The Tip You Should Know Before Ordering At A Neapolitan Pizzeria For The First Time
Imagine this. You find yourself walking through the beautiful seaside town of Naples, Italy. Suddenly, you recall that the town is widely regarded as the birthplace of modern pizza (per History.com). Hungry from a day spent navigating the city streets on a sightseeing excursion, you duck into the nearest pizza restaurant.
But as your fellow patrons are served, you notice that the pizza being handed out is a dramatic departure from the massive pies that you're familiar with. (There's not a piece of pineapple to be seen.) How can you be sure you'll order correctly?
Neapolitan pizza differs from its American counterparts in both its method of crust preparation and the toppings used, as well as the manner in which it is meant to be consumed, per Slice. However, if you abide by a few simple rules, you can take your first Neapolitan pizza experience to a whole new level.
Neapolitan pizzas are meant to be enjoyed by a single customer
One of the most important things to bear in mind with Neapolitan pizza is that, unlike American pies, which are generally meant to be shared, the standard serving size of Neapolitan pizza is one per diner. The average Neapolitan is around 12 inches in diameter, a far cry from some of the massive, family-sized pizzas you might see in the States, and it is served as a whole (without slices), per Pizza Bien.
Before your Neapolitan pizza arrives at the table, you should be aware of the best methods for consumption. According to Eataly, you should begin by doing your best impression of a pizza cutter, using your fork and knife to cut the intact pie into individual triangular slices. You should continue to use your cutlery to cut off bite-size pieces of each piece, until you've neared the crust. Then, and only then, does it become acceptable to use your hands to finish the slice.
Top your Neapolitan pie with traditional fixings
If you're ordering a Neapolitan pizza, you should be knowledgeable about what toppings you should order. One of the most popular Neapolitan pizza styles is Margherita, which is named for Queen Margherita of Savoy and features "... only San Marzano tomatoes ... fresh sliced or broken (not grated) mozzarella ... fresh basil, and extra virgin olive oil," according to Amore Neapolitan Pizzeria in New Mexico.
Alternatively, you could opt for a Cossaca pizza, which takes the Margherita recipe and substitutes parmesan or pecorino for mozzarella. Or try Marinara, which adds garlic and fresh oregano to the pie while subtracting the cheese component entirely, per My Pizza Corner.
If you want to include a meat topping, it should be a traditional Italian offering. One such option is nduja, a spicy, rich, oily Italian pork product that melts into the pizza during the baking process.