Giving Mom a Much Needed Break

If you love pizza, then you might be interested in the regional varieties of southern Italian pizza. Pizza is served all over Italy, but it was originally a dish from the south. If you go to a nice restaurant that serves Italian food, they are likely to serve authentic styles from the different regions. Here are some of the examples of regional pizza.

Naples

Naples is home to one of the most famous pizza styles in the world, the Margherita. This pizza is smaller than most pizzas that you will find in North America. The dough does not contain olive oil, so it's light and not as chewy as other pizzas. The classic ingredients include San Marzano tomatoes, whole milk mozzarella, olive oil and salt. The mozzarella is sliced very thinly, not shredded. This gives the pizza a very unique look. Traditionally, these pizzas were made in brick ovens. Many restaurants have installed brick ovens in order to achieve the authentic taste.

Rome

When you think of pizza, you're probably thinking of something that resembles a Roman style pizza. It is larger than the Neapolitan pizza, has a chewy dough, and is covered in shredded mozzarella.

There is a variation of the regular Roman pizza called pizza bianca. This pizza does not have any tomato sauce. Instead, ricotta cheese is used as a base for the mozzarella. The pizza is finished with olive oil.

Finally, if you want a classic Roman pizza that is covered in toppings, consider the pizza capricciosa. This pizza is topped with garlic, prosciutto, mushrooms, and olives.

Sicily

Sicilian pizza is one of the most famous of southern styles. The dough is much larger than other pizzas. It is square and baked in a deep-dish pan. Unlike other pizzas, it is topped with hard cheese. The cheese is usually Pecorino Romano, which comes from the Sardinia region of Italy. Because fishing is such an integral part of Sicilian culture, you will often see sardines on the pizza.

Most restaurants today use mozzarella on Sicilian style pizza. The dough, however, is still made in the original style. It is a very hearty pizza.

Puglia

Puglia is south of Roma. It is situated on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It is home to one of the most unique of pizzas: Pizza Rustica. It is like no other pizza you've ever had. It is a special type of pizza that is popular at Easter. The pizza is very big; it has the dimensions of a large cheesecake. It is round, with a small diameter, and is very high.The dough does not contain yeast, and is similar to a pastry crust. The filling includes cheese, olives, tomatoes, vinegar, sausage, and onions. For more information about authentic pizza, contact Amico's Pizza Italian Cuisine.