Why is Pizza Called Pie?
In This Article:
So pizza originated in Italy, of that we can be sure! Pizza, that scrumptious meal made with crust, cheese, meats, vegetables, a savory sauce, and more cheese.
This is then baked within a brick oven, or a conventional oven until the crust is golden brown, the cheese is melted and the fillings are hot.
This dish is generally served on a round tray, the food itself is most often round. Quite often it is sliced into triangular-shaped pieces.
But, this is not a fruit pie, nor is it a custard pie.
so why do we call it Pie?
Well, the obvious is already stated, it resembles a pie complete with fillings and a crust. The Italians first gave us this delightful dish in the late 1800s.
The story has its own beginning of creation in New York City, 1903.
It begins with a journalist, new to the world of this type of dish, and since he did not know, he published a likeness and a description within the same category of fruit pies, custard pies, etc…
Innocently enough, the mistake was made and has been around ever since.
However, this journalist, nameless as he remains, described the food as such:
“The Italians have invented a type of pie. The Pomidore pizza or Tomato Pie is made in somewhat the same fashion.”
You begin by rolling out a lump of dough until it has become quite thin, less than an inch or so.
Then layer toppings on top of the crust and add powdered red pepper.
This dish is then baked after the cheese has been shredded and added to the toppings.
According to the article, this dish became a ‘red hot’ combination when put all together.
Pizza Pie – Originally Began In The United States
It is safe to say that pizza Pie, did originally begin in the United States, and generally it is kept to certain regions only.
Most commonly used as a slang term for Pizza, the term has lasted ever since.
Contrary to popular belief, and Old Blue Eyes himself, Italy never fell in love with a pizza pie. That is solely the doing of the United States.
Pizza is actually closer to Pita than it is pie. Pitta is actually flatbread, which may at times contain toppings. So when you say it fast, or maybe with an accent, it comes out as Pizza.
Gennaro Lombardi
Back in 1897, Gennaro Lombardi owned a grocery store, he began making full pizzas but slicing and wrapping each slice, making it easier to sell and to eat.
His pizza slices became such a popular food sold to working men over lunch hour that pretty soon Lombardi was given a license to open a restaurant, you guessed it, the First Pizzeria in the United States.
So you see, there is no relevance between pizza and pie, except for the slang term used by some Americans.
The shape may be similar, and the way it is cut is the same.
A funny point to make, if you happen to be in Manhattan, and decide you want pizza for dinner, be sure to order the whole pie! If you just order pizza, you are likely to receive one slice of pizza and that will not feed the whole family!
