Pizza Margherita facts for kids
Pizza Margherita (more commonly known in English as Margherita pizza) is a typical Neapolitan pizza, made with San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, salt, and extra-virgin olive oil.
Origin and history
_p2.172_-_IL_PIZZAIUOLO.jpg)
In June 1889 the pizzaiolo Raffaele Esposito, Pizzeria Brandi's chef, invented a dish called "Pizza Margherita" in honor of the Queen of Italy, Margherita of Savoy, and the Italian unification, since toppings are tomato (red), mozzarella (white) and basil (green), ingredients inspired by the colors of the national flag of Italy.
The origins of Pizza Margherita came from mixing similar toppings that were was already present in Naples between 1796 and 1810. In 1849 Emanuele Rocco recorded different pizza toppings like basil, tomatoes and thin slices of mozzarella; the mozzarella was thinly sliced, and added to the toppings already present.
In 1866, Francesco De Bourcard, writing about the Naples traditions, described the most commonly used pizza toppings at that time as well as the possible origin of calzone:
The most ordinary pizzas, called coll'aglio e l'olio (with garlic and oil), are dressed with oil, and over there it's spread, as well as salt, the origanum and garlic cloves shredded minutely. Others are covered with grated cheese and dressed with lard, and then they put over a few leaves of basil. Over the former is often added some small seafish; on the latter some thin slices of mozzarella. Sometimes they use slices of prosciutto, tomato, arselle, etc. Sometimes folding the dough over itself it is formed what is called calzone.
See also
In Spanish: Pizza margarita para niños
