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Pizza Napoletana!
by Pamela Sheldon Johns
Ten Speed Press,
October 1999
Hardcover - 112 pages
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Well over two centuries ago, pizza was born on the streets of Naples, where vendors peddled
golden wedges topped only with hand-pressed olive oil and coarsely chopped garlic.
Pizza has since become Italy's most popular export, and the world's love affair with it
has inspired literally thousands of recipes. But now that the afterglow of new romance has
dimmed, the birthplace of authentic pizza beckons us to taste its greatest culinary gift -
pizza napoletana - in its purest form.
Springing to life from fire and stone, authentic pizza is characterized by thin, soft crust
and spare but especially flavorful toppings of the finest ingredients. The classic Pizza
Margherita (named in 1889) for its first fan, Queen Margherita of Savoy) is topped with
tangy San Marzano tomatoes, creamy mozzarella di bufala, and pungent basil, while the
ever-popular Pizza Marinara is garnished simply with tomatoes, garlic, oregano, and
fragrant olive oil. These two pizzas define pizza napoletana and must be made according
to strict guidelines established by the Italian government, but they have also spawned
countless other pizzas made in the same spirit and style, such as:
- Pizza Quattro Stagione, or Four Seasons Pizza (featuring asparagus for spring,
zucchini for summer, olives for fall, and potatoes for winter)
- Pizza Pescatore, or Seafood Pizza (with shrimp, squid, sea bass, and capers)
- Pizza Bianca, or White Pizza (with only garlic, fresh rosemary, and olive oil)
Join award-winning author Pamela Sheldon Johns as she wanders through the venerable
kitchens of Naples, retracing the history and traditions of pizza. You'll visit the oldest
pizzerias in the world, along with Neapolitans' present-day favorites, and discover the
artisan pizza-makers' secrets.
With photographs of 50 classic Neapolitan and regional pizzas, and images of the people
and places from whence the come, Pizza Napoletana! transports you to Naples, where
passion and pizza are forever entwined.
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