What’s the story behind Pizza ?
1. Ancient Flatbreads (B.C.)
The foundation of pizza began with ancient civilizations—including the Greeks, Egyptians, and Persians—who baked simple, flat, yeast-leavened doughs and topped them with oils, herbs, and spices. The Romans further evolved this into panis focacius (the ancestor of modern focaccia).
2. The Birth of the Modern Pizza in Naples (16th to 19th Century)
The modern pizza as we know it took shape in the bustling, densely populated waterfront city of Naples, Italy.
- The Tomato Connection: Following the Spanish colonization of the Americas, tomatoes were brought to Europe. While initially met with suspicion, poor Neapolitans in the 16th and 17th centuries began adding these new tomatoes, along with garlic, lard, and salt, to their dough.
- Street Food for the Masses: Because of widespread poverty, locals (lazzaroni) needed cheap, filling food that could be eaten on the go. Street vendors sold these early pizzas. [1]
3. The Legend of Queen Margherita (1889)
For a long time, pizza was considered a “disgusting” peasant dish by the upper classes. However, its reputation changed dramatically in 1889 when King Umberto I and Queen Margherita of Italy visited Naples.
Tired of an endless diet of French haute cuisine, the Queen asked for a taste of local food. A famous pizzaiolo (pizza maker) named Raffaele Esposito created three different pizzas for her. Her favorite was topped with soft white mozzarella, bright red tomatoes, and fresh green basil—intentionally echoing the colors of the Italian flag. This creation was named Pizza Margherita in her honor, which helped legitimize the dish.
4. The Global Boom (20th Century)
While the Queen’s stamp of approval helped, pizza remained relatively localized in Italy until Italian immigrants brought their recipes with them to the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
- America: In 1905, Lombardi’s Pizza opened in Manhattan, becoming the first licensed pizzeria in the U.S..
- The Post-WWII Explosion: After World War II, returning American soldiers who had been stationed in Italy came home with a massive craving for the dish. Pizza rapidly transitioned from an “ethnic” dish to a mainstream staple, giving birth to chains, frozen pizzas, and diverse regional styles (like New York thin crust and Chicago deep dish).
- Worldwide Popularity: Eventually, the rest of the world (including modern Italians) adopted the pizza as a fun, fast, and highly customizable food.