Over the years many types of pizza have been developed. Some styles are regional; others seem to appear all over. This just speaks to the popularity of pizza as a convenient, delicious meal. Whether you bake it yourself or get it delivered from a pizza place, this is one meal that is enjoyed all over the world.
New York Style features a thin, chewy crust that supports a sweet tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella cheese. It should be eaten with the slice folded in half if you want to be authentic. Yellow oil should drip down your hand and arm… don’t worry, it is from the cheese, which contains a high amount of butterfat. New Yorkers don’t like a lot of toppings on their pizzas… they appreciate the goodness of a well-done simple pizza.
Chicago Style is deep dish. Invented by Ike Sewell in 1943, the deep-dish pizza contains a huge amount of toppings to make sure you are getting a hearty meal. Additionally, the crust is built up high on the sides to contain all the goodies. In Chicago, the cheese goes on first, then the toppings, and finally the sauce. Margarine is added to the pan to create a crisp, lightly fried crust on the bottom. This is eaten with a knife and fork.
California pies feature unusual topping combinations and exotic ingredients. After rising, the crust is baked partially, to keep the crust’s height. The crust should be airy, light, and tender. You will often find California style pies with toppings like smoked salmon, feta cheese, and asparagus. Vegetarian toppings are very popular.
Pan style is baked with oil in the pan. This makes a crunchy fried bottom on the crust and alters the flavor just a little bit. This style gives a thicker crust that has been given time to rise before baking. Any toppings can be used for pan style pizza.
Cracker style crusts were developed in the 1950s. The dough is slightly fermented, giving it the layered texture of a cracker. This technique was well documented in the history of Pizza Hut. Thin-crust is different from cracker crust. It is usually stretched by hand. The crust on a thin pie is crisp on the outside and soft inside. They are usually served with less sauce and toppings than thick crust varieties.
Focaccia style pies could be said to be the original version. There is no sauce, just oil, grilled vegetables, and other toppings. This style has been eaten in Europe for generations before the tomatoes were brought back from the New World.
Other styles continue to be developed. A Tex-Mex style offers a crust that contains masa flour, making it taste more like a corn chip. Tex-Mex pizzas are often topped with shredded beef, corn, and other Mexican style toppings. The sauce is similar to picante sauce. Other regional taste use specific cheeses like Provolone instead of mozzarella to finish them off in the Midwest.
Many people would list Italian pizza as one of their favorite dishes and it is clear to see why a crispy pizza crust topped with a delicious pizza sauce and a selection of carefully chosen toppings hit the spot! As well at Italian pizza recipes at our site, you can find many others too.
