La Pizza Napoletana!

[LuigiZ]

Do you know that the word Pizza is the most known Italian word worldwide?

Pizza has a very long story, we find traces of this word back even in the history of the ancient Egypt and Romans, however it took its actual meaning in the Neapolitan tradition.

The most famous pizza flavors are Margherita and Marinara: Margherita the top basic pizza composed by tomato sauce, mozzarella and basil, Marinara composed by tomato sauce, garlic, origan, oil.

An old tradition (not supposed to be real) talks about the origin of the Pizza Margherita in late XIX century when Queen Margherita di Savoia visited Naples and the chef Raffaele Esposito created this special plate for her, giving her name, with the simplest ingredients he had, composing also the Italian flag colors.

Now in Naples we have many several different types of Pizza but we are very strict on the ingredients to use and especially the dough mix. The Neapolitan Pizza has been selected by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage.

One of my favorite is the one with salsiccia e friarielli (sausage and a special leave type of broccoli growing only in the neighborhood of Naples).

Special pizza’s are also welcome as far as keeping the Neapolitan tradition:

I personally eat pizza at least once a week as this delicious meal is part of our cultural tradition being from Naples, however in Lucca (Tuscany) it has been hard to find a very Neapolitan pizzeria which needs to respect mandatory 4 rules:

• The “pizzaiolo” must be from Naples
• Wood oven
• Perfect leavened and mixed dough
• Ingredients coming from Naples (believe me that simple things such as even tomato and mozzarella are completely different!)

Do you like Pizza, which flavor you like more? And have you ever tasted a real Neapolitan Pizza?

If this post let you become hungry the pictures are taken at Pizzeria Masaniello which is the best Neapolitan pizzeria in my area.

Tip: Don’t forget the famous “Pizza a portafoglio” available only the city center of Naples, a complete Pizza folded as a wallet which you can eat straight in your hands!

[Abdoado]

@LuigiZ great details …I did not try any of this original pizzas before bit you made me willing to try…I’m curious about the prices in case I travel there someday.

[giribpai]

Good to have Pizza lessons from an Italian. Makes fascinating reading. We do get some of the pizzas you mentioned in India too but I guess eating a Neapolitan pizza in Italy is way different.

[LuigiZ]

Thank @Abdoado , yes you should definitely try it!

Prices are very good, in Naples of course are the best ones because you start from a regular Margherita at 4 euro up to 7/8 euro for the most fascinated ones. In other regions prices are of course a little bit higher if we talk about a real Neapolitan pizzeria which should take ingredients from Naples, here in Lucca for example the one I’ve mentioned goes from a regular Margherita at 5 euro up to 9 euro for the most fascinated one (for example the one with ricotta cheese inside the borders), so very affordable prices.

[LuigiZ]

Thank you very much @giribpai !

Yes Pizza is very famous all around the world and you can find a lot of different versions of it, I’ve personally tried it many times in different countries just to taste how they would realize it. That’s also a nice thing as you can find modifications related to local cultures which I love to explore.

However yes if you ever get any chance you should try the Neapolitan version, either in Naples or any real Neapolitan pizzeria in Italy!

[csonmonika]

@LuigiZ Now I am hungry! But that was very insightful, thank you for sharing!

[LuigiZ]

Thank you @csonmonika ! Actually I’m hungry too looking at the pictures again

[Giuseppe75]

Ciao @LuigiZ , I like so much your post, very well detailed and your photos are mouth watering.

I definitely agree that the Pizza Napoletana is TOP and a good one requires some manadatory steps

I share with you the love for this delicious food and proud to be The italian Pizza Lover

[LuigiZ]

Thank you very much @Giuseppe75 ! Then we share the same love … also if I might be a bit more selective when talking about Pizza as part of my Neapolitan blood :-).

Perhaps if you ever happen to be in Lucca give it a shout and we will have one together at my favorite Neapolitan pizzeria, I’ll do the same if happening to be in Parma … we are not very far hehe.

