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'''Pizza''' ({{pronEng|ˈpiːtsə}} {{Audio|En-us-pizza.ogg|listen}}, in [[Italian language|Italian]]: {{IPA|['pit.tsa]}} - from the [[Latin]] verb '''pìnsere''', ''to press'') is a popular dish made with an [[oven]]-baked, flat, generally round [[bread]] that is covered with [[tomato]]es or a tomato-based sauce and [[mozzarella]] cheese. Other toppings are added according to region, culture or personal preference.

Originating as a part of [[Italian cuisine]], the dish has become popular in many different parts of the world. A shop or restaurant where pizzas are made and sold is called a “pizzeria”. The phrase “pizza parlor” is also used in the United States. The term ''pizza pie'' is [[dialect]]al, and ''pie'' is used for simplicity in some contexts, such as among pizzeria staff.

==History==
{{main|History of pizza}}

==Base and baking methods==
The bread base of the pizza (called the “crust” in the United States and Canada) may vary widely according to style: thin as in hand-tossed pizza or Roman pizza, thick as in pan pizza or [[Chicago-style pizza]]. It is traditionally plain, but may also be seasoned with [[butter]], [[garlic]], or [[herb]]s, or stuffed with cheese.

In restaurants, pizza can be baked in an oven with stone bricks above the heat source, an electric deck oven, a [[conveyor belt]] oven or, in the case of more expensive restaurants, a wood- or coal-fired [[masonry oven|brick oven]]. On deck ovens, the pizza can be slid into the oven on a long paddle called a [[peel (tool)|peel]] and baked directly on the hot bricks or baked on a screen (a round metal grate, typically aluminum). When making pizza at home, it can be baked on a [[pizza stone]] in a regular oven to imitate the effect of a brick oven. Another option is [[grilled pizza]], in which the crust is baked directly on a [[barbecue]] grill. [[Greek pizza]], like Chicago-style pizza, is baked in a food rather than directly on the bricks of the pizza oven.

===Pizza types===
[[Image:Eq it-na pizza-margherita sep2005 sml.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Authentic Neapolitan pizza margherita, the base for most kinds of pizza]]
[[Image:Authentic Neapolitan Pizza Marinara.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Neapolitan pizza marinara]]
'''Neapolitan pizza (''pizza napoletana'')''': Authentic Neapolitan pizzas are made with local ingredients like [[San Marzano tomato]]es, which grow on the volcanic plains to the south of [[Mount Vesuvius]], and [[Mozzarella di Bufala Campana]], made with the milk from [[Domestic buffalo|water buffalo]] raised in the marshlands of [[Campania]] and [[Lazio]] in a semi-wild state (this mozzarella is protected with its own European [[protected designation of origin]]).<ref>[http://europa.eu.int/comm/agriculture/qual/it/147_it.htm Selezione geografica<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> According to the rules proposed by the [http://www.verapizzanapoletana.org/vpn/vpn_frames-index.htm ''Associazione vera pizza napoletana''], the genuine Neapolitan pizza dough consists of Italian wheat [[flour]] (type ''0'' or ''00'', or a mixture of both), natural Neapolitan [[yeast]] or [[brewer's yeast|brewer’s yeast]], salt and water. For proper results, strong flour with [[Protein|high protein]] content (as used for bread-making rather than cakes) must be used. The dough must be kneaded by hand or with a low-speed mixer. After the rising process, the dough must be formed by hand without the help of a [[rolling pin]] or other [[Machine|mechanical device]], and may be no more than 3 mm (¹⁄₈ [[inch|in]]) thick. The pizza must be baked for 60–90 [[second]]s in a {{convert|485|C}} stone oven with an oak-wood fire.<ref>[http://www.fornobravo.com/vera_pizza_napoletana/VPN_spec.html Vera Pizza Napoletana Specification | Verace Pizza Napoletana<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> When cooked, it should be crispy, tender and fragrant. Neapolitan pizza has been given the status of a “guaranteed traditional specialty” in Italy. This allows only three official variants: '''pizza marinara''', which is made with tomato, garlic, oregano and [[olive oil#Retail grades in IOOC member nations|extra virgin olive oil]] (although most Neapolitan pizzerias also add [[basil]] to the marinara), '''pizza [[Margherita of Savoy|Margherita]]''', made with tomato, sliced [[mozzarella]], [[basil]] and extra-virgin olive oil, and '''pizza Margherita extra''' made with tomato, [[Bubalus|buffalo]] mozzarella from [[Campania]] in fillets, basil and extra virgin olive oil.

