Here’s How to Differentiate Real Italian vs. American Pizza
Regardless of the occasion, ordering a box from your local pizza restaurant is always your best choice. It’s a popular snack loved by almost everyone worldwide.
However, as you open the box of deliciousness, you might wonder if it’s an authentic Italian recipe or an Americanized snack. While it can be tricky to tell the two apart, you can determine which is which by the dough thickness and toppings.
Suppose you want to savor this classic snack better. In that case, this article will discuss its origins, what is Americanized and authentic Italian food is, and the critical differences between authentic Italian and American pizza.
Origins of Pizza
Pizza is a classic Italian dish with humble roots tracing back to Naples. Since then, several countries have adopted different versions of this dish, including American and Italian-style pizza.
Americanized Italian vs. Authentic Italian Food
American culture heavily influenced the United States Italian immigrants’ cuisine. Italian food grew popular in the 1950s, with restaurants offering salami, pepperoni, mozzarella, provolone, and spumoni dishes. They also introduced Eggplant Parmigiana in the 1970s and 80s.
On the other hand, people can easily make authentic Italian food with fresh ingredients. Famous dishes include pasta, tomatoes, meat, cheese, and a decent amount of olive oil. While it may be pricey, nothing beats the originals.
American vs. Real Italian Pizza: What’s the Difference?
After we glimpse our beloved snack’s origins and the difference between Americanized Italian and authentic Italian food, this section enumerates five ways to differentiate authentic Italian and American pizza.
1. Texture
American-style pizza has a lighter texture; people can usually eat them on the go. On the other hand, their authentic Italian counterparts have thicker crusts, more cheese, and are more filling and flavorful.
The original Italian pizza is usually thinner and made with mozzarella and tomatoes. People usually eat this dish for dinner.
2. Crust
Italians take extra care and time to create their pizza dough. They allow the dough to sit and rise for three days to make it light and fluffy. They’re also very particular about using high-quality ingredients to create a mouthwatering dish. Chefs traditionally create the Neapolitan pizza with “00,” a specific type of finely milled flour to make a thin, crispy texture.
On the other hand, pizza restaurants use different types of flour to create American-style pizza.
3. Sauce
You can easily differentiate authentic Italian and American pizza by the sauce. Authentic Italian pizzas have a light sauce made from freshly picked tomatoes and garlic and are less spicy. On the other hand, chefs create thicker and spicier American pizza sauces with canned tomatoes.
Additionally, Italian pizza has fewer topping varieties than its American cousins. Moreover, Italian pizza usually doesn’t have meat, whereas American pizza can have any type.
4. Cheese
Italian chefs never top their pizzas with pre-grated cheese. They use fresh mozzarella di Bufala. It’s a cheese made explicitly from buffalo’s milk. They use this cheese in scoops to create the pizza’s unique and delicious taste.
On the other hand, American pizzas have heavier and cheesier sauces. They have various toppings, but Italian pizzas have a lighter, more aromatic, flavorful sauce. While both options are good, Italian pizzas taste heavenly.
5. Toppings
Unlike authentic Italian pizzas, their American counterparts offer different toppings to suit everyone’s unique taste, such as olives, anchovies, beef, chicken, pineapples, and cherry tomatoes.
Conclusion
Your local pizza restaurant will always be there to supply you with the best treats in town, but nothing beats the originals! Knowing how to spot the differences between authentic Italian and American-style pizzas can help you enjoy this classic snack better!
If you need the best pizza restaurants in Dyer, look no further than Doreen’s Pizzeria! We offer delivery, takeout, dine-in, and catering options to best meet your needs. Order now to enjoy our mouthwatering pizzas!
FAQs
Authentic Italian pizzas have a light sauce made from freshly picked tomatoes and garlic and are less spicy. On the other hand, chefs create thicker and spicier American pizza sauces with canned tomatoes. Additionally, Italian pizza has fewer topping varieties than its American cousins.
What is an authentic Italian pizza? ›
To be authentic
According to the TNPA (True Neapolitan Pizza Association), a governing body that upholds the original pizza standards, only Margherita and Marinara are acknowledged as authentic Italian pizzas (Neapolitan pizzas). The Marinara uses tomatoes oregano, extra virgin olive oil and if preferred, basil.
What do Italians consider real pizza? ›
The Only Thing Italians Consider 'Pizza'
Made with homemade dough baked from simple, fresh ingredients, fresh tomato sauce, olive oil and fresh mozzarella, you can't go wrong with a margherita pizza. In Naples, stop at Pizzeria Da Attilio to indulge in a true Neapolitan margherita pizza.
