Pizza in Italy--yuck!

Italy needs to learn how to make pizza from us Americans. On a trip to Italy some years ago, we had pizza in Rome near the Colliseum. It was served to us cold (they heated up pizzas for the locals who came in after us but somehow ours weren't). The dough was heavy and tasteless, and pretty much ranked below Chuck E Cheese. So to avoid making the same mistake in Florence, we ASKED the locals for the best pizza joint, and they directed us to a pizza house that was packed with locals. OK, so the pizza was slightly better, came on a thin crust, so thin--almost as thin as a flour tortilla. The topping were bland and skimpy, as was the cheese. So you can imagine how the rest of our dining experiences in Italy went--spaghetti, risotto, lasagne, etc. Give me a good Italian restaurant in any downtown USA anyday!

Errrrr...not to doubt that you didn't enjoy the food that you ate in Italy, offlady, and I am sorry about that, but I have to tell you, I have been to Italy numerous times, all over the peninsula(particularly Rome), and I have eaten very good pizza, pasta, etc. The average meal in Italy outshone the average meal for which I would pay comparable prices in the US. Overall quality of vegetables, fruits, pasta, etc. were not to be beaten. I certainly didn't eat in fancy places in Italy, either. Maybe there were just some unfortunate recommendations that you and your husband were given?
I can think of a couple of pizzerias and restaurants that serve pizza in Rome which were excellent right off the top of my head. I wish I could have given you the recommendations in time.

"Offlady", last November, I spent two weeks in Italy. I thought the food AND the pizza's were, incredible!!! Especially a little pizza restaurant around the corner from the Panthenon. The pizza was fantastic! Thin crust with fresh tomato sauce, fresh buffalo mozzerella and fresh garlic. Another one with tomato sauce and anchovy and I was in pizza heaven.
I was in Rome, Naples, and the Amalfi coast from Sorrrento and Positano to Salerno. The food, especially the sea food was pristine and the pizza's-wherever we ate them, were just wonderful. If your used to thick dough pizza loaded with "the kitchen sink", then naturally, we couldn't expect you to appreciate fabulous food made with quality fresh ingredients the "old fashioned way".
Next time, save your money and go to Las Vegas!
This coming November I'm off to Italy again. This time to Tuscany. A completely different gastronomic
experience from what I had in Rome and the South. I can't wait for the truffle hunt I have been invited to at the end of my trip.

No, nobody needs to make pizza like the Italians. The Americans can just suffer. Nice thin semi-burnt crust, very light toppings, baked in a wood oven. Best pizza on the planet. Been all over Italy and never had a bad meal. But the pizza was stellar!

Sorry, Offlady, but I have to agree with the others. In my trips to Italy, I have to say that I never had a bad meal and the pizza and pasta were consistently wonderful. There are only two possibilities here as I see it:

*Either you happened to find some of the only bad restaurants/pizzarias in Italy.
or
*Your expectations of what Italian food should taste like have been influenced by consistently mediocre American versions of these dishes.

After all, there are people who believe that a hamburger should taste like those that come from McDonald's and who turn their noses up at a real burger cooked on a grill. Sadly, this syndrome may have affected you in regard to Italian food.

Are you sure you weren't in Japan? Now there is a place where the pizza is lacking...

Your profile shows you are living in Hawaii. Not that I was searching for pizza during a recent trip, but I love to look through the Yellow Pages wherever I go. My observation was that the on pizzas there are basically chains. I'm not sure that Italian food transfers well there either.

mark

On second thought, if you were comparing the pizza in Italy to the pizza served in Gary, Indiana, then I can well understand the disappointment that you felt. As all veterans of this board can tell you, pizza originated in Gary, Indiana, and this city is still the pinnacle of excellence in that type of food--at least according to someone who is now banned from this site.

The only thing I can think is that you are a person who enjoys The Pizza Hut and Olive Garden. Many people do think that is real Italian food.............how sad.