[[Image:Pizza al taglio.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Pizza al taglio in Rome]]
'''Lazio style''': Pizza in [[Lazio]] ([[Rome]]), as well as in many other parts of [[Italy]] is available in two different styles: (1) Take-away shops sell ''pizza rustica'' or ''[[pizza al taglio]]''. This pizza is cooked in long, rectangular baking pans and relatively thick (1–2 cm). The crust is similar to that of an [[English muffin]], and the pizza is often cooked in an electric oven. It is usually cut with scissors or a knife and sold by weight. (2) In pizza restaurants (pizzerias), pizza is served in a dish in its traditional round shape. It has a thin, crisp base quite different to the thicker and softer Neapolitan style base. It is usually cooked in a [[wood-fired oven]], giving the pizza its unique flavor and texture. In Rome, a ''pizza napoletana'' is topped with tomato, mozzarella, anchovies and oil (thus, what in [[Naples]] is called ''pizza romana'', in [[Rome]] is called ''pizza napoletana'').

Other types of Lazio-style pizza include:

*'''Pizza romana''' (in [[Naples]]): tomato, mozzarella, [[anchovy|anchovies]], oregano, oil;
*'''Pizza [[viennese]]''': tomato, mozzarella, German [[sausage]], oregano, oil;
*'''Pizza capricciosa''' (“capricious pizza”): mozzarella, tomato, mushrooms, [[artichoke]]s, cooked [[ham]], [[olives]], oil (in [[Rome]], [[prosciutto]] raw ham is used and half a [[Boiled eggs|hard-boiled egg]] is added);
*'''Pizza quattro stagioni''' (“four seasons pizza”): same ingredients for the capricciosa, but ingredients not mixed;
*'''Pizza quattro formaggi''' (“four cheese pizza”): tomatoes, mozzarella, [[stracchino]], [[fontina]], [[gorgonzola (cheese)|gorgonzola]] (sometimes [[ricotta]] can be swapped for one of the last three);

'''[[Sicilian-style pizza]]''' has its toppings baked directly into the crust. An authentic recipe uses neither cheese nor anchovies. “Sicilian” pizza in the United States is typically a different variety of product made with a thick crust characterized by a rectangular shape and topped with tomato sauce and cheese (and optional toppings). [[Pizza Hut|Pizza Hut’s]] “Sicilian Pizza”, introduced in 1994, is not an authentic example of the style as only garlic, basil, and oregano are mixed into the crust;

'''White pizza''' (''pizza bianca'') uses no tomato sauce, often substituting [[pesto]] or [[dairy]] products such as [[sour cream]]. Most commonly, especially on the [[East coast of the United States|east coast]] of the [[United States]], the toppings consist only of [[mozzarella]] and [[ricotta cheese]] drizzled with [[olive oil]] and spices like fresh [[basil]] and [[garlic]]. In Rome, the term ''pizza bianca'' refers to a type of bread topped with olive oil, salt and, occasionally, [[rosemary]] leaves. It’s also a Roman style to top the white pizza with [[fig]]s, the result called ''pizza e fichi'' (pizza with figs);

'''Ripieno''' or '''calzone''' is a pizza in the form of a half moon, sometimes filled with ricotta, salami and mozzarella; it can be either fried or oven baked.

