The Origins of Pizza and How It Gained Popularity

The earliest origins of the word pizza appear in the Neapolitan dialect around the 16th century. In that time, pizza was simply baked dough smothered in lard or drizzled with olive oil and often referred to as “pizza bianca. ” Fast forward to the end of the next century when tomatoes were imported from South America that the pizza craze was born (Boutaud, 2017). Having originated in Italy, pizza has found success across the world and its popularity can be found in its versatility which allows for its exposure to many cultures. Once considered food for the poor, pizza meets the appetite of millions of people across the globe daily. The cheap, quick and efficient meal which is pizza would not be where it is today if it wasn’t for the art form of traditional Neapolitan pizza and the “pizzaiuoli” or pizza makers.

In 1889, Raffaele Esposito was to prepare a dish to honor the visiting Queen Margherita. In a place he owned called Pietro il Pizzaiuolo, Raffaele assembled a dish that honored the Italian flag. It was there where the ingredients of tomatoes, basil, and the never before included water buffalo mozzarella cheese was used to prepare what is now the world famous Pizza Margherita. The traditional Neapolitan pizza includes two antique versions. As mentioned, one is the pizza Margherita and the other is the Marinara which consists of tomato, garlic, oregano and oil (Stuller, 1997). The art form which is Neapolitan pizza making wouldn’t be where it was today if it wasn’t for the pizzaiuoli. Just recently, the art of Neapolitan pizza making was inducted into UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. UNESCO stands for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

The practice is of unique cultural and gastronomic significance, being why it received World Heritage status (Held, 2017). In many cases, the art of pizza making has been passed down from generation to generation. For these Neapolitan artisans, pizza is much more than a slice of substance. To them, it is the epitome of Neapolitan history, culture, and tradition. These skilled pizzaiuoli start with kneading the dough which consists of water, double zero flour, salt and yeast. After 15 minutes of kneading, the dough then rests for 12 hours. The pizzaiuoli then form circular balls or panetti and then let them rest some more. After beats stretched and beaten into a thin circle, the toppings are added and placed into a traditional brick oven for two minutes until it is done and ready to enjoy. World renowned pizzaiuolo Enzo Coccia claims, 'After 250 years of waiting, pizza is humanity's heritage, its intangible heritage” (Held, 2017).

The rise of pizza’s stardom became more than just Neapolitan when Italian immigrants settled along the eastern seaboard. The Neapolitan immigrants brought over this idea of pizza with them and most likely made pizzas in their homes. Unlike the strict guidelines of Neapolitan pizza making, these Italian immigrants had to adapt to available ingredients and even made these pizzas big and wheel like.

At the end of World War II, American G. I. ’s that served in Naples came back with a hunger and craze for pizza (Stuller, 1997). They shared their love for pizza with family and friends and what followed was a demand for this delicious new food. With this new demand for pizza came permutations of the original Neapolitan pizza. The original Neapolitan pizza lost its moorings as toppings such as pineapple, jalapeños, peppers, chicken and beef began to top the pizza. In the 1940s Chicago’s Pizzeria Uno created a deep-dish crust pizza or what is known as the “Chicago style” pizza. Another form came with the Sicilian style pizza which has a thick crust and is cut into rectangles or squares rather than the traditional cut (Stuller, 1997). With the craze spreading across the United States as well as the rest of the world, pizza simply became more than Neapolitan. With the global approval of pizza at an all time high, it is interesting to know how master pizzaiuolli feel about pizza beyond their native Naples. When asked about New York pizza makers in an interview with Bloomberg News, maestro pizzaiuolo Enzo Coccia states, “They use heavy, unleavened dough. The technique for flattening and shaping the pizza is not traditional. The quality of toppings—awful! The ovens are all wrong! Every step of the process is wrong” (Platt, Bloomberg, 2016).

