Both Italian and American pizza are rooted in similar flatbread dishes that originated in Naples, Italy. However, over time and across cultures, different variations have emerged due to influences and cultural contexts.
Each pizza crust offers its way of accommodating the chosen toppings. From hand-tossed thin crusts to foldable New York styles, every type has its unique way of holding the selected ingredients in place.
Crust
Italian pizza tends to be thin and crisp, while American-style pizza can be thicker and loaded with toppings. These differences reflect different cultures: Italian pizza honors tradition and simplicity, while American styles showcase innovation and diversity.
Italian and American pizzas differ significantly when it comes to the dough preparation. Italian chefs take great care in creating their dough, often leaving it to sit for 72 hours to allow its flour time to leaven and form crisp and crunchy crusts for Neapolitan and Sicilian styles; American makers, on the other hand, may use any flour they have available when creating theirs.
Italian and American pizza differs further by using different cheese varieties; Italian varieties typically utilize fresh mozzarella cheese, which softens when baked, while American pizzas tend to feature various stringy or grated varieties with more brutal textures.
Pizza’s flavor can also be determined by its sauce. An Italian pizza typically features a lighter-colored sauce that emphasizes herbs like oregano and basil; American pizza typically features a thicker, tangier sauce. Both types are delicious options – it is simply up to consumers which ones they prefer!
Toppings
Italian pizzas favor minimal toppings to allow quality ingredients to shine on their own. The base typically uses mozzarella di bufala cheese – distinct from American varieties, which usually feature multiple kinds of cheese – while oregano and fresh basil add herbal notes that pair perfectly with tomato sauce. A drizzle of high-quality olive oil adds fruity, peppery notes – an experience unique to Italian pizza.
Tomato sauce is the cornerstone of Italian pizzas, and San Marzano tomatoes often form its base. This variety has thicker flesh with fewer seeds for an even more excellent balance in taste and is sweeter than other varieties, creating an enhanced complexity of flavors in its sauce.
Mozzarella adds a creamy and melty topping that adds a comforting texture to the pie, with slices of ham adding rich and salty flavors. Mushrooms add earthiness, while black or green olives bring a salty bite.
American pizzas tend to go beyond standard meat and veggie toppings with their toppings, often including unique options like ham and pineapple, chocolate, Cajun shrimp, or even venison! Each region offers its variations that reflect local ingredients and culinary traditions, offering pizza lovers endless possibilities!
Sauce
Italian pizza sauce typically features a blend of olive oil, pureed fresh tomatoes, and garlic for optimal results. Its lighter color and less spicy flavors reflect traditional Italian cuisine; American sauces tend to feature more sugar for additional sweetness and a thicker texture that better reflects American culture.
Making delicious pizza requires high-quality ingredients to achieve its delicious flavors. When creating homemade pizza at home, I recommend pairing extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) with sweet balsamic vinegar, as this will complement both the acidity and sweetness of canned tomatoes perfectly; you may also consider adding red pepper flakes for some added spice!
Italian pizzas feature more classic toppings like high-quality fresh mozzarella that melts beautifully during baking, while American versions can include meats, vegetables, and an array of cheeses; unique toppings found on American pizzas may include pineapples, artichoke hearts, kalamata olives, and prosciutto cotto (Italian cooked ham). While these toppings might not typically appear on Italian menus, they reflect America’s rich cultural diversity as each individual may seek pizza that uniquely represents them.
Cooking
Italian pizzas are prepared with great care to ensure quality ingredients, often producing a lighter and more flavorful experience than American-style pizzas. Their dough requires additional attention, with its high yeast content requiring special flour that promotes leavening properties.
American pizza sauce tends to feature bolder and more intense flavors that emphasize natural tomato flavors, in comparison with Italian sauce, which usually emphasizes its natural essence.
Italian pizza uses fresher and less processed mozzarella cheese than its American counterpart, often placed in small, thick scoops rather than shredding and producing more substantial slices than seen on American pizzas.
Italian pizza is often enjoyed as a sit-down meal accompanied by wine or beer; American pizza, on the other hand, tends to be consumed more casually than fast food. Both styles of pizza have their advantages; both varieties have become staples of American cuisine over recent years and have even evolved into specialty varieties like deep-dish, stuffed crust pizzas, as well as flatbread and foldable New York-style options.