==Non-Italian types of pizza==
In the 20th century and onward, pizza has become an international food and the toppings may vary considerably in accordance with local tastes. These pizzas consist of the same basic design but include an exceptionally diverse choice of ingredients.
===United States styles and specialties=== <!-- this section needs further re-org -->
[[Image:Pizza 1 bg 032204.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Home-made pepperoni pizza]]

Due to the wide influence of Italian and Greek immigrants in American culture, the United States has developed quite a large number of regional forms of pizza, many bearing only a casual resemblance to the Italian original. During the latter half of the 20th century, pizza in the United States became an iconic dish of considerable popularity. The thickness of the crust depends on what the consumer prefers; both thick and thin crust are popular. Often, "Americanized" foods such as barbecued chicken and bacon cheeseburgers are used to create new types of pizza. [[Mexican pizza]], or taco pizza, is also popular in the U.S., popularized by the [[Taco Bell]] chain.

====Ingredients====

American pizza often has [[vegetable oil]] or shortening (often, but not always, [[olive oil]]) mixed into the dough; this is not as common in Italian recipes (for example, the pizza dough recipe in the influential Italian cookbook ''[[Il cucchiaio d'argento]]'' does not use oil). This can range from a small amount in relatively lean doughs, such as New York style, to a very large amount in some recipes for [[Chicago style|Chicago-style]] deep-dish dough. In addition, American pizza (at least thin-crust) is often made with a very high-[[gluten]] flour (often 13–14% protein content) of the type also used to make [[bagel]]s; this type of flour allows the dough to be stretched rather thinly without tearing, similar to [[strudel]] or [[phyllo]] dough.

Various toppings may be added, most typically:

*[[Tomato sauce]] usually replaces the tomato mixture used on Italian-style pizzas, and is usually a fairly heavily seasoned, smooth sauce with a low water content. On some variants without tomatoes, [[pesto]], [[Fettuccine alfredo|alfredo]] and [[barbecue sauce]] are also used.
*[[Cheese]], usually [[mozzarella]] but also [[provolone]], [[Cheddar cheese|cheddar]], [[parmesan]] or a blend of other cheeses.
*[[Fruit]]s and [[vegetable]]s such as [[garlic]], [[Globe artichoke|artichoke hearts]], [[eggplant]], [[olive (fruit)|olives]], [[Caper|capers]], [[onion]]s, [[spinach]], [[tomato]]es, [[bell pepper]]s, [[jalepeno]]s, [[banana pepper]]s and [[pineapple]].
*Fungi, usually [[Edible mushroom|Mushrooms]] and rarely truffles.
*[[Meat]], such as [[sausage]] ([[pepperoni]], [[salami]] or [[Italian sausage]]), [[Ham (meat)|ham]], [[bacon]], [[ground beef]], and [[chicken]].
*[[Seafood]] such as [[anchovy|anchovies]], [[tuna]], [[salmon]] and [[shrimp]].
*[[Herb]]s and [[Spice|spices]] such as [[basil]], [[oregano]] and [[black pepper]].
*[[Nut (fruit)|Nuts]] such as [[Cashew|cashews]], [[Pistachio|pistachios]] and [[Pine nut|pine nuts]].
*[[Oils#Food_oils|Oils]] such as [[olive oil]], [[walnut oil]] and [[truffle oil]].

In some pizza recipes the tomato sauce is omitted (termed “white pizza”), or replaced with another sauce (usually garlic butter, but sauces can also be made with spinach or onions). In the Philadelphia area there are also tomato pies—sauce only, or sauce with ripe Roma tomatoes and spices but no cheese—and upside-down pizzas, i.e., the cheese on the bottom and topped with sauce. Pizza is normally eaten hot (typically at [[lunch]] or [[dinner]]), but is sometimes eaten as cold leftovers for breakfast.