Today, pizza is a $32 billion industry just in the United States alone. In fact, Americans consume a mind-boggling 350 slices of pizza every second. Nearly all pizza sold in the United States is not considered Neapolitan and the diversity and creativity of American pizza is not applauded by Naples (Boutaud, 2017). Since its founding in 1958, the rise and success of Pizza Hut’s franchises has spread to Mexico, Australia, Europe and Asia. With that success, came competition. In the 1980s, Domino’s came into the pizza spotlight when it offered pick-up and delivery and timeliness of service (Stuller, 1997). Across the world, the popularity of pizza has grown and with it the many forms in which is can be made. The consumer has driven the pizza industry for years. Pizza, in fact, is a direct result of its diversity and ability to satisfy people with toppings they prefer. A huge driving force in its popularity is the fact that pizza is cheap, quick, tasty and efficient. Whether its breakfast, lunch, dinner, or dessert, pizza satisfies. The idea of pizza has been adopted by many cultures because of its simplicity (Matuszewski, pp. 123). Shaped dough with a wide range of toppings is all thats needed to make a personalized pizza. One could take a Middle Eastern approach and top unleavened bread with ingredients like poori, roti, hummus and olives. For a Mexican take on pizza, you can use a tortilla as the building block and simply add shredded meat or poultry, refried beans, lettuces and tomato. Scandinavians have used rye flatbread and smeared it with cheese and layer it with native smoked fish (Matuszewski, pp. 124). With these examples comes the truth that the rise and popularity of pizza has been exponential because of its appeal to many cultures across the globe.

Pizza is a complex product. Far from its traditional roots, pizza can be found in food markets as frozen and chilled with a wide variety of toppings. Nutrition based pizzas with low-calorie wheat or soy flour, as well as organic pizzas made of organic ingredients have grown in popularity in recent years. Italy consumes on average about 7. 6 kilograms of pizza a year, while the United States consumes 13 kilograms of pizza in a year, making it the largest consumer of pizza in the world (Di Vita, 2017). With the pizza market evolving to meet the needs of the consumer, traditional pizza restaurants have seen a rise in competition from distribution chains like take-away pizza as well as the growing retail sector who’s growth mimics the patterns of consumers. To be competitive in this new industry, traditional restaurants have had to change the way they do business. A business model that caters to the senses while at the same time creates an experience through aesthetic satisfaction is what many pizzerias have turned to in order to compete (Di Vita, 2016). This is a rising issue in Italy as well as in the United States, and even though the pizza in these places varies, pizzerias are finding that they must conform to the ways of the consumer in order to compete. 

It is fair to say that rises in demand for pizza is a result of its versatility, inefficient cost, and the fact that it is tasty. That is all good but is pizza exactly healthy? The market for pizza offers an array of ingredients and toppings to please all palates. It is a past belief that pizza is an unhealthy food. A main reason for that belief is because pizza was put in the same category as fast food. Recent research has proved this belief to be a misconception. Pizza is in fact high in nutritional value and offers a great source of vitamins, minerals, protein, and complex carbohydrates (Singh, 2011). Pizza’s protein can range from 10 percent to 14 which and is a perfect meal for growing children. Being source of complex carbohydrates, pizza is also a fantastic source of energy. Pizza supplies about 30 percent of the recommended daily allowance of vitamins, calcium and protein. Scientist in Italy have also found that regular consumption of pizza aids in reducing risks of cancer in the digestive tract (Singh, 2001). Pizzas ability to include vegetables, meats and cheeses, while at the same time meet daily nutritional needs, is yet another reason for the rise in pizzas popularity across the globe. Nevertheless, everything in moderation.

Since its humble beginnings in the heart of Naples, Italy, pizza has grown to be one of the most versatile and recognizable foods on the planet. To some, like the proud pizzaiuoli, pizza is a tradition and they believe it is up to them to raise awareness of its cultural importance. With strict guidelines to making this Neapolitan treasure, the “pizzaiuoli” are now fortified through an UNESCO designation that the history and artistry of this pizza will live on forever. With Neapolitan immigrants migrating to the United States and American G.I’S raving about its uniqueness, pizza spread outside of Naples and across the world like wild fire. As time progressed, the once treasure of Naples became the a global phenomenon embraced by many cultures and people. The idea of personalized toppings and pick-up and delivery sparked a business model that grew from small pizzerias to massive global chains such as Pizza Hut and Dominos. Today, it is important to recognize the legacy of traditional Neapolitan pizza, while at the same time, realize that pizza has become a food embraced across the globe.