In Search Of The Perfect Italian Pizza

There’s nothing like a good slice of pizza from a wood fired pizza oven. Magnifico! But what is the secret to making the best pizza? That’s the question that drove the founder of ilFornino® New York, Chris Salman, to Italy in search of ideas and inspiration for creating authentic Italian pizzas in the ilFornino® wood fired pizza oven.

His starting point was Portofino in Northern Italy. From there he traveled south throughout the country; his trip culminating in the breathtakingly beautiful island of Sicily. Along the way, he discovered a difference in pizzas from region to region. Italian pizzas vary in dough texture, dough hydration, and flour type. Based on the flag of the newly-unified Italy, Neapolitan chef Raffaele Esposito created a pizza with the colors of the flag – green basil, white mozzarella, and red tomatoes. This is the pizza we know as the Margherita pizza, a staple Italian pizza. The Margherita Pizza was named in honor of a visit to Naples by Queen Margarita of Savoy in 1889. Chef Esposito’s first two pizzas did not appeal to the queen; when she enjoyed his third pizza, he named it in her honor and it quickly grew in popularity.

(Where is he now? Still in Portofino?) Authentic Neapolitan pizza (pizza napoletana) is normally made with San Marzano tomatoes, grown on the volcanic plains south of Mount Vesuvius, and mozzarella di bufal Campana, made from water buffalo milk. Other traditional pizzas include pizza alla marinara, a pizza topped with marinara sauce and is, allegedly, the oldest tomato-topped pizza, and pizza capricciosa, which is prepared with mozzarella cheese, baked ham, mushrooms, artichokes, and tomato. However, Chris’s quest to find the best pizza for the ilFornino wood-fired pizza oven didn’t stop there. He also tasted pizza pugliese, a bread prepared with tomato, mozzarella, and onions, followed by the Sicillian pizza, locally named sfinciuni or sfincione (translated to “thick sponge”). The crust of this popular variant of pizza in Italy is more like bread than pizza. It has a thicker crust and can be called a deep-dish pizza originating during the 17th century in Sicily. Essentially, it is a focaccia topped with tomato sauce and a variety of other ingredients. Additional variations of pizzas from other regions in Italy included pizza al padellino, or pizza al tegamino, a small-sized, thick-crusted, and deep-dish pizza typically served in Turin located in the region of Piedmont.

One of the secrets Chris discovered on his journey was dough digestibility. The Italians give their dough plenty of time to rise; typically 24 to 48 hours. When the dough is made correctly, as it is in Italy, it is light and easy to eat. When served a “slice” of pizza in Italy, Chris thought it appeared to be large enough to feed an entire family. But, before he even realized it, he had eaten the whole thing by himself without a problem. He then learned to never judge a pizza slice by its size.

A few other observations Chris made while traveling throughout Italy and tasting its pizzas include these helpful tips:

• Never put cold sauce on pizza dough (sauce must be warm or room temperature)
• The fewer the ingredients, the better the pizza
• Pizza must be baked in a wood-fired pizza oven and eaten on the spot
• Pizza crusts vary based on flour types

At the culmination of his journey full of discovery, Chris was confident he could replicate these Italian pizzas by cooking them in the ilFornino® wood-fired pizza oven. Delizioso!

As he returned to ilFornino’s home base in Valley Cottage, NY, Chris started the ilFornino Pizza Academy classes because he believed that everyone should learn how to make traditional, delicious wood-fired pizzas. Classes include learning about the importance of cooking techniques, making pizza dough, and mastering your ilFornino wood-fired pizza oven. Book your session today to start your own pizza journey!