That’s A Topper
There’s
nothing like biting into a restrained, carefully-put-together, thin-crust pizza
Some of the
best foods in the world have invariably been concocted by the poor working
class. I contemplate this gastronomic irony even as we sit down to a simple
Roman-style pizza at Campo de’ Fiori, overflowing with its cafes and bars, in
Rome, the city where history, atmosphere, company and food can all be equally
compelling.
My cacio e pepe pizza, inspired by Rome’s famous pasta dish (sharp pecorino cheese with freshly ground black pepper forms the sauce) is perfect. It is not overflowing with toppings — in the manner of the garbage-sink approach that the excesses of Chicago-style pizzas that we are used to sometimes take. And the crust is perfect. Thin and crispy, but just pliable enough for the pizza to be folded (without breaking) and eaten. The last is how you check a true and good Italian-style pizza, a restaurateur-chef friend had once taught me. At Campo de’ Fiori, every one of the pizzas I try — and I try many — passes the test.
Slice of Italy
The pizza, of course, is not imperious Roman but ostensibly the handiwork of those poor fishermen’s wives in Naples. Flatbreads such as the focaccia have been popular in southern Italy and the Mediterranean for centuries, and food historians often trace the origin of the pizza to Greece, pointing out the morethan-phonetic similarities between the pita and the pizza. But no one can argue with the fact that the arrival of the tomato in Europe from South America in the late 16th century revolutionised the popular food of this region and changed the way we eat — even in the rest of the world today. Putting a layer of tomato sauce on a crust was undoubtedly a brilliant idea and the best pizzas even now remain those that are able to use just the right quantity of sauce on the base.
Antica Pizzeria Port Alba in Naples is regarded as the first pizzeria in the world — it began serving the pizza, as we know it, in 1738 — and Neapolitan pizzas have earned their reputation for good reason. The plumper crust and thicker edges are instantly recognisable from the scrocchiarella, the crispy, thin-crust, Roman-style pizza. It is these that were to give rise to the thick American pizzas with extra tomato, extra cheese and pepperoni that all of us learnt to eat as our first MNC food and that we still crave in times when comfort is direly called for.
Top it Up
American pizzas load it up. And if you are doing one at home, you can go with just about anything spread out on a base of tomato-and-cheese sauce (the sauce in Italy, on the other hand, is always pure tomato passata). Ham, cheese and pineapple, bits of sausage cut up, corn, olives, peppers, even paneer, chilli chicken, tandoori nuggets — choose what you will.
In Italy, the approach is a little more discerning. The toppings are restrained, combinations are carefully chosen and ingredients are invariably fresh and seasonal.
Purists sometimes say there are only two true pizzas: the Margherita and the Marinara. The former is something that we have all come across often, albeit in bastardised forms. A true Margherita (named after the Italian queen, who is said to have preferred the pizza concocted in her honour and evoking the Italian flag) must contain tomato, fresh basil leaves and fresh mozzarella cheese. All three are easy to come by in India these days (mozzarella being one of the few cheeses being successfully made well locally).
The Marinara (named after the mariners’ or fishermen’s wives who cooked this for their men returning home at the end of the day), on the other hand, uses extra virgin olive oil, garlic and oregano for its topping. If you can lay your hands on these, you can have it ready in a jiffy. But there are other combinations too that may stand you in good stead. I really like the flavour of rocket leaves and these can elevate any pizza with their freshness. Spread the passata on the base and use these with feta, a sprinkling of pine nuts and olives. Drizzle on some good quality extra virgin olive oil and you are ready to go.
You can also try a white topping with cheese and potatoes. It is double carb comfort. Pan-cook thin slices of potato first and then line these rounds on a pizza base. Grate some mozzarella and end with freshly ground black pepper and basil leaves. Your pizza is ready.
Pesto Presto
Ham and mushrooms work well with pesto. Layer the base with some homemade pesto (or buy it off the shelves: some great local brands made by home cooks are now available), add on the mushrooms and ham (or chicken) with some black olives. Another combination that may work well is pepperoni with peppers: crispy, crunchy and with a bite to offset the tomato and cheese.
Surprisingly, you can do great dessert pizzas too. My cousin who is studying business in a foreign university does todie-for chocolate-plus-cheese combos using processed Amul cheese (for chocolate, either melt some or try anything from Nutella to Hershey’s syrup). You can’t go wrong with the sauce. On a cold winter evening, it is a treat, simply assembled at home.
THE THIN CRUST
Ready-made pizza crust is available everywhere, from your kirana stores to gourmet ones. But a real Italian pizza should be done from scratch. Don’t worry, the dough can be done easily. One of the simplest recipes I have urges you to mix 250 g flour and ½ tsp salt with 1 tsp yeast that has been added to 150 ml of warm water and 2 tsp of olive oil. Combine and knead for 10 minutes. Cover the dough with a towel and leave it to rise for 30 minutes. Pizza purists say the base must always be hand-made and not rolled out with a pin. You can try this with a little oil on your hands, making a thin base. But the real problem, when one makes this at home, is home ovens and grills. The Italian pizza is always made in a wood-fired oven.
