Pizza is a popular food around the world
Pizza is popular for a good reason.
From a Neapolitan margherita to a Chicago deep dish, pizza is eaten and loved around the world. Its appeal is partly cultural and partly chemistry: a good pizza brings together sweet, rich, salty and savoury flavours with contrasting textures, all in one slice. Here is why pizza tastes so good, and how to get the best from it.
The flavour combination
Pizza combines several things our taste buds love. Tomato sauce is sweet and slightly acidic, cheese is rich and salty, and toppings such as cured meats add more fat and salt. Tomatoes, aged cheeses such as parmesan and cured meats are also naturally high in glutamate, the compound behind the savoury taste known as umami. Put them together and the flavours build on each other, which is one reason tomato and cheese is such a classic pairing.
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Why browning makes pizza delicious
The best pizzas come out of very hot ovens, and the heat triggers two browning reactions that create much of the flavour.
- Caramelisation happens when sugars are heated to high temperatures and break down into hundreds of new flavour compounds. It helps sweeten and deepen the flavour of tomatoes and onions.
- The Maillard reaction, named after the French chemist Louis-Camille Maillard, happens when proteins and sugars react under heat. It is responsible for the golden crust, the browned spots on the cheese and the crisp, curled edges of pepperoni.
Styles of pizza around the world
| Style | What makes it different |
|---|---|
| Neapolitan | Soft, thin centre, puffy charred crust, very hot wood-fired oven |
| Roman | Thin and crisp, or baked in trays and sold by the slice |
| New York | Large, thin slices that fold in half |
| Chicago deep dish | Tall crust with layers of cheese and sauce |
| Sicilian | Thick, focaccia-like base baked in a tray |
Tips for better pizza at home
- Get your oven as hot as it will go, and preheat a pizza stone or heavy baking tray.
- Give the dough time. A slow rise in the fridge develops more flavour.
- Use a thin layer of sauce so the base does not go soggy.
- Go easy on toppings; too many stop the base cooking properly.
- Finish with fresh basil or a drizzle of good olive oil after baking.
Frequently asked questions
Why does restaurant pizza taste better than home-made?
Mostly because of heat. Wood-fired and professional pizza ovens reach far higher temperatures than domestic ovens, cooking the pizza in minutes and giving a crisp, blistered crust with a soft centre. A preheated stone or steel helps a home oven get closer.
What cheese is best for pizza?
Mozzarella is the classic choice because it melts smoothly and stretches. Low-moisture mozzarella browns well in home ovens, while fresh mozzarella suits very hot ovens. Parmesan, provolone or a little blue cheese can add extra flavour.
Where to go next
For more on Italian flavours, read about the food of the Mediterranean.
