Who Really Introduced Stuffed Crust Pizza To The World?
Pizza has been a star of the food world for hundreds of years. There are historical comestibles that date back thousands of years that could be considered ancestors of pizza, but these first flatbreads are a far cry from the cheesy circle we know today. The combination of bread, sauce, cheese, and toppings is a modern marvel, but a much more recent discovery has made the dish even more delicious.
Stuffing a pizza's crust with cheese makes your slice of pie perfect from end to end, literally. One cannot help but ponder why it took pizza makers so long to introduce the stuffed crust pie. However, if you want to thank the chef responsible for this revolutionary dairy discovery, you're going to come face to face with a dramatic dispute. Some say that Patty Scheibmeir created the stuffed crust pizza for Pizza Hut in the '90s, but others argue that it was Anthony Mongiello who actually started the stuffed crust craze.
Patty Scheibmeir and Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut has produced more than its fair share of fascinating foods. Many habitual Hut diners have been wondering what happened to Pizza Hut's discontinued Triple Deckeroni. But before you get too dismayed by the disappearance of this gargantuan pie, you can find comfort in the fact that Pizza Hut's stuffed garlic knots pizza is back.
Speaking of stuffed, Patty Scheibmeir says that she helped create the first cheese-filled crust for Pizza Hut in the early '90s. Fresh out of college, Scheibmeir got a job developing dishes for the chain. Inspired by her co-workers characterizing crust as a waste of space, she wrapped store-bought string cheese with pizza dough, and experimentation ensued. Eventually, a recipe for cheese that stayed melted after the pizza cooled was born. Today, Scheibmeir works for another chain, Pie Five Pizza. She is the Vice President of the restaurant's research department, so stuffed crust is far from the end of her culinary creativity.
Anthony Mongiello's stuffed crust claims
Pizza Hut maintains that the chain first made stuffed crust to this day. However, in 1987, several years before Pizza Hut and other chains began selling these slices, Anthony Mongiello patented the stuffed crust pizza. He attempted to sell his invention to various pizza powerhouses. Only Pizza Hut ever gave him the time of day, but still said no after he pitched the product.
Mongiello was understandably upset when Pizza Hut subsequently started selling stuffed crust pizzas in 1995. He attempted a $1 billion lawsuit against Pizza Hut, but the case never even made it to court. Recently, a documentary was released about Mongiello's creation claims, entitled "Stolen Dough," which the pizza pioneer feels will shed light on his side of the story.
Regardless of who initially invented it, it's clear that the modern-day pizza pie has brought stuffed crust to staggering new heights. Pizza Hut has even played around with a hot dog stuffed crust pizza. If, contrary to the court's findings, Mongiello's case had merit, it must be strange for him to see what his creation has become.