Do Italians put cheese on their pizza? ›
While many people think that cheese must be included in every pizza, the truth is that real Italian pizza doesn't always have cheese toppings. Cheese in Pizza isn't an authentic version in Italy at all. This answer might have surprised you. There are many traditional pizza recipes that don't include cheese.
How is New York Pizza different from Italian pizza? ›
The dough for New York pizza is usually made with high-gluten flour, which gives it a chewy texture. Italian pizza dough is usually made with a combination of different flours, which gives it a lighter and crispier texture.
What is the difference between American pizza and authentic Italian pizza? ›
American-style pizza has a lighter texture; people can usually eat them on the go. On the other hand, their authentic Italian counterparts have thicker crusts, more cheese, and are more filling and flavorful. The original Italian pizza is usually thinner and made with mozzarella and tomatoes.
What makes Italian pizza different from American pizza? ›
Italian pizza dough is flattened out thinly to form a thin crust. American pizza dough is made with all-purpose flour or bread flour which are high in gluten. Resting time for the dough is typically a few hours. The dough is kneaded for a longer time than Italian pizza to give it a more bready texture.
Does real Italian pizza have pepperoni? ›
First, as most Italians know, pepperoni isn't Italian. It's considered an Italian-American invention, often attributed to originating sometime in the early 20th century.
What did the original Italian pizza look like? ›
An often recounted story holds that on June 11, 1889, to honour the queen consort of Italy, Margherita of Savoy, the Neapolitan pizza maker Raffaele Esposito created the "Pizza Margherita", a pizza garnished with tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil, to represent the national colours of Italy as on the Flag of Italy.
What is the best pizza according to Italians? ›
Whether in its simple version with mozzarella fiordilatte or mozzarella de bufala (in which case it would technically be called a Bufalina pizza), the Margherita pizza is undoubtedly the favourite pizza of Italian people.
However, in Italy, and by extension restaurants that maintain the same attitude, the pizza is served whole for a much more appealing look. In addition to this, the pizza pie doesn't cool off as quickly.
Is it rude to not finish food in Italy? ›
Yes, very rude in Italy to leave a food on the plate. When you serve the food for yourself, mak sure to put little before then when still desire to eat more, then can serve for second serving. It is called maleducato, which means ill-mannered in English.
Do they use tomato sauce on pizza in Italy? ›
The Toppings
A traditional Italian pizza would just resort to some fresh basil leaves which, together with the red tomato sauce and the white Mozarella di Bufala cheese complete the tri-colour of the Italian flag. However, depending upon the mood, one can sprinkle some oregano and fresh olive oil for a hint of spice.
What cheese do Italians use on pizza? ›
The Champion: Mozzarella
While other Italian cheeses can often be either too fatty or too dry, when combined with mozzarella, they can add their unique flavours to the aroma and texture of a pizza. For a 100% Italian pizza, the best partners alongside mozzarella are: Provolone – another stretched-curd cheese.
Is Italian pizza healthier than American pizza? ›
It should be noted that pizza in Italy is typically much healthier than what we eat in the US. Fresh mozzarella, basil, cherry tomatoes, olive oil, and other ingredients usually make the pies more nutritious than something we'd get from Domino's.
What toppings do Italians put on pizza? ›
Originating in the Italian region of Apulia, pizza pugliese is generally topped with tomato, onion and mozzarella. However, there are many different variations of the pizza pugliese with some versions using oregano, capers and olives.
Do Italians put cheese on pizza first or last? ›
Cheese always goes belowthe toppings
You've got your dough as the foundation. Then your sauce. The cheese is the next solid layer. Then your toppings (after all, they're called top-pings and not bottom-ings), and then finally your garnishes like basil, pepper, fresh mozzarella, etc, after the pizza is cooked.
What pizza has no cheese in Italy? ›
In Italy, pizza without mozzarella is commonly called Pizza Marinara or Pizza Rossa (red pizza), and it's simply a pizza with sauce and without mozzarella.
Who put cheese on pizza? ›
Legend has it that Italian King Umberto I and Queen Margherita visited Naples in 1889. There, Esposito was asked to make them a pizza. He topped the pizza with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and basil.
What is cheese pizza called in Italy? ›
Margherita Pizza Vs.
Although a Margherita pizza is technically a cheese pizza, a 'regular cheese pizza' is a more basic meal with just tomato sauce topped with cheese. Typically a cheese pizza will also use mozzarella but other cheeses such as parmesan may also be mixed in the toppings.