I've been to Italy a few times, Sicily when in the Navy and Umbria for leisure. In both regions the traditional pizza was different but yet very good to great.
Most of the pizza I consumed there was from a bakery not a pizza shop per/se. It was a by product of the bread bakeing I think, I found out that the ovens there never go out, always very warm to hot.
Sorry to hear that you did not enjoy yours as much as I did. Chow Jim

Hello All,
I've never been to Italy, but my wife has and she has nothing but praise for
the food there. It has influenced the way she cooks now.
We have 6 or seven Italian restaurants around here in the Harrisonburg, Va.
that are owned by Italian immigrants. We have gotten friendly with 3 of the
owners and discovered that they often prepare some dishes, especially pizza,
for what they consider American tastes. They are delighted when someone asks
for or choses one they offer that is truly of Italian design. My wife has
brought back a pizza and I can tell by just looking at it, and then tasting it,
that it is not a typical American style of pizza. The ingredients are fresher,
more herbs are used and they aren't blended into a sauce, but placed on the pizza,
and often there is no sauce, but some kind of tomato (dried or something), and the
cheese is buffalo mozzerella. The crust are home-made which makes a tremendous difference.
They are delicious and different to the pizza I am accustomed to.
But, don't cry for my tastebuds and you may consider me a hayseed, but I prefer American style
pizza and thus, probably Americanized Italian dishes. I say prefer, but will not
limit myself to.
Take Care,
Fieldthistle

My wife is from Italy, and our "home" pizzas are from scratch--and I mean scratch. Yeast, water, flour, sauce from garden-grown tomatoes, mozzarella (okay, we don't make that) and frequently sausage that her parents regularly make. Best pizza I've ever had, and this from someone who didn't even like Italian food until I met her (and got engaged 5 weeks later). Her sauce and her mother's are amazing. I've tried to describe it to people before, but can't. The best I can do is to say that it "explodes" in your mouth. She's from the Calabria region, but I don't if pizzas in Italy differ regionally (I expect so).

I have been to Italy a couple of times and it can be really a hit or miss when it comes to food. A friend and I once had a pasta dinner, with the generally trimmings, soup , salad and a bottle of wine and it was $68.... that was 20 years ago.

We devised a plan, we started to watch where the locals gathered for lunch, where was there a crowd of NON tourist? Down form the Vatacian in Rome, we found a place called the Pizza House. It was by far the best food and cheap, really cheap. We ate like kings for $20.

So the lesson is stray away from the tourists, look for the locals and you will discover the gems .

quote:

Originally posted by firecommander3565

I have been to Italy a couple of times and it can be really a hit or miss when it comes to food. A friend and I once had a pasta dinner, with the generally trimmings, soup , salad and a bottle of wine and it was $68.... that was 20 years ago.

We devised a plan, we started to watch where the locals gathered for lunch, where was there a crowd of NON tourist? Down form the Vatacian in Rome, we found a place called the Pizza House. It was by far the best food and cheap, really cheap. We ate like kings for $20.

So the lesson is stray away from the tourists, look for the locals and you will discover the gems .

One time when staying very close to the Vatican, we did virtuly the same thing. With great results! We all enjoyed a great dinner and the owners and staff were delighted to have us.

quote:

Originally posted by Fieldthistle

Hello All,
I've never been to Italy, but my wife has and she has nothing but praise for
the food there. It has influenced the way she cooks now.
We have 6 or seven Italian restaurants around here in the Harrisonburg, Va.
that are owned by Italian immigrants. We have gotten friendly with 3 of the
owners and discovered that they often prepare some dishes, especially pizza,
for what they consider American tastes. They are delighted when someone asks
for or choses one they offer that is truly of Italian design. My wife has
brought back a pizza and I can tell by just looking at it, and then tasting it,
that it is not a typical American style of pizza. The ingredients are fresher,
more herbs are used and they aren't blended into a sauce, but placed on the pizza,
and often there is no sauce, but some kind of tomato (dried or something), and the
cheese is buffalo mozzerella. The crust are home-made which makes a tremendous difference.
They are delicious and different to the pizza I am accustomed to.
But, don't cry for my tastebuds and you may consider me a hayseed, but I prefer American style
pizza and thus, probably Americanized Italian dishes. I say prefer, but will not
limit myself to.
Take Care,
Fieldthistle

I'm not doubting you FT, but I can't fathom why the ingredients would be any fresher if you ask for an "italian" style pizza? It's the same kitchen, the ingredients are coming from the same place. And I don't understand why they'd keep their fresh ingredients for only these rare special order pizzas and use less fresh ingredients for their regular pizzas.
Maybe they do business this way, but IMO, they're nuts.

