KaoutarHigh, low, soft, crunchy, white, red, with more or less seasoning: changing the order of the toppings, the result does not change, the pizza is always delicious and irresistible. It seduces every palate and brings together adults and children at the table. In the classic version, seasoned with tomato, buffalo mozzarella, and a basil leaf, strictly cooked in a wood oven, pizza is an all-Italian gastronomic heritage.
Beyond the borders, however, this bastion of our kitchen is subjected to various reinterpretations, like many other traditional dishes. Creativity takes over and you can find yourself faced with combinations that are at least bizarre and unexpected. But if you think that the famous “Pepperoni” pizza or the one with pineapple are distortions of the original, wait until you know what the Australian or Swedish pizza makers (to name a couple) do when they compare with the famous leavened dough.
Ready to discover special pizzas around the world and wonder if you would ever taste them? Before leaving for this trip, let’s open a parenthesis on some “special” pizzas that deserve an honorable mention, each for different reasons.
The Neapolitan pizza, a pride of Italian cuisine, has the distinction of being one of the most famous and most loved foods in the world. As with any other culinary specialty of global fame, however, even the pizza recipe has undergone all sorts of changes depending on the country, with adaptations and variations that in our eyes can be extravagant and sometimes questionable.
So forget the classic Italian flavors and ingredients, because what we are about to do is a virtual tour around the world to discover ten of the strangest condiments.
Special Pizzas: When You Want To Exaggerate
The kitchen has always been a field of experimentation, in which professionals challenge each other with inventions and combinations, and the world of pizza is not far behind. What happens, however, when you let yourself be carried away a little too much by enthusiasm and the desire to overdo it? Here are some exceptional pizzas, which are worth mentioning when talking about the topic.
From the longest (1,930.39 meters, prepared in the United States by 100 pizza makers), to the all-Italian Margherita of 1,261.65 cubic meters, many have ventured into companies related to pizza to enter the Guinness Book of Records. After all, what could be better than trying (and succeeding) cooking on board a hot air balloon at over 1200 meters high? Two Neapolitan pizza makers, Luciano Sorbillo and Maurizio Stanco, did it in the Province of Avellino.
- Pizza With Caviar And Gold Leaves.
The most expensive pizza in the world is, of course, located in the United States. For the “modest” sum of about 2,000 dollars, in the Big Apple, you can taste a wonder of English cheese, truffles, caviar, edible flowers, and, of course, gold leaf. Even in Italy, in the wake of overseas, in some places you can order similar pizzas, spending about 50 euros.
- Pizza English Breakfast.
Bacon, beans, and all the other classic components of the English breakfast can be the perfect filling, the word of a British pizza maker. Seeing is believing? If you decide to do so, perhaps it is better to wait at least until brunchtime.
- Pizza Burger.
Almost an urban legend, this pizza was launched by a fast-food brand a few years ago. One of the versions is a “simple” pizza with burgers and chips on top, but there is also the “mega sandwich” version garnished inside just as if it were a classic burger. However, it seems that the public has pronounced itself against it, and has not given much chance to this product.
Pizza Flavors: The Combinations To Try
If alternative and exotic tastes attract you, but all in all you prefer to stay on the beaten ground, when it comes to pizza, then these proposals are for you. Unusual but garnished with traditional excellence: the next time you sit in pizzerias, remember this list and you will not regret it.
- Tomato, Mozzarella, Roasted Ham, Mushrooms, And Balsamic Vinegar.
It is not the classic cooked and mushrooms, but it’s progressive evolution. The roasted cooked ham and balsamic vinegar give it the flavors of the woods and the Modena countryside.
- Tomato, Stracciatella, Raw Norcia And Rocket.
Those who can resist, raise your hand. The raw Norcia added out of the oven goes to counteract the butteriness of the cheese. The more the ham becomes trapped in the stracciatella, the more every bite is a moment of absolute pleasure.
- Tomato, Burrata, Mushrooms, And Soppressata.
For the series “when the going gets tough”: a real temptation that you will hardly be able to resist. Mushrooms and soppressata go perfectly and let’s not talk about the unique taste added by burrata: a shame not to taste it.
- Cherry Tomatoes, Feta, Mushrooms, Pesto, And Bacon.
Simply enjoyable. This pizza does not have mozzarella but feta is added at the exit to the other ingredients. The champignons keep cooking well in the oven and, combined with the bacon, are the protagonists of this delight, lying on the basis of pesto and caramelized cherry tomatoes in the oven. Complete the whole with a round of raw extra virgin olive oil.
- Tomato, Smoked Mozzarella, Sausage, And Broccoli.
Few raw materials, but the result is unique. Broccoli and sausage sautéed and pulled with a glass of white wine are a renowned partnership that goes well everywhere, even on pizza. The final touch, which will make you fall in love, is diced smoked mozzarella.
- Smoked Salmon, Robiola Cheese, And Parsley.
Here you enter a thorny territory, as not everyone loves to fish on pizza. This combination of smoked salmon and robiola, however, is the perfect combination of two gastronomic excellences.
- Cherry Tomatoes, Primo Sale, Zucchini Flowers, And Shrimp.
