Taking Italian cooking classes can help you become familiar with the techniques associated with each style that make it truly special but for now, read on for four popular pizza styles to try in your kitchen.
Neapolitan Pizza: The Timeless Classic
Neapolitan pizza is the classic pizza, and a pizza variety famous for its extreme simplicity and deliciousness. It’s easy to spot a Neapolitan-style pizza: a thin, tender crust with black-blistered leopard spots from the blazing hot wood-fired oven that baked it. Despite having only a few simple ingredients—usually fresh mozzarella, basil, and San Marzano tomatoes—the flavor is tremendous, making it the pizza that is beloved around the world.
Focusing on achieving that classic wood-fired flavor that is essential to Neapolitan pizza, it’s important that you use the best hardwoods available in order to achieve an even baking temperature that is incredibly hot. The best wood for pizza is the best wood for flavor too. Natural firewood is great in that it will add rich flavors and textures to what you are baking, and can turn a pizza from just good to amazing. Because this pizza is so simple, it is a great recipe to experiment with using your favorite locally grown and produced ingredients. Be creative!
Sicilian Pizza: The Thick-Crust Favorite
New to Sicilian pizza? Don’t be afraid of the dough. The best way to master your technique while learning all the tips and tricks for shaping and baking is to join a pizza making class. But if you're tackling it at home, make sure to use a generously oiled pan so you can develop those crispy edges and that beautiful golden bottom—two of the hallmark attributes of this universally adored style. Sicilian pizza speaks to your soul. The spongy thick crust is baked in a rectangular pan, then topped with anchovies, olives, and a hearty swipe of tomato sauce.
Creating its sought-after texture involves high hydration and a slow fermentation process. Its relatively neutral flavor profile also makes it super adaptable when it comes to toppings.
Roman Pizza: A Crispy Delight
When talking about Roman-style pizza, phrases like “al taglio” (by the cut) and “crispiness” come to mind. Thanks to its ultra-thin crust, Roman-style pizza is baked to a golden brown crisp, making it the perfect canvas for almost any topping you can dream of. Think mortadella. Or zucchini blossoms. Potatoes, too.
To achieve this style, take your time at lower temps to bake your pizza and crisp up the crust—easy as pie. This is where perfectly prepped pizza stones come in—ensure that you’ve oiled them up and that they’re ready to go. Top your Roman masterpiece with traditional Roman toppings or modernize your crunchy crust with seasonal veggies.
Detroit-Style Pizza: The Bold and Cheesy Favorite
Bold, ooey-gooey, and deliciously over-the-top, Detroit-style pizza has a flair all its own. This deep-dish pie touts a thick crust with crispy, caramelized cheese crust baked in a square steel pan that gives those characteristic edges. Cheese goes on the bottom, and sauce goes on top.
Make sure your pizza oven is properly heated to the right temperature to get that perfectly toasted top and crispy yet chewy crust. Lighting your oven in the proper way keeps the heat in range so you can cook properly. Detroit-style pizza is made for a group and will be loved by all – a thick, rich, hearty pie that always impresses a crowd.
Tips for Mastering Regional Pizza Styles
Ready to give it a shot? Here are a few pointers to get you headed in the right direction:
- Good Ingredients Matter: From the flour to the cheese and toppings, use proper ingredients to make the proper pie.
- The Right Equipment: A pizza stone, steel, or pan will each give you a different (but correct!) result.
- Experiment: Don’t be afraid to mix and match techniques from different styles.
- Regularly maintain your pizza oven, and you’ll enjoy consistent results and a nice long lifespan.
When you do these things well, you’re properly set up for great pizza, of any variety.
Bringing the Pizzeria to Your Home
Turn your kitchen into a pizzeria by working through these varieties and making them your own. Share the pizza you’re most proud of by making a pizza night of it. To make it more digestible for all, consider using sourdough as your crust and loading up on the veggies. A few simple modifications can make even the heaviest pie light, so you and your guests can enjoy every last bite.
Crafting Your Signature Style
And pizza-making doesn’t have to stop at the regional style favorites. The best part about pizza is that you have free reign to combine different styles, flavors, and regions until you have made the perfect version all your own. The charm of pizza is that it can be dressed in any way and still be enjoyed with your loved ones fighting for the last piece.