Hello All,
Scorereader, I apologize for the way I wrote, especially apologize to my friends who operate
these businesses. All their ingredients are fresh, but to make an American style pizza they
use a sauce that has the ingredients in it. Often for their special "Italian " authentic pizza,
they prepare it differently. Once I ordered a hamburger, mushroom pizza. It was like a regular
American style pizza. Another time, the wife ordered a cheese mushroom pizza the way he would make it
in Italy. It was on the menu. It looked, tasted, and was prepared differently. Instead of sprinkled cheese
that melts and mergers with the other toppings together, it was placed on the pie in uniform, nice round portions.
The "sauce" was not really a sauce, but I believe a dried tomato or half dried that cooked and blended
into the crust, cheese, and other additives (mushrooms and herbs) while it was in the oven. And most of all,
the herbs and seasonings that were added, such as basil, garlic, and whatever, were fresh and sprinkled all
over as a topping. Most American style pizza seems to have those ingredients in their sauce. At least that is
how it is in my neighborhood.
I used the word, "fresher" perhaps wrongly. They are separate and thus more distinct, more rich and identifiable.
It is my opinion. My wife has been educating me on true Italian food, and it is different from what I
have experienced all my life. It sounds trite, but the American Italian food seems more of a blending of
ingredients that produce one flavour, while what I've been given of what I'm told is true Italian food
is a wonderful wildfire of various flavours, that are each discernable, yet merge together for a wonderful taste.
I am not sure I am explaining this right. I am sorry if I'm not.
The businesses I spoke of do not have 2 standards, but rather have a varied way of how they make their foods
depending on what the customer asks for. Am I making any sense?
Take Care,
Fieldthistle

quote:

Originally posted by Fieldthistle

Hello All,
Scorereader, I apologize for the way I wrote, especially apologize to my friends who operate
these businesses. All their ingredients are fresh, but to make an American style pizza they
use a sauce that has the ingredients in it. Often for their special "Italian " authentic pizza,
they prepare it differently. Once I ordered a hamburger, mushroom pizza. It was like a regular
American style pizza. Another time, the wife ordered a cheese mushroom pizza the way he would make it
in Italy. It was on the menu. It looked, tasted, and was prepared differently. Instead of sprinkled cheese
that melts and mergers with the other toppings together, it was placed on the pie in uniform, nice round portions.
The "sauce" was not really a sauce, but I believe a dried tomato or half dried that cooked and blended
into the crust, cheese, and other additives (mushrooms and herbs) while it was in the oven. And most of all,
the herbs and seasonings that were added, such as basil, garlic, and whatever, were fresh and sprinkled all
over as a topping. Most American style pizza seems to have those ingredients in their sauce. At least that is
how it is in my neighborhood.
I used the word, "fresher" perhaps wrongly. They are separate and thus more distinct, more rich and identifiable.
It is my opinion. My wife has been educating me on true Italian food, and it is different from what I
have experienced all my life. It sounds trite, but the American Italian food seems more of a blending of
ingredients that produce one flavour, while what I've been given of what I'm told is true Italian food
is a wonderful wildfire of various flavours, that are each discernable, yet merge together for a wonderful taste.
I am not sure I am explaining this right. I am sorry if I'm not.
The businesses I spoke of do not have 2 standards, but rather have a varied way of how they make their foods
depending on what the customer asks for. Am I making any sense?
Take Care,
Fieldthistle

OK, OK - no apologies needed here. I just wrote for clarification - which you did superbly.
I don't know if I agree with the idea that American italian is a blended flavor while Italian cooking has more discernable flavors. But, no matter. consider yourself well explained and equally as well understood. confusion has been wiped away.

yours,
scorereader

quote:

Originally posted by twinwillow

"Offlady", last November, I spent two weeks in Italy. I thought the food AND the pizza's were, incredible!!! Especially a little pizza restaurant around the corner from the Parthenon.
(snip)

Uh, isn't the Parthenon in Greece?