====Variations====

'''[[New York-style pizza]]''' is a style originally developed in [[New York City]] by immigrants from Naples, where pizza was created. It is often sold in generously sized, thin and flexible slices. It is traditionally hand-tossed, moderate on sauce, and moderately covered with cheese essentially amounting to a much larger version of the Neapolitan style. The slices are sometimes eaten folded in half, or even stacked, as its size and flexibility may otherwise make it unwieldy to eat by hand. This style of pizza tends to dominate the Northeastern states, and is very similar to the basic style common through the United States and known simply as ''pizza''. Many pizza establishments in the [[New York metropolitan area]] offer two varieties of pizza: “Neapolitan”, or “regular”, made with a relatively thin, circular crust and served in wedge-shaped slices, and “[[Sicily|Sicilian]]”, or “square”, made with a thicker, rectangular crust and served in large, rectangular slices. Another type of pizza, more popular on Long Island but can be found, albeit rarely, in Queens and Manhattan is Grandma pizza. It is cooked in a square pan like Sicilian, but it is much thinner. It has a thin, crispy crust, usually has tomato chunks in addition, or in exception, to the sauce. Generally, it will contain less cheese than regular slices, and sometimes has extra spices or oils baked into the crust.

[[Image:whiteclampie.jpg|thumb|200px| White clam pie from [[Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana|Pepe’s]] in [[New Haven, Connecticut]]]]

'''[[New Haven-style pizza]]''', also known as apizza, popular in southern Connecticut. It has a thin crust that varies between chewy and tender, depending on the particular establishment. The default version is a “white” pizza topped with only garlic and hard cheeses; customers who want tomato sauce or mozzarella cheese have to ask for them explicitly. Apizza has a very dark, “scorched” crisp crust that offers a distinctive bitter flavor, which can be offset by the sweetness of tomatoes or other toppings.

'''[[Greek pizza]]''' is a variation popular in [[New England]]; its name comes from it being typical of the style of pizzerias owned by Greek immigrants. It has a thicker, chewier crust and is baked in a pan in the pizza oven, instead of directly on the bricks. Plain [[olive oil]] is a common part of the topping, as well as being liberally used to grease the pans and crisp the crust. Variations in other parts of the country include using [[feta cheese]], [[Kalamata]] olives, and Greek herbs such as [[oregano]].

[[Image:Flickr lwy 519593532--Chicago-style pizza.jpg|thumb|200px|Chicago-style deep-dish pizza]]

'''[[Chicago-style pizza]]''', or '''Chicago-style deep-dish pizza''', contains a crust which is formed up the sides of a deep-dish pan. It reverses the order of some ingredients, using crust, cheese, filling, then sauce on top. Some versions (usually referred to as ''stuffed'') have two layers of crust with the sauce on top. The invention of deep-dish pizza occurred in America and transcends a single ethnic origin. Deep-dish pizza was invented by Ike Sewell and Ric Riccardo and first served in 1943 at [[Uno Chicago Grill|Pizzeria Uno]], which is still operating along with its twin restaurant, Pizzeria Due, in the [[Near North Side, Chicago#River North|River North neighborhood]].

'''[[Chicago-style pizza#Thin-crust pizza|Chicago-style thin-crust pizza]]''' has a thinner crust than Chicago-style [[Deep Dish|deep dish]], and is baked flat rather than in a deep dish pan. The crust is thin and firm enough to have a noticeable crunch, unlike a New York-style pizza, yet thick enough to be soft and doughy on the top. The crust is invariably topped with a liberal quantity of southern-Italian style tomato sauce, which is usually quite herbal or highly spiced, and typically contains no visible chunks of tomato. Next, a layer of toppings is added, and a layer of mozzarella cheese which frequently separates from the bottom crust due to the quantity of tomato sauce. Chicago-style thin crust pizzas are cut into three-to-four-inch (8–10 cm) squares, also known as “party cut”, as opposed to a “pie cut” into wedges. The small size of the squares makes it unnecessary to fold the slices. Chicago-style pizza is prevalent throughout the [[Midwestern United States|Midwestern US]]. In fact, most of the neighborhood pizza parlors in Chicago and the rest of the Midwest serve Chicago-style thin crust, not deep dish as is commonly assumed. Chains that are well known for Chicago-style thin-crust pizza are [[Aurelio's Pizza]], [[Home Run Inn]] and [[Rosati's Pizza]].

