Calabrian or Neapolitan pizza? Characteristics and differences
The Calabrian pizza, which takes its inspiration from the Roman one, is thin and crisp. The Neapolitan pizza, on the other hand, is soft and with a high crust. Let's discover their characteristics and differences.
Calabrian pizza characteristics
When you think about pizza, your mind immediately flies to Naples, to Vesuvius, to the land of buffalo mozzarella and cherry tomatoes. But there is a variant which is appreciated by those who prefer a crispy texture instead of softness. This is the Calabrian one, which differs from the Neapolitan one for the following characteristics:
- It has a thin and crisp mixture
- The crust is low and crumbly
- The mixture is made of soft wheat flour, water, yeast, salt and olive oil
- It is usually spread with a rolling pin, not making it fly with the typical move of Neapolitan pizza makers
- Cooking is long, so that it dries and becomes crispy
The filling is at will and its origins are younger than the its rival.
Neapolitan pizza characteristics
The Neapolitan pizza has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is part of the city's cultural tradition and its recipe has been handed down for centuries. The Neapolitan has given rise to all the other variants, so it has a fundamental importance for the Italian culinary history. Unlike the Calabrian one, the Neapolitan pizza has the following characteristics:
- It has a soft mixture
- The crust is high and soft
- The mixture doesn't contain fat, but only water, flour, yeast and salt
- Cooking takes place in a wood-fired oven for 50-90 seconds
The authentic Neapolitan pizza is the Margherita with tomato, mozzarella, basil and extra virgin olive oil.
Both the variants are excellence of the Italian cuisine, so all you have to do is taste them!