Glad you enjoyed your trip, though!


Tom

Last time I was in Europe, they had not re-located the Parthenon. It was still in Greece! Perhaps the above poster was thinking of the Colosseum?? I never had a bad meal in Italy. Or France, or Belgium or Spain.......it's NOT American cooking for sure. It's not better or worse, just different.

quote:

Originally posted by lleechef

Last time I was in Europe, they had not re-located the Parthenon. It was still in Greece! Perhaps the above poster was thinking of the Colosseum?? I never had a bad meal in Italy. Or France, or Belgium or Spain.......it's NOT American cooking for sure. It's not better or worse, just different.

Sorry about that. I have changed Parthenon to the correct, Panthenon. Which, hopefully, I have spelled correctly. If you had ever been to the Panthenon in Rome, or, had even heard of it, you would have known exactly what I meant and would have realized how easy it is to make a "dyslexic" mistake in confusing these two famous and historic buildings.

quote:

Originally posted by offlady

Italy needs to learn how to make pizza from us Americans. On a trip to Italy some years ago, we had pizza in Rome near the Colliseum. It was served to us cold (they heated up pizzas for the locals who came in after us but somehow ours weren't). The dough was heavy and tasteless, and pretty much ranked below Chuck E Cheese. So to avoid making the same mistake in Florence, we ASKED the locals for the best pizza joint, and they directed us to a pizza house that was packed with locals. OK, so the pizza was slightly better, came on a thin crust, so thin--almost as thin as a flour tortilla. The topping were bland and skimpy, as was the cheese. So you can imagine how the rest of our dining experiences in Italy went--spaghetti, risotto, lasagne, etc. Give me a good Italian restaurant in any downtown USA anyday!

ITALY STARTED PIZZA we changed it
your just too americanised if you went to to china you would not enjoy thier fried rice....if you went to england you might hate the breakfast...(thats a big ass breakfast DAMN)...but don't feel bad in anyway about it "YOUR AMERICAN" nothing wrong with that at all i just find that we are kinda pampered....stuck in our ways.....our pallets have became dull so im all for other cultures ways and why they are eating it that way but as for the pizza in italy they are plain and simple all about the fresh ingredints simple good comfort food....and probally alot more healthier than our version.........but im all for to each his own.....so enjoy what ya like/love in the GOOD OL USA.... but when you journey elsewhere it will always be different....
at the moment im really into greek food and maltza ball soup........yea new diner opened up ......and its called "THE DINER" NO **** ITS IN FREDRICK MD AND THE FOOD IS WOW........if your up this way check it out its worth a drive......ill post web address and directions soon kinda late its in frederick md
bye for now
ron

quote:

Originally posted by Mosca

quote:

Originally posted by twinwillow

"Offlady", last November, I spent two weeks in Italy. I thought the food AND the pizza's were, incredible!!! Especially a little pizza restaurant around the corner from the Parthenon.
(snip)

Uh, isn't the Parthenon in Greece?



Glad you enjoyed your trip, though!


Tom

Sorry, I hate when I do that. Of course, I mean't, the Panthenon.
And, yes thank you, Tom. I did have a great trip.

Well, I still stick to my story.....I never had a bad meal in Italy. Great pizza, great pasta, great gnocchi, on and on.

quote:

Originally posted by lleechef

Well, I still stick to my story.....I never had a bad meal in Italy. Great pizza, great pasta, great gnocchi, on and on.

I agree! I think the secret is, understated, simply prepared, uncomplicated dishes made with local fresh ingredients and a thousand years of "practise".

