In 1889 there was a moment in Napoli when Queen Margherita gazed down at a flat, round piece of bread topped with tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, and probably a drizzle of olive oil. It had been cooked in a forno a legna built with Vesuvian rocks by the now legendary Rafaelle Esposito. The original pizzaiolo had concocted the recipe to patriotically represent the colours and flavours of the land. From that first royal taste and approval, the pizza Margherita moved from being a good, quick, convenient food of the people, to being a national dish and sign of loyalty.
The ingredients of the Margherita were the culmination of the voyages of discovery of the previous centuries. The pasta for the bread had evolved through Egyptian, Jewish, Greek, and Roman recipes. Tomatoes had been brought to Europe from Mexico and Peru by Spanish explorers in the 16th century and, after initial use as a decorative fruit, had taken a central role in Italian cuisine. Mozzarella had been developed from the milk of imported water buffalo reared in Battipaglia and Caserta.
With the industrial revolution and the emigration of many Italians to the United States, the pizza became part of the culinary landscape of New York and Colorado. It wasn't until the end of the Second World War, when many American and European soldiers returned from Italy enchanted by an unforgettable taste in terrible times, that pizza started the rise to its current popularity. By then, many regional variations had been perfected, lengthening the menu of the pizzerie.
Now pizza is a multi-billion dollar international industry, serving the appetite of almost every town in the developed world, and has been adopted and changed according to national tastes. It is one of Italy's most prolific promoters. But only in its home country can the magic of the original recipes and the freshest of ingredients be experienced. The pizzeria is part of the Italian culture, an affordable and wonderful way of sharing good food and company. The pizzaiolo spinning doe into shape, the warmth and smell of the forno a legna baking the ingredients together and the sound of pizzas being shuffled in and out of place with the wooden pala, make a joke of wanting to take away a pizza.
Wherever eaten, on International Pizza Day, as with every other day of the year, millions of pizzas will be baked, bought, shared, and enjoyed all over the world. It is the result of the world going to Italy, and Italy returning it on a plate. Read more about pizza at www.pizza.it
Forno a legna – a stone oven that uses wood as fuel
Pala – the long wooden "paddle" used to place pizzas in the oven
Pizzaiolo – a pizza baker