Naples is known for having some of the best in the world, but many argue that the title belongs to Rome instead.
Pizza in Naples is typically very light and thin, with chewy crust and simple ingredients so you can really taste the freshness of it all. The classic Margherita pizza is one of the most popular, and its ingredients — tomato sauce, mozzarella and basil — represent the colors of the Italian flag: red, white and green. As the story goes, Neapolitan chef Raffaele Esposito created a special pizza for Queen Margherita of Savoy, the wife of King Umberto I, who visited Naples in 1889, just 28 years after the unification of Italy. It’s been a favorite pizza style ever since. Temperatures inside the oven are extremely hot, at least 800°F, meaning each pizza only needs a minute or so to cook — take that, American fast food!
The roman pizza’s crust is in fact thinner and crunchier than its Neapolitan counterpart. The dough is prepared with about 50% of water and the cooking time is about 3 minutes at a lower temperature than the Neapolitan ovens.
If you are feeling hungry for a thick, soft and filling pizza crust that flops over when you pick up a slice, Neapolitan pizza is the way to go! If instead you are wanting something light, crunchy and perhaps a vehicle for different kinds of condiments, then go Roman! That’s all up to your tastes!
Vécsey Réka
Naples vs. Rome