I prefer a style of pizza that is as simple as possible and probably a lot closer to what people are saying would be found in Italy than the usual American product. I like thin crusts and I never get more than one topping. I do not like too much cheese or sauce to the point where the thing is more like tomato soup on a roll. I want to taste whatever topping I do choose as a pure flavor, not a mishmash with a dozen other things. And I like a sprinkling ofherbs--especially on a "4 cheese" pizza (no tomato sauce). All this is by way of saying I'm on the side of the Italians.

quote:

Originally posted by twinwillow

quote:

Originally posted by lleechef

Last time I was in Europe, they had not re-located the Parthenon. It was still in Greece! Perhaps the above poster was thinking of the Colosseum?? I never had a bad meal in Italy. Or France, or Belgium or Spain.......it's NOT American cooking for sure. It's not better or worse, just different.

Sorry about that. I have changed Parthenon to the correct, Panthenon. Which, hopefully, I have spelled correctly. If you had ever been to the Panthenon in Rome, or, had even heard of it, you would have known exactly what I meant and would have realized how easy it is to make a "dyslexic" mistake in confusing these two famous and historic buildings.

You're getting closer, but you're not quite there yet. That magnificent building in Rome is the Pantheon, not the Panthenon.

quote:

Originally posted by BT

I prefer a style of pizza that is as simple as possible and probably a lot closer to what people are saying would be found in Italy than the usual American product. I like thin crusts and I never get more than one topping. I do not like too much cheese or sauce to the point where the thing is more like tomato soup on a roll. I want to taste whatever topping I do choose as a pure flavor, not a mishmash with a dozen other things. And I like a sprinkling ofherbs--especially on a "4 cheese" pizza (no tomato sauce). All this is by way of saying I'm on the side of the Italians.

I agree. And, would add, they are not easy to find in America.

quote:

Originally posted by Tedbear

quote:

Originally posted by twinwillow

quote:

Originally posted by lleechef

Last time I was in Europe, they had not re-located the Parthenon. It was still in Greece! Perhaps the above poster was thinking of the Colosseum?? I never had a bad meal in Italy. Or France, or Belgium or Spain.......it's NOT American cooking for sure. It's not better or worse, just different.

Sorry about that. I have changed Parthenon to the correct, Panthenon. Which, hopefully, I have spelled correctly. If you had ever been to the Panthenon in Rome, or, had even heard of it, you would have known exactly what I meant and would have realized how easy it is to make a "dyslexic" mistake in confusing these two famous and historic buildings.

You're getting closer, but you're not quite there yet. That magnificent building in Rome is the Pantheon, not the Panthenon.

Thank you, Tedbear. I had a feeling I had it spelled inccorectly.

I love the "quattro stagione" wood fired oven pizza; you know, the really thin almost cracker crust, fresh tomato sauce, fresh basil, fresh mozzarella, and then each quarter different; one with pancetta, one with artichoke hearts, one with porcini, and one with pimento. I don't know how authentic it is, but I love that pizza. Is the style similar to that in Italy? The thin crust and the fresh ingredients?

Tom

quote:

Originally posted by Mosca

I love the "quattro stagione" wood fired oven pizza; you know, the really thin almost cracker crust, fresh tomato sauce, fresh basil, fresh mozzarella, and then each quarter different; one with pancetta, one with artichoke hearts, one with porcini, and one with pimento. I don't know how authentic it is, but I love that pizza. Is the style similar to that in Italy? The thin crust and the fresh ingredients?

Tom

Yes! That's the style of pizza I had in the restaurant near the PANTHEON.

I've only been to Italy once, and the pizza was....different. Not saying it was bad, but I'm definitely more accustomed to our American variety. We tried the pizza in Rome and in Florence, and both times the ingredients were laid out in quadrants; they didn't cover the whole pie with pepperoni and mushrooms, they put the pepperoni in one quarter, the mushrooms in another, black olives in another, etc. Oh, and they left the pits in the black olives. I nearly broke a tooth biting into it.