[Giuseppe75]

Grazie mille @LuigiZ , it’s in my plan to visit soon the beautiful Lucca and it will a pleasure to have a Pizza together. You are then more than welcome in Parma (I assure that we will have a wide choice of places where to eat ) and I am sure you will enjoy Parma too. Have a great day, Giuseppe

[Julien44]

Hi @LuigiZ

I loved your post as much as loved pizzas.

Thanks a lot for sharing your amazing pictures and the detailed informations. It is the first time I hear about the marinara pizza and I have noticed a big different with the french margherita, there is basil in the Italian one.

Have a lovely day from France

Jul

[LuigiZ]

Hi @Julien44 ,

thank you very much! Yes Marinara is not always known outside Naples because it is “too” simple :-), but it is a very delicious one as the combination of the garlic, origan and oil gives it a special taste.

Do you have a favorite flavor of Pizza you like the most?

Have a lovey day you too!

[Julien44]

@LuigiZ I am not an adventurer with pizza. I really love margherita and quatro fromagio

[Ambreen]

Hi @LuigiZ

OMG these Pizza’s look so delicious it made me hungry. I would love to try all of them.

Thanks for sharing

Regards

@Ambreen

Blog | Instagram

[LuigiZ]

Thank you very much @Ambreen .

[DeniGu]

Wow, @LuigiZ , I second @Ambreen - your pizza descriptions and photos are just mouthwatering! Actually, “mouthwatering” is not even a good enough description. They’re tummy-rumbling!

I had the immense pleasure to visit Naples a few years back and I agree that the ingredients used there are unique. To be completely honest with you, I didn’t expect that such simple pizzas, with just two or three ingredients, would have so much flavour.

I’d definitely save the restaurant you shared as a favourite place on Google Maps for my next visit to Italy.

If you happen to travel to Sofia, make sure to stop by Franco’s Pizza. The pizzas there look just like the ones in your photos and have the thinnest dough I’ve seen. As far as I know, they use genuine Italian products - especially the dough - and have a wood oven. So at least one of the points in your list is covered.

[LuigiZ]

Hi @DeniGu ,

thanks a lot! Wow … “tummy-rumbling”, that’s the first time I hear this kind of expression but it gives definitely the meaning .

I’m very happy you visited Naples and you could taste the Pizza Napoletana, we say the “original” version of Pizza just to be bit proud of ourselves .

Oh nice, I’ll for sure bookmark this place if happens to be in Sofia, the picture is great and yes you are right, it seems a very good Italian pizza!

Thank you!

[Ambreen]

Wow @DeniGu love Pizza’s. Thank you so much for sharing. It’s almost midnight here in Mumbai, India and after this seeing your delicious pizza picture and revisiting @LuigiZ post I am craving for pizza’s now. I think I will have to ask my best friend (Care companion) #Google assistant on how to tackle midnight cravings before I go to bed Making a note of these places for a future visit.

Sharing one of the freshly baked pizza’s I ate at The Little Door in Bandra West Mumbai.

Regards

@Ambreen

Blog | Instagram

[DeniGu]

Hahaha, luckily, it’s just about time for some (late) dinner for me now. But I know well enough what midnight food cravings are like, @Ambreen !

Really love your photo! Not just because of the vibrant colours of the pizza (which looks quite juicy), but also because the angle allows to see the cute little door on the wall. Fitting interior for the name of the place.

By the way, it’s great how my list of pizza places to visit is growing rapidly in this thread!

[Ambreen]

@DeniGu haha… yes crazy midnight cravings. Thank you for noticing the details and appreciating it was all thanks to my friends and office colleagues whom I convinced not to touch the Pizza before I take a picture with that Little door in the background The little struggles of being a local guide and a part-time blogger (all worth the effort), it’s hard to keep people away from food

Really excited to see your list of pizza places to visit.

Do share soon with us so we all can make our wish list.

Enjoy your dinner

Regards

@Ambreen