'''[[St. Louis-style pizza]]''' is a thin crust variant that is popular in and around [[St. Louis, Missouri]]. The most notable characteristic of St. Louis-style pizza is the distinctively St. Louisan [[Provel]] cheese used instead of (or rarely in addition to) the mozzarella common to Chicago-style thin crust. The toppings usually consist of fresh, never frozen, ingredients sliced instead of diced. It is common for the pizza to be topped with large pieces of onion, round slices of bell pepper, and full strips of bacon. If ordered with sausage or hamburger, the meat is squeezed off by hand into marble-sized chunks. The crust is thin enough that it becomes very crunchy in the oven and is sometimes compared to a cracker. Even though the crust is round, it is always cut into small squares.

'''[[California-style pizza]]''' refers to pizza with non-traditional ingredients, especially those that use a considerable amount of fresh produce. A [[Thailand|Thai]]-inspired [[chicken]] pizza with [[peanut sauce]], bean sprouts, and shaved carrots is a popular variant in California-style pizza restaurants, as are pizzas that use chicken and [[barbecue sauce]] as toppings. The style was invented by [[Chez Panisse]] restaurant in [[Berkeley, California]], and popularized by the [[California Pizza Kitchen]] chain, along with [[Wolfgang Puck|Wolfgang Puck’s]] various [[fine dining]] and casual [[Chain store|restaurant chains]] and retail products.

'''[[Hawaiian pizza]]''' has “[[Canada|Canadian]] [[bacon]]” (or sliced ham) and [[pineapple]] toppings with Mozzarella cheese. This type of pizza is especially popular in the [[western United States]], and is also a popular topping combination in [[Australia]], [[Canada]], and [[Sweden]], but notably not in [[Hawaii]]. This type is also common within the [[European Union|EU]], where it is known as ''pizza Hawaii''.

'''[[Taco]] pizza''' has ingredients usually associated with tacos, such as; [[lettuce]], shredded beef or [[hamburger]], chopped tomatoes, [[avocados]], [[corn chips]], [[cheddar cheese]], [[sour cream]] and taco sauce.

'''[[Grilled pizza]]''', invented in [[Providence, Rhode Island]], uses a fairly thin crust cooked on a grill; the toppings are placed on the baked side after the pizza has cooked for a bit and been flipped over.

'''[[English muffin]]''' and '''[[French bread]] pizza''' and '''[[pizza bagel]]s''' are common [[convenience cooking|convenience]] pizzas made at home in an oven or toaster, usually with a simple topping of [[tomato sauce]], sliced or shredded cheese, and perhaps [[pepperoni]]. French bread pizza is sometimes available commercially as a frozen meal.

===Pizza in Australia===
Pizza is popular in [[Australia]], where a significant percentage of the population is of Italian descent.<ref>[http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/7d12b0f6763c78caca257061001cc588/af5129cb50e07099ca2570eb0082e462!OpenDocument Australian Bureau of Statistics: Ancestry of Australia's population]</ref> The usual Italian varieties are available, but there is also the ''Australian'', or ''australiana'', which has the usual tomato sauce base and mozzarella cheese with bacon and egg (seen as quintessentially Australian breakfast fare). [[Prawns]] are also sometimes used on this style of pizza.

In the 1980s Australian pizza shops and restaurants began selling '''gourmet pizzas''', essentially pizzas with upmarket ingredients such as salmon, dill, [[bocconcini]], tiger prawns, and even such outré toppings as kangaroo, emu and crocodile meats. '''Wood-fired pizzas''', cooked in an impressive-looking ceramic oven heated by [[wood fuel]], are also popular.

