot a distinctive rectangular pie with a thick, pillowy crust that commands attention. This is Sicilian pizza – a style that has evolved from its Mediterranean origins to become a beloved fixture…
Margherita Sbagliata is a pizza that turns tradition on its head while still honoring the essence of what makes a classic Margherita so beloved. In Italian, “sbagliata” means “mistaken” or “wrong,” a word that suggests a happy accident or an intentional twist on the original. Much like the Negroni Sbagliato, where prosecco replaces gin for…
This one is a crowd favorite. Maybe 15 years ago someone gifted me a food basket and it had some fig jam in it. I tried some on crackers and it was pretty good but it was a big jar and I was wondering what I could possibly do to use up all this fig…
This is an odd one. My grandfather Mike was a NY Italian and I’m pretty sure this is his NY accent butchering ‘a foccacia’ – but that’s what he called it and it was a central part of every holiday held in their house. He would grow his own tomatoes and then make a bunch…
I came into the white pie lifestyle later in life. I was a read sauce kinda guy then one day there was a meetup with friends and someone insisted I try the white pie. It was revelatory but I thought to myself I could improve this. How did I improve it? Garlic. a LOT of…
Not every brainchild is going to succeed. I had plenty of fresh zucchini and was looking for ways to integrate it into a pizza. In the past I’ve shaved some onto a pizza as a finisher.. but I wondered how I could find a new use for them. I thought maybe if I fried them…