Absolute refinement for this colorful pizza, aesthetically precious, which is worth trying! Enjoy it in two versions: with white flour and 5-grain flour, and then choose the one that best enhances the exquisiteness of primo sale cheese and the sweetness of pumpkin and shrimp.
The 10 Craziest Pizza Toppings In The World
Around the world to discover the strangest pizza toppings: from the Malaysian one inspired by bubble tea to the Japanese one with mayonnaise, up to the Swedish one with kiwi
Before starting, it is good to know that some of these recipes are in effect consolidated gastronomic specialties of the respective country, while others are the result of imagination and the most modern culinary trends. If the “Hawaiian pizza”, considered by many “sacrilegious” for the presence of pineapple among the toppings, has already upset or intrigued you, hold on tight because another long roundup of unusual ingredients and risky combinations is coming.
- Canada (Quebec), “Pizza Ghetti”
Incredible, but true: the Canadians, in addition to having invented the famous tropical pizza based on Margherita seasoned with pineapple and ham, have also created a dish that embodies both iconic Italian dishes, namely pizza, and pasta. The so-called “pizza ghetti” is nothing more than a Margherita covered with spaghetti with tomato sauce and then baked. There is also a variant that provides that the spaghetti is hidden under an abundant layer of stringy cheese.
- Brazil, Pizza With Unusual Vegetable Ingredients
Brazilians are true pizza lovers and are famous for adopting many traditional Italian recipes including four kinds of cheese and a reinterpretation of capricious pizza. However, other more typical South American recipes could not be missing, including vegetables and typical national condiments, including palm hearts, corn, mashed potatoes, and peas.
- Costa Rica, Coconut And Shrimp Pizza
Let’s stay in South America to discover a truly original sweet-and-sour recipe. It is a very popular tropical recipe in Costa Rica, in which shrimp meet the exotic taste of coconut flakes.
- France, Pizza With Crème Fraîche, Bacon, And Onions
A gastronomic specialty in French, and in particular of the Alsace region, is the tarte flambée, also known as “pizza French”. The dough is soft and very similar to that of Neapolitan pizza, but the revolution is in the seasoning. Instead of Italian mozzarella, we find sour cream or the fresh fromage blanc (white cheese), both specialties of French cuisine, and to garnish this creamy base there are caramelized onions and strips of fried bacon.
- Finland, Pizza With Smoked Reindeer Meat
The idea of eating reindeer meat for many could be unpleasant, let alone imagine it on a pizza. Well, a very common pizza in Finland has among the ingredients smoked reindeer meat, accompanied by chanterelles and crispy onion. A dish with decidedly strong flavors, for truly brave.
- India, Tandoori Chicken Pizza
In India, alongside the usual Mediterranean flavors of pizza, you can find a wide variety of unique local toppings, with a spicy and typically oriental flavor. The most famous is the tandoori chicken pizza, which in addition to the well-known marinated chicken with yogurt, spice mix, and garlic, is garnished with delicate Indian cheese (paneer) or alternatively mozzarella, tomato sauce (or fresh tomatoes), sliced green peppers, red onions, and fresh sliced jalapenos.
- Russia, Pizza “With Four Fish”
Another bizarre pizza that is equally challenging to digest is mockba, the traditional Russian pizza. This special pizza, which takes its name from the city where it was created, is in fact garnished with four types of fish (usually salmon, sardines, tuna, and mackerel) and a final addition of aromatic herbs and onions. The dish is served strictly cold, perhaps accompanied by a glass of vodka.
- Sweden, Pizza With Kiwi
Anyone who is passionate about viral food trends will certainly have heard of the pizza with kiwis invented in Sweden, a recipe that has become a real media case, attracting the curiosity, but also the outrage, of the people of the web. This local variation of Hawaiian pizza is actually just the latest in a long line of “unconventional” Swedish flavors; Very popular are, in fact, also pizza with curry, chicken, and peanuts or the same recipe, but in a vegetarian version, with bananas instead of chicken.
- Malaysia, “Boba Pizza”
A recent novelty on the creative pizza front is a Malaysian recipe inspired by bubble tea, the beloved drink born in Taiwan and then went viral globally. Well, this pizza with contrasting flavors is topped with condensed milk, spreadable cheese, cheddar, and a few drops of garlic oil, all covered with tapioca balls. There is also a variant without condensed milk, but with the addition of cempedak, a tropical fruit typical of Southeast Asia.
- Japan, Pizza With Mayonnaise
We could not fail to conclude this virtual journey around the world in what is par excellence the country of contrasts, even culinary, or Japan. Here the West and the East meet in the kitchen, giving life to what can be considered one of the most eccentric pizzas ever invented. It is a pizza topped with mayonnaise (yes, you read that right), or rather with the characteristic Japanese mayonnaise, which compared to ours is denser and with a more intense flavor. But this ingredient is not the only surprise that Japanese pizza toppings can reserve; In fact, it is also very common to use sweet corn, cuttlefish ink, cod, bamboo shoots, local mushrooms (including maitake and shimeji), Japanese basil, and, last but not least, the traditional “natto”, or fermented soybeans.
In short, as we have seen, there really is something for everyone! Maybe some pizza will have made you turn up your nose, but every foreign recipe, although characterized by “not very authentic” ingredients, should be appreciated as a creative reinterpretation of the classic Neapolitan pizza.
