Pizza has come a long way since its beginnings in Naples. Pizza can be found around the world, using regional ingredients to create a unique pizza. From deep dish to thin crust, each pizza uses the base of dough, sauce and toppings but will be adapted depending on what is popular in the region.
If you want to find the best pizza in Conshohocken you need to know about the fundamental baking techniques that bring these great tasting pizzas to life. Local spots such as The Tomato Shack Salad & Pizza Co, Conshohocken have some amazing pizzas to enjoy.
European Pizza: From Neapolitan to Modern
Italian Pizza
Pizza in Naples is seen as an art. There are strict rules for what type of flour should be used, how long it should be left to rise and how hot the pizzas should be cooked. Traditional Neapolitan Pizzas use a soft fluffy crust cooked in an open wood fired oven.
They have a distinctive leopard spot look from cooking at very high temperatures. This pizza uses the simplest ingredients; San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil and extra virgin olive oil. However, in Rome they have their own style of pizza. Often the pizzas will be thin and crispy or thick and rectangular to eat by the weight.
Pizza in the North and East of Europe
Many countries in Northern and Eastern Europe have developed their pizza to suit the colder climate. Many pizzas in Sweden will have unusual toppings such as curry powder, banana, roasted peanuts and smoked meats. Eastern Europe often uses a sour cream based pizza with cured meats, pickles and local cheeses.
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American Pizza: Regional Styles Across the States
East Coast
Pizza was first introduced in America on the East Coast. The Italians adapted their recipes to suit the coal and gas ovens available. This led to the creation of the New York style pizza. This pizza is large with a thin crust and a perfect balance of low moisture mozzarella and seasoned tomato sauce.
In Connecticut there is another famous pizza known as New Haven style Apizza. This pizza has a thick chewy crust cooked in brick ovens. This pizza is famous for its fresh clam toppings and no cheese. Many pizza fans look for the best pizza in Conshohocken and compare them to these classic pizzas.
Midwest and South
Pizza in the Midwest and South take on completely different forms. Chicago is famous for their deep dish pizzas. These have a thick buttery crust and layer upon layer of cheese, meats and chunky tomato sauce.
Detroit style pizza has rectangular pizzas in a pan with crispy cheesy edges. These are cooked in heavy steel trays. St. Louis has created ultra thin pizza similar to a cracker. This pizza uses processed Provel cheese and is cut into small squares.
Latin American Pizza: Bold Flavors and Toppings
Brazilian Pizza
Brazil has one of the most vibrant pizza cultures. Sao Paulo is one of the biggest pizza eaters in the world. Their pizzas are known for having lots of toppings. Often they will have a thick rim of catupiry (a soft creamy processed cheese).
Popular savoury toppings include shredded chicken, catupiry, heart of palm and Calabresa sausage. Brazil is also known for their sweet pizzas. They use melted chocolate, strawberry slices, condensed milk and banana with cinnamon.
Argentinean Pizza
Buenos Aires has a rich pizza culture due to the huge wave of Italian immigration in the early twentieth century. Argentinian pizza, also known as fugazzeta, has a thick fluffy crust with an amazing amount of melted cheese.
The classic fugazzeta has a double crust with mozzarella inside. It is topped with sweet caramelised onions, oregano and olive oil. It is rich and savoury and traditionally eaten with a slice of fainá which is a thick chickpea flour flatbread cooked in a hot oven.
Asian Pizza: Unique Styles
Japanese Pizza
Pizza in Japan is seen as an opportunity to create a beautiful fusion. Many pizzas in local pizzerias will have unique toppings such as teriyaki chicken, squid ink, sweet corn, mayonnaise and mentaiko (spiced cod roe).
Some pizzerias use okonomiyaki (a savoury pancake from Japan). This means they often have shredded cabbage, pork belly, brown sauce and wafting bonito flakes on top. Japan is also famous for perfecting the traditional Neapolitan style.
South Korean Pizza
The South Korean version of pizza is unique because of its complicated crust assembly process, as well as sweet and savory flavors. Sweet potato mousse, cream cheese, or tapioca pearls are often used to stuff the pizzas’ crusts.
Toppings may vary, but some common choices are bulgogi beef, potato slices, corn, bacon, and sweet pickle sauce. It has a significantly sweeter taste compared to the Western variety.
Middle Eastern and Mediterranean Pizza: Ancient Flatbread
Manakish and Lahmacun
Before pizza became commercialised, the Mediterranean region had baked flat breads with herby, spicy meats and oils. Manakish is a staple in the Levant. This pizza has a soft dough topped with za’atar (thyme, sesame seeds and sumac) and olive oil.
It is often baked with halloumi cheese or ground lamb. Lahmacun in Turkey has a super thin crust with finely minced meat, tomatoes, onions and spices. It is rolled up with fresh parsley and lemon juice.
Modern Mediterranean Pizza
Many pizzerias in the Mediterranean use traditional methods but have modern toppings. They often use feta cheese, kalamata olives, sun dried tomatoes, roasted aubergine and fresh mint instead of the traditional mozzarella and pepperoni. This keeps the light flavours but uses the beloved pizza format.
Conclusion
Great local pizza places know how to cook an incredible pizza base using just the basic ingredients. Pizza continues to evolve as global influences enter the industry. This means wherever you go, with great baking, you can create a pizza that everyone will love, no matter what culture they come from.
