Ever wondered what makes Italian pizzas unique and so downright tasty? Then this blog post is for you!
But isn’t all pizza great? True. But some pizzas take the edge on the most delicious way to enjoy this Italian staple.
This post will go over the different Italian pizza recipes and discuss exactly what makes our Neapolitan pizza so sought-after.
Are There Different Types of Pizza in Italy?
Absolutely! If you are a pizza fanatic, you’ve probably tried several pizza variations in your time and noticed differences in the texture and taste of the dishes. Without giving all our secrets away, let’s take a quick look at the most popular pizza types you’ll find on an Italian or Italian-style menu:
Neapolitan Pizza
Otherwise known as the Neapolitan pizza or Naples-style pizza, this recipe is the ultimate beast of Italian pizzas.
The pizza Napoletana is known for its thin base, and the San Marzano or Pomodorino del Piennolo del Vesuvio tomatoes used in the marinara sauce. These tomatoes grow in the Naples region and are essential to a marinara sauce that gets everyone doing the ‘chef’s kiss’. The base also has that iconic puffed crust appeal that is light and fluffy.
Roman Vs Neapolitan Pizza
What’s the difference between pizza from Rome and Naples? Two words – olive oil.
The recipe for Neapolitan pizza dough is simple flour, yeast, salt and water. In contrast, the Roman pizzas will also use olive oil to create a stretchier dough to allow them to create an even thinner base. Some professional Italian chefs can even get their Roman pizza crusts as thin as a sheet of paper!
However, we prefer the Neapolitan pizza for its hybrid approach, hitting that sweet spot between doughy enough to get a good bite and hold all your desired toppings but thin enough to give you that flop effect when you pull a slice from the round.
Sicilian Vs Neapolitan Pizza
Another popular Italian pizza option is the Sicilian pizza, which tends to be made with a thick base to accommodate the additional tomato sauce used in these recipes.
If you haven’t tried a Sicilian pizza, in our opinion, it is similar to a focaccia dough dressed in pizza toppings. This dough is thick and doesn’t have a defined crust like the Neapolitan pizzas you may be familiar with.
New York Vs Neapolitan Pizza
New York-style pizzas are not a patch on traditional Italian pizzas. Although popular across the pond in America, these New York pizzas are far from authentic Italian pizza. Unlike delicate Italian pizza, they have a thick crust and tend to stay firm when you take a slice. They are made this way so they can be eaten as street food.
As with most things on an American menu, they also go heavy on the cheese portions, often drowning their pizzas in a large handful of lower quality cheese. On the other hand, Neapolitan pizzas are made using fresh mozzarella, which not only tastes incredible but leaves you feeling satisfied, rather than sick, after finishing your pizza.
Where is the Margherita Pizza From?
One of the classic pizzas we offer on our menu is the humble Margherita pizza, a traditional crispy Neapolitan pizza made with marinara sauce, mozzarella and fresh green basil – which (un)coincidentally represents the red, white and green in the Italian flag.
Read our previous blog post for an Italian’s guide to a Margherita pizza.
What Type of Pizza is Served at Cinquecento Pizzeria?
We would argue the only pizza worth ordering is the Neapolitan pizza. Neapolitan pizza is a cut above the rest with its thin, crispy base made of homemade dough that doesn’t upset your tummy and melt-in-the-mouth soft mozzarella cheese. Therefore, all the pizzas on our menu use a traditional recipe from Naples and are then fired in a hot stove oven before being delivered piping hot to your table.
What Makes a Traditional Pizza From Naples?
Our team has been making pizza for over a decade, so crafting the perfect pizzas comes so naturally to us it’s almost as effortless as brushing our teeth. Since 2019 Cinquecento Pizzeria has been in business, serving homemade authentic Italian pizzas to the people of London.
But what exactly makes our pizzas traditional and true to how Nonna used to make them back at home in Italy? Here are three secrets to a genuine Italian pizza.
Pizza dough: The dough is fermented and rested for two days to give it extra hydration and add air. Not only does this taste incredible, but it also won’t leave you feeling heavy after a meal.
Marinara sauce: As mentioned, all good Neapolitan pizza sauces are made using the San Marzano tomatoes. These tomatoes are sweeter and less acidic than some for that iconic Italian tomato topping.
Mozzarella cheese: You’ll see fresh mozzarella on almost every one of our Italian pizza options (apart from the Marinara or the vegan pizzas). We only use fresh mozzarella for its milky, light and rich flavour profile.
Learn more about what makes the pizza in our restaurant authentic in our previous post.
The Pizzas in Italy You Need ‘Knead’ To Know About
Now you’re a pizza expert and know all there is to know about the best Italian pizzas down to the last sprinkle of melty mozzarella. Hopefully, this post has inspired you to try a dish from our traditional Italian pizza menu and sink your teeth into a bite of doughy heaven.
For any more questions about our menu, feel free to drop us a message on Instagram, and we will do our best to get back to you as soon as we can dust the flour from our hands. See you soon!