The Pizza World Cup 2019 edition, a prestigious event that took place some days ago in Rome – organized by Alfredo Folliero, founding president of the Unione Pizzaiuoli Tradizionali e Ristoratori (Union of Traditional Pizza-makers and Restaurateurs) – displayed all the mastery, methods of preparation and training activities of Neapolitan pizza makers. Chef Carmela Iorio was awarded for her fried pizza, made with a creative spirit that innovates a traditional Italian dish.
“It was a demonstration of how education and training of pizza-makers can be a way to protect and safeguard the historic pizzerias that represent the craftsmanship of the sector. In this way, a broader overview of the current behaviors and needs of the pizza chef and employees can be achieved in order to give young people interested in catering the opportunity to learn this profession and prepare for integration into the social and economic fabric of the restaurants activity,” – said the spokesman of the National Council for Agriculture, already for several years chairman of the committee for the promotion and protection of the Neapolitan Pizza, Rosario Lopa.
THE ORIGINS OF NEAPOLITAN FRIED PIZZA
In Naples many pizzerias offer, as an alternative to the most famous baked pizza, the fried pizza which is ritually filled with classic ingredients such as ricotta, provola, pork, and tomato.
The fried pizza is a further testimony to the creativity of the Neapolitan people in the face of times of crisis. At the end of World War Two the city was deprived of everything. Even the classic Neapolitan pizza had become almost a luxury: to make it there was the need for a wood-burning oven, and then to be seasoned with mozzarella and tomato, which often were not found, and still cost. There was a need for something easy to do for those who had to sell it, and cheap for those who had to buy it. This is how fried pizza was born. It is also called “people’s pizza” because it was sold in the streets by women, to round up the families’ economy after the war. During the frying process pizzas usually swell, so they develop an empty inner part which is ideal to be filled with many different ingredients.
FRIED PIZZA ENHANCING THE TASTE OF NEAPOLITAN TRADITION
“We would like to underline the importance of the Pizza Fritta Napoletana for the economy of Campania and Naples – Lopa added. By analysing the factors that make pizza a high-quality dish, we can also demonstrate that its ingredients – oil, tomato, fior di latte, cicoli and ricotta – cooked together, are better absorbed and that in this way it is possible to give the Neapolitan fried pizza a particular aroma. Now we must focus on the enhancement of the figure of the pizza maker and consultation with the pizza supply chain.”
Italy’s National Council for Agriculture will soon present the first project to promote the Neapolitan Pizza Fritta. This shall be matched by Italy’s government actions that are appropriate to the effort and commitment of the fried pizza production chain.
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