===Frozen and ready-to-bake pizzas===
[[Image:CHEESE AND TOMATO PIZZA.JPG|thumb|right|Cooked from frozen pizza topped with cheese and tomato sauce]]
Pizza is also found as a [[frozen food]] in [[grocery store]]s and supermarkets. Some popular brands of these in the [[United States of America|US]] are '''[[Tombstone pizza]]''', '''[[DiGiorno|DiGiorno's]]''', [[Red Baron (disambiguation)|Red Baron]] and '''[[Home Run Inn]]'''. A considerable amount of [[food technology]] ingenuity has gone into the creation of palatable frozen pizza. The main challenges include preventing the sauce from combining with the dough and producing a crust that can be frozen and reheated without becoming rigid. Modified [[corn starch]] is commonly used as a moisture barrier between the sauce and crust. Traditionally the dough is somewhat pre-baked and other ingredients are also sometimes pre-cooked. More recently, frozen pizzas with completely raw ingredients have also begun to appear, as have those with “self-rising” crusts. Many grocery stores and supermarkets also sell fresh, ready-to-bake pizzas. Recently, nearly all of the frozen pizza makers like '''[[Jack's]]''', '''Tony’s''', '''Red Baron''' and '''[[Totino's]]''', as well as the store brands have switched to a lower quality of [[pepperoni]] and [[sausage]] made with a combination of [[pork]], [[beef]] and the recently added [[mechanically separated chicken]].

Another form of uncooked pizza is available from [[take and bake pizzeria]]s. This pizza is created fresh using raw ingredients, then sold to customers who take it home and bake it in their own ovens and microwaves. Many supermarkets also offer this service.

==Similar dishes==
*“Farinata” or “cecina”.<ref>[http://fornobravo.com/brick_oven_cooking/brick_oven_recipes/flatbread/cecina.html Brick Oven Cecina<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> A Ligurian ([[:it:farinata|farinata]]) and Tuscan ([[cecina]]) regional dish made from chickpea flour, water, salt and olive oil. Also called ''Socca'' in the [[Provence]] region of France. Often baked in a brick oven, and typically weighed and sold by the slice.
* The [[Alsace|Alsatian]] '''[[Tarte flambée]]''' (German: '''Flammkuchen''') is a thin disc of dough covered in [[crème fraîche]], onions, and bacon.
* The [[Anatolia]]n '''[[Lahmacun]]''' (Arabic: '''lahma bi ajeen'''; Armenian: '''lahmajoun'''; also '''Armenian pizza''' or '''Turkish pizza''') is a meat-topped dough round. The bread is usually very thin; the layer of meat often includes chopped vegetables.
*The [[Levant]]ine '''[[Manakish]]''' (Arabic: '''ma-ujna'at''') and '''[[Sfiha]]''' (Arabic: '''lahm bi-`ajĩn'''; also '''Arab pizza''') are dishes similar to pizza.
* The [[Provençal]] '''[[Pissaladière]]''' is similar to an Italian pizza, with a slightly thicker crust and generally a topping of cooked onions, [[anchovy|anchovies]], and olives.
*[[Calzone]] and [[stromboli (food)|stromboli]] are very similar dishes (calzone is traditionally half-moon-shaped, while a stromboli is tube-shaped) that are often made of pizza dough rolled or folded around a filling.
*[[Garlic fingers]] is an [[Atlantic Canadian]] dish, similar to a pizza in shape and size, and made with the same type of dough. It is garnished with melted butter, garlic, cheese, and sometimes bacon.
* ''Pizza'' is sometimes used as a general word for a savory pie; the [[Campania]]n ''pizza rustica'' and the [[Italian American cuisine|Italian American]] pizzagiena (''Easter pie'') are examples of this more general sense.{{Fact|date=May 2007}}

==Italian and European law==
In Italy there is a bill before Parliament to safeguard the ''traditional Italian pizza'',<ref>[http://www.senato.it/japp/bgt/showdoc/showText?tipodoc=Ddlpres&leg=13&id=00007353&offset=4504&length=6529 Bill for traditional Italian pizza]</ref> specifying permissible ingredients and methods of processing<ref>[http://www.senato.it/leg/13/BGT/Schede/Ddliter/testi/13214_testi.htm Permissible ingredients and methods of processing]</ref> (e.g., excluding frozen pizzas). Only pizzas which followed these guidelines could be called “traditional Italian pizzas”, at least in Italy.

Italy has also requested that the [[European Union]] safeguard some traditional Italian pizzas, such as “Margherita” and “marinara”.<ref>[http://www.agricolturaitalianaonline.gov.it/contenuti/qualit_e_sicurezza/made_in_italy/casi_di_eccellenza/pi_vicina_la_tutela_europea_per_la_pizza Più vicina la tutela europea per la pizza], from an Italian government website</ref> The European Union enacted a [[protected designation of origin]] system in the 1990s.

