The Evolution of Pizza

It's a known fact, all college students love pizza. I dare you to prove otherwise. The soft dough . . . melty mozza cheese . . . smooth tomato sauce . . . and classic pepperoni. Does it get better than that? This post goes to all of you pizza lovers, a chronological evolution of how pizza came to be so great. And there's a kickass pizza recipe at the end.

The History of Pizza

Circa 1000 A.D.: Pizza gets its start when peasants begin baking leftover, covered dough.

Early 1500s: Spanish conquistadors bring tomatoes to Europe from the New World.

Late 1500s: The first known recipes for the production of mozzarella cheese begin popping up in cookbooks.

Late 1600s: Although tomatoes are feared to be poisonous, peasants in Naples are the first to add them to their pizza.

1830: Port'Alba the world's first pizzeria, opens in Naples. The proprietor bakes pizzas in an oven lined with lava harvested from Mount Vesuvius.

1889: Naples chef Raffaele Esposito prepares a red, white, and green pizza of tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil to honor a visit by Queen Margherita Teresa Giovanna. He names the pie the margherita.

1905: Gennaro Lombardi opens the first American pizzeria: Lombardi's pizzeria, which was located at 53 ½ Spring St. in New York City. (The restaurant would later move to 32 Spring St.).

1943: Ric Riccardo Sr. and Ike Sewell invent a deep-dish pizza and begin serving it at their new Chicago restaurant, Pizzeria Uno — creating a flagship for the future chain.

1945: Buying a slice becomes increasingly popular as WWII veterans return from Italy and spread the pizza gospel.

1957: The first frozen pizza — Celentano's — appears in supermarkets.

1958: The first Pizza Hut opens in Wichita, Kansas. The first Domino's opens just two years later in Ypsilanti, Michigan.

Mid-1970s: Chicago pizzerias add a top layer to their deep-dish pie, creating the miracle of stuffed pizza.

Early 1980s: Pizza goes gourmet, with upscale toppings such as duck and Gorgonzola.

1995: Kraft introduces DiGiorno pizza, the first "self-rising" frozen pie



Pizza Rolls Recipe

These cheesy little swirls certainly make their rounds at cocktail parties. Stuffed with salami, sausage, provolone and mozzarella, these pretty pizza pinwheels never last long with guests around.

Ingredients
1 (10 ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust dough
1/4 pound Genoa salami, thinly sliced
1/4 pound pepperoni sausage, sliced
1/4 pound provolone cheese, sliced
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Cooking Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a large baking sheet.
Roll pizza crust dough into an approximately 10x14-inch rectangle on the baking sheet. Layer with Genoa salami, pepperoni and provolone cheese. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese to within 1/2 inch from edges of the dough. Roll jelly roll style. Seal the edge with a fork.
Bake in the preheated oven 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Slice into 1 inch pieces to serve.

Nutrition Facts
Servings per Recipe: 5
Amount Per Serving
calories: 457cal
total fat: 27.3g
cholesterol: 63mg
sodium: 1502mg
carbohydrates: 28.2g
fiber: 0.7g
protein: 22.9g

Preparation Time:
10 min.

Cooking Time:
25 min.Ready In: 35 min.Servings: 5

Topics for Discussion:
What do you think is the best pizza topper?
What is the best pizza joint?
How often do you eat pizza?

Sources: Mensfitness.com and Recipes.kaboose.com

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