People around the world have been putting toppings on flat bread for centuries, making the precise origin of pizza tough to establish. While the style of pizza America knows and loves today definitely comes from Italy, there were several predecessors that helped pave the way for the pizza we have come to enjoy.
In 500 B.C., long before the days of gourmet pizza delivery, Persian soldiers cooked dough on their shields and covered the resulting flat bread with dates and cheese. In early first century, Egyptians and Middle Easterners ate un-leaven bread that they sprinkled with spices. Later, ancient Greeks created a pita-like version called plakountos that they topped with oil, olives and herbs. Soon after in Greek-founded Naples, a similar type of flat bread was evolving, bread was topped with things like lard and seeds before baking in outdoor ovens. In the1500’s, tomatoes landed in Naples and “pizza” (a word with disputed Italian meanings, from “point” to “bite”) started taking shape.
In 1889, the prototype for Americanized pizza finally reached full form. King Umberto I and Queen Margherita of Italy visited Naples and heard about the pizzas being made by a pizzaiolo (“pie man”) named Raffaele Esposito. Esposito made a special pizza using the colors of the Italian flag: red (tomatoes), white (mozzarella) and green (basil). The queen loved it so much that Esposito dedicated it to her, naming it pizza Margherita.
The 20th century saw a flood of immigrants bringing their pizza-making skills from Italy to the U.S. (particularly Chicago and New York, but pizza delivery in Phoenix wasn’t far off either). Small, family-run cafes served up pizza to locals, with enthusiastic American soldiers creating even greater demand. And the demand shows no signs of slowing: from dollar slices to gourmet pizza delivery, over 3 billion pizzas are sold each year in the U.S.
Fortunately, some of the best is right here at Sardella’s Pizza in Phoenix. Whether you dine in or use our convenient pizza delivery around Phoenix, Sardella’s Pizza and Wings has all your favorites. Sardella’s Pizza of Phoenix has been family-run since 1988 and we are as committed to using fresh ingredients as we are to serving our community. Place your order online now!
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