==Health issues==
Some pizzas can be very high in salt and fat and concerns have been raised about the negative effect these pizzas can have on people’s health.<ref>[http://www.food.gov.uk/science/surveillance/fsis2004branch/fsis5804 Food Standards Agency - Survey of pizzas<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> [[Pizza Hut]] has come under criticism for the high salt content of some of their meals which were found to contain more than twice the daily recommended amount of salt for an adult.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7050585.stm BBC NEWS | Health | Fast food salt levels 'shocking'<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

However, it should also be noted that commercially made [[fast food]] pizza is very different from well made Italian pizza, particularly from a good restaurant which is concerned with using only good ingredients, or even more so in a homemade pizza. The salt and [[saturated fat]] content of a homemade pizza is usually far less if using original recipes. Mozzarella cheese is not as fatty as many other cheeses, and should be used judiciously in any event. Feta cheese, which has an even lower saturated fat content, is often used in homemade pizza recipes. There is the added bonus of being able to include other healthy ingredients as well, such as fresh tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms, spinach, courgettes (vegetable marrow) and aubergine (eggplant), as just a few examples.

Health conscious pizzaiolos (pizza makers) are also able to substitute some of the [[sodium chloride]] (common salt) with [[potassium chloride]], which is almost indiscernible in taste, is far healthier and has little effect on those suffering from [[Hypertension|high blood pressure]].

Nutrition researchers in Europe investigating the eating habits of people suffering from cancer of the mouth, oesophagus, throat or colon, made an interesting finding with regard to eating pizza. 3,300 sufferers were questioned regarding their eating habits, and their answers compared to over 5,000 healthy respondents.{{Fact|date=November 2008}}

Those who ate pizza at least once a week had less chance of developing cancer, they found. Dr Silvano Gallus, of the Mario Negri Institute for Pharmaceutical Research in Milan<ref>[http://www.marionegri.it/mn/en/index.html Mario Negri - Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>, who led the research said: "We knew that tomato sauce could offer protection against certain tumors, but we did not expect pizza as a complete meal also to offer such protective powers." Nicola O'Connor, of [[Cancer Research UK]], told [[BBC News]] Online: "This study is interesting and the results should probably be looked at in the context of what we already know about the [[Mediterranean diet]] and its association with a lower risk of certain types of cancer.

"The secret is probably lycopene, an antioxidant chemical in tomatoes, which is thought to offer some protection against cancer, and which gives the fruit its red color.

"But before people start dialing the local pizza takeaway, they should consider that some pizzas can be high in saturated fat, salt and calories". In contrast to the classic Italian pizza used in the research, most UK pizza takeaway varieties are often loaded with high fat cheeses and fatty meats and yeast, a high intake of which can contribute to obesity, itself a [[risk factor]] for cancer. "Our advice is to enjoy selected Italian pizza (ie. healthy pizza) in moderation as part of a balanced diet that includes plenty of vegetables and fruit."

Italian Carlo La Vecchia, a Milan-based epidemiologist said Italian pizza lovers should not see the research as a license to indulge their fondness for pizza food. "There is nothing to indicate that pizza is the only thing responsible for these results." He continued: "Pizza could simply be indicative of a lifestyle and food habits, in other words the Italian version of a Mediterranean diet." A Mediterranean diet is rich in olive oil, fiber, vegetables, fruit, flour and freshly cooked food - including traditional Italian healthy pizza.