But even if you are using a modest electric oven at home, a good idea is to pre-cook the base first. Then brush it with extra virgin olive oil (so that the sauce does not seep through), add a thin layer of sauce, the toppings and cheese and grill for 5-6 minutes. Your crispy pizza is done.
My cacio e pepe pizza, inspired by Rome’s famous pasta dish (sharp pecorino cheese with freshly ground black pepper forms the sauce) is perfect. It is not overflowing with toppings — in the manner of the garbage-sink approach that the excesses of Chicago-style pizzas that we are used to sometimes take. And the crust is perfect. Thin and crispy, but just pliable enough for the pizza to be folded (without breaking) and eaten. The last is how you check a true and good Italian-style pizza, a restaurateur-chef friend had once taught me. At Campo de’ Fiori, every one of the pizzas I try — and I try many — passes the test.
Slice of Italy
The pizza, of course, is not imperious Roman but ostensibly the handiwork of those poor fishermen’s wives in Naples. Flatbreads such as the focaccia have been popular in southern Italy and the Mediterranean for centuries, and food historians often trace the origin of the pizza to Greece, pointing out the morethan-phonetic similarities between the pita and the pizza. But no one can argue with the fact that the arrival of the tomato in Europe from South America in the late 16th century revolutionised the popular food of this region and changed the way we eat — even in the rest of the world today. Putting a layer of tomato sauce on a crust was undoubtedly a brilliant idea and the best pizzas even now remain those that are able to use just the right quantity of sauce on the base.
Antica Pizzeria Port Alba in Naples is regarded as the first pizzeria in the world — it began serving the pizza, as we know it, in 1738 — and Neapolitan pizzas have earned their reputation for good reason. The plumper crust and thicker edges are instantly recognisable from the scrocchiarella, the crispy, thin-crust, Roman-style pizza. It is these that were to give rise to the thick American pizzas with extra tomato, extra cheese and pepperoni that all of us learnt to eat as our first MNC food and that we still crave in times when comfort is direly called for.
Top it Up
American pizzas load it up. And if you are doing one at home, you can go with just about anything spread out on a base of tomato-and-cheese sauce (the sauce in Italy, on the other hand, is always pure tomato passata). Ham, cheese and pineapple, bits of sausage cut up, corn, olives, peppers, even paneer, chilli chicken, tandoori nuggets — choose what you will.
In Italy, the approach is a little more discerning. The toppings are restrained, combinations are carefully chosen and ingredients are invariably fresh and seasonal.
Purists sometimes say there are only two true pizzas: the Margherita and the Marinara. The former is something that we have all come across often, albeit in bastardised forms. A true Margherita (named after the Italian queen, who is said to have preferred the pizza concocted in her honour and evoking the Italian flag) must contain tomato, fresh basil leaves and fresh mozzarella cheese. All three are easy to come by in India these days (mozzarella being one of the few cheeses being successfully made well locally).
The Marinara (named after the mariners’ or fishermen’s wives who cooked this for their men returning home at the end of the day), on the other hand, uses extra virgin olive oil, garlic and oregano for its topping. If you can lay your hands on these, you can have it ready in a jiffy. But there are other combinations too that may stand you in good stead. I really like the flavour of rocket leaves and these can elevate any pizza with their freshness. Spread the passata on the base and use these with feta, a sprinkling of pine nuts and olives. Drizzle on some good quality extra virgin olive oil and you are ready to go.
You can also try a white topping with cheese and potatoes. It is double carb comfort. Pan-cook thin slices of potato first and then line these rounds on a pizza base. Grate some mozzarella and end with freshly ground black pepper and basil leaves. Your pizza is ready.
Pesto Presto
Ham and mushrooms work well with pesto. Layer the base with some homemade pesto (or buy it off the shelves: some great local brands made by home cooks are now available), add on the mushrooms and ham (or chicken) with some black olives. Another combination that may work well is pepperoni with peppers: crispy, crunchy and with a bite to offset the tomato and cheese.
Surprisingly, you can do great dessert pizzas too. My cousin who is studying business in a foreign university does todie-for chocolate-plus-cheese combos using processed Amul cheese (for chocolate, either melt some or try anything from Nutella to Hershey’s syrup). You can’t go wrong with the sauce. On a cold winter evening, it is a treat, simply assembled at home.
THE THIN CRUST
Ready-made pizza crust is available everywhere, from your kirana stores to gourmet ones. But a real Italian pizza should be done from scratch. Don’t worry, the dough can be done easily. One of the simplest recipes I have urges you to mix 250 g flour and ½ tsp salt with 1 tsp yeast that has been added to 150 ml of warm water and 2 tsp of olive oil. Combine and knead for 10 minutes. Cover the dough with a towel and leave it to rise for 30 minutes. Pizza purists say the base must always be hand-made and not rolled out with a pin. You can try this with a little oil on your hands, making a thin base. But the real problem, when one makes this at home, is home ovens and grills. The Italian pizza is always made in a wood-fired oven.
But even if you are using a modest electric oven at home, a good idea is to pre-cook the base first. Then brush it with extra virgin olive oil (so that the sauce does not seep through), add a thin layer of sauce, the toppings and cheese and grill for 5-6 minutes. Your crispy pizza is done.
Anoothi Vishal is a Delhi-based food
writer & curates food festivals
ETM121202
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