9781422271391

Pig’s feet are a favorite snack on the streets of Naples.

Pizza Like many Italian dishes, pizza was created by everyday people. Its ingredients were simple and inexpensive. Pizza started its popularity as street food sometime before the 1500s, and to this day, it is common to see people eating slices on the sidewalks of Naples. Pizza isn’t a particularly complicated food to make, so similar dishes have been made by adding random toppings to bread. The legend of the first modern pizza involves Raffaele Esposito, a chef who in 1889 decided to make a special dish for Queen Margherita, which she loved so much, he named his creation after her. A Pizza Margherita is the standard in Naples, consisting of dough topped with mozzarella, tomato, and basil. After 1889, pizza became more popular and spread outside of Italy. It has inspired dishes not only in the United States but in India, Mexico, China, and many more locations.

Chapter 1: The South

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