==Records==
* The largest pizza ever made was at the Norwood [[Pick 'n Pay|Pick ’n Pay]] hypermarket in [[Johannesburg]], [[South Africa]]. According to the ''[[Guinness Book of Records]]'' the pizza was 37.4 meters in diameter and was made using 500 kg of flour, 800 kg of cheese and 900 kg of [[Tomato purée|tomato puree]]. This was accomplished on [[December 8]], [[1990]].<ref>[http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_434064.html Mama Lena's pizza 'One' for the book...of records]</ref>
* On [[March 22]], [[2001]], Bernard Jordaan of Butler's Pizza, [[Cape Town]], [[South Africa]], delivered a pizza {{convert|11042|km|abbr=on}} from Cape Town to [[Sydney]], [[Australia]], to set the world record for the longest [[pizza delivery]]. This record was acknowledged in the ''Guinness Book of Records''.
* In Feltham, London, a new record for the farthest food delivery was achieved by Lucy Clough of Domino’s. A vegetarian supreme pizza was cooked on [[November 17]], [[2004]] and travelled a distance of {{convert|10532|mi}} to its [[delivery point]] at 30 'Ramsey Street', Melbourne, on [[November 19]], [[2004]]. The record is in the 2006 version of the ''Guinness Book of Records''.
* The most expensive pizza created was made by the restaurateur Domenico Crolla, who created a pizza which included toppings such as sunblush-tomato sauce, Scottish [[smoked salmon]], medallions of [[venison]], edible [[gold]], [[lobster]] marinated in the finest [[Cognac (drink)|cognac]] and champagne-soaked [[caviar]]. The pizza was sold at auction for charity for [[Pound sterling|£]]2,150.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/6358595.stm?ls Chef cooks £2,000 Valentine pizza], BBC News.</ref>
* What has been called “the world’s most extravagant pizza” is available at New York’s Nino’s Bellissima restaurant. Topped with six varieties of caviar, [[chives]], fresh lobster and [[crème fraîche]], this {{convert|12|in|cm|adj=on}} pie, called the “Luxury Pizza”, retails at US$1,000.00 (or $125.00 a slice).<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,258982,00.html New York Restaurant Cooks Up $1,000 Pizza Pie], Reuters, as given by Fox News on March 15, 2007.</ref>

==See also==
{{sisterlinks}}
{{cookbook}}
{{commonscat|Pizza}}
* [[List of pizzerias]]
* [[Pizza farm]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{cuisine}}

[[Category:Pizza| ]]
[[Category:Italian cuisine]]
[[Category:Mediterranean cuisine]]
[[Category:American cuisine]]
[[Category:Italian loanwords]]

[[af:Pizza]]
[[ang:Pizza]]
[[ar:بيتزا]]
[[zh-min-nan:Pizza]]
[[be-x-old:Піца]]
[[bar:Pizza]]
[[bs:Pizza]]
[[bg:Пица]]
[[ca:Pizza]]
[[cs:Pizza]]
[[da:Pizza]]
[[de:Pizza]]
[[el:Πίτσα]]
[[es:Pizza]]
[[eo:Pico]]
[[fa:پیتزا]]
[[fr:Pizza]]
[[ga:Píotsa]]
[[gl:Pizza]]
[[ko:피자]]
[[hi:पिज्जा]]
[[hr:Pizza]]
[[id:Pizza]]
[[is:Pizza]]
[[it:Pizza]]
[[he:פיצה]]
[[jv:Pizza]]
[[ku:Pizza]]
[[la:Placentula]]
[[lt:Pica]]
[[hu:Pizza]]
[[mk:Пица]]
[[ml:പീറ്റ്സ]]
[[ms:Pizza]]
[[nl:Pizza]]
[[ja:ピザ]]
[[nap:Pizza]]
[[no:Pizza]]
[[nn:Pizza]]
[[nrm:Pizza]]
[[oc:Pizza]]
[[pl:Pizza]]
[[pt:Pizza]]
[[ro:Pizza]]
[[ru:Пицца]]
[[simple:Pizza]]
[[sk:Pizza]]
[[sl:Pica]]
[[szl:Pizza]]
[[sr:Пица]]
[[fi:Pizza]]
[[sv:Pizza]]
[[th:พิซซ่า]]
[[vi:Pizza]]
[[tr:Pizza]]
[[uk:Піца]]
[[yi:פיצא]]
[[bat-smg:Pėca]]
[[zh:比萨饼]]

Revision as of 20:33, 16 December 2008

Jeremy's gay lover