Doesn't that sound really gross to anyone else? The slices are folded in half? Nasty. I don't want to have to fold my pizza in half to eat it. And to be clear, I have had my fair share of NY pizza, so I'm not flying blind here and judging without a taste test. So, in our debate last night, the question inevitably arose, "what's the difference between real Italian pizza and New York style pizza?" A question that I instinctively knew the answer to, but could not put into words.
To me, the NY pizza always tastes like it has been made from frozen dough, overcheesed, and is nearly tasteless. That's not to say that it doesn't make a great late night snack. But it does have a thin crust, which makes the distinction much more difficult between Italian pizza and NY pizza. So, I'll do my best. Maybe I'll just talk about all of the things that make Italian pizza so good, that's easier.
The crust on Italian pizza, like I mentioned, is thin. But not only is it thin, like the NY pizza, but it's crispy too. I think the crispiness comes from the fact that it is often cooked on stones that get really really really hot. 1000 degrees or something. So they cook uber-quick. You get a great bite when you get to the crust of the pizza, but not so much that it bites back.
I'm not sure what the "rules" are for the sauce, seems like you don't necessarily need a tomato sauce, and if there is a so-called tomato sauce on the pizza, it's typically just pureed fresh/canned tomatoes. Again, it adds to the freshness of the pizza, not the kind of cooked tasted you get with marinara sauce.
And, the cheese, like with panini, the mozzarella should be very fresh, and it doesn't necessarily need to coat every inch of the crust. It's very much a freestyle dish. Each bite has its own unique mix of toppings, with the cheese also considered a topping, so its not serving as the base for the pizza.
So, now that I've just put forth my description of what is Italian pizza, I realized that Wikipedia had another entry, which literally defines exactly what it is. Their definition is much more technical (this is actually a definition for Neapolitan pizza and there are some distinctions with some other regions of Italy, but the differences are mostly just the toppings):
"According to the rules proposed by the Associazione vera pizza napoletana and other sources quoted by the BBC [3], and the legal EU document with the Vera Pizza Napoletana Specification in translation. The genuine Neapolitan pizza dough consists of Italian wheat flouryeast or brewer's yeast, and water. For proper results, strong flour with high protein content (as used for bread-making rather than cakes) must be used. The dough must be kneaded by hand or with an approved mixer that moves in a clockwise direction. After the rising process, the dough must be formed by the right hand and the first two fingers of the left without the help of a rolling pin or other mechanical device, and may be no more than 3 mm (1/8 in) thick. The pizza must be baked for 60–90 seconds in a 485 °C (905 °F) stone oven with an oak-wood fire. When cooked, it should be soft and fragrant."
Wait, are you kidding me? The mixer must mix in a clockwise direction and formed by the right hand? Seriously? What, is it French pizza if you use your left hand? Maybe that's the line between Italian and NY style pizza, the hand that you use to form the dough. Or maybe, the difference is that New Yorkers don't have so many rules surrounding what qualifies as NY style pizza. Wow. Well, I certainly unexpectedly learned something about Italian pizza today, pretty pretentious.
Even though there's so many rules, I still like the Italian pizza better, and NY style still remains a tasteless blob of cheese on floppy bread. But, the funny thing, is that Chicago style is my favorite. If I want pizza, that's my pie of choice, hands down. The thick doughy crust that you can dip in extra sauce, mmmmm...., my mouth is watering. I like Italian pizza, but when I want pizza, that's not what I think of. I want the thick, gut-busting heavy crust. So, my favorite recipe for pizza is therefore a deep-dish recipe. There are also recipes for making dough in bread machines, which work well too, but, alas, my bread maker didn't make the cut and resides 300 miles from my kitchen. This recipe too is from the Food Network and has corn meal in it, which gives it an awesome kind of crunch. It takes some time for the dough to rise, but its a great Saturday night meal.
(type 0 and/or 00), natural Neapolitan Deep Dish Pizza
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 cup warm water (110 to 115 degrees F)
1 (1/4-ounce) package active dry yeast (about 2 1/2 teaspoons)
2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for oiling bowl
1 (14 to 16-ounce) can peeled, whole tomatoes, drained and chopped OR tomato sauce
your favorite toppings
2 cups grated whole milk mozzarella cheese (about 1/4 pound)
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan (optional)
In a large bowl, dissolve sugar in water. Sprinkle yeast over water and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Stir in 2 1/4 cups flour, cornmeal, salt, and 2 tablespoons oil and blend until mixture forms a dough. Knead dough on a floured surface, incorporating as much of remaining 1/4 cup flour as necessary to prevent dough from sticking, until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
Put dough in a deep oiled bowl and turn to coat with oil. Let dough rise, covered with plastic wrap, in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
Punch down dough and knead 4 times. In an oiled 10 1/2-inch cast-iron skillet, press dough with oiled finger until it comes 2 inches up the side and is an even thickness on bottom. Let dough rise, covered loosely with plastic wrap, in a warm place for 15 minutes.
Sprinkle dough with tomato sauce, cheese and your favorite toppings. Sprinkle the top with the Parmesan and bake the pizza in the lower third of an electric oven, or on floor of a gas oven for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees F. and bake 10 minutes more, or until crust is golden.
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