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!