I am with you, Max! With you all the way. After 20 years of living in Italy, I can only say that when it comes to the Italian food police there is literally no rhyme or reason to the things that can cause outrage! Fig and prosciutto on pizza are totally acceptable (and delicious). I've even seen apple on pizza here. So why not pineapple? Pizza should be the kind of thing you can feel free to put anything on (and indeed here, really anything -- other than pineapple -- goes. There's a pizzeria near Bologna that puts tortellini on their pizza and there's a place in Pistoia that does sushi pizza and every average pizzeria in Italy has frankfurters and french fries as a topping option!
I just came back from an event where I was listening to Nancy Silverton talk about her career and (to a room full of Italians) explain why she has a pineapple pizza on her menu -- it was her late son's favourite pizza when he was little and she wanted to do a grown up version that she would eat (it sounds very much like the one you describe, hers has speck, fresh pineapple and jalapeno peppers). When she also explained "food always tastes better with a story" I think that also pinpoints why, for me, anything has the potential to go on pizza if if it has a meaningful story behind it.
Actually I never tasted a pizza with pineapple, it never happened but I tasted one with beef teriyaki and sesame seeds that was pretty tasty. That only because it’s extremely rare for me order a pizza when I’m not in Italy, I always looking for local food for me it’s insane eating a pizza if I’m in Vienna, London, Paris etc. I’m sure that they cook a great pizza but if I have only few lunch/dinner in a place I need to know that I have eaten all the local food possible.
I’m Italian and you have to consider that we are a country full of contradictions only 50yrs ago our breakfast was salty in particular for farmers they started the day with caffè, pancetta (bacon) or salami and boiled eggs it was more similar to a dinner or lunch. Now our breakfast is made principally with sweet things croissants, biscuits, porridges, cake etc. and always with caffè, milk, juice or other.
We never understand how foreign people could drink a cappuccino with pasta or t-bone etc. but when we go in Uk what we order?? Cappuccino with English breakfast, we also have a rules about don’t take cappuccino after the 11am.
We are focused on flavour when u eat a dish u have to taste each ingredient, we always looking for the best ingredients like the best mozzarella, the best tomatoes I always thought and I still thinking that if u buy ingredients that don’t give u joy u are doing something wrong.
Plus u have to consider that in the other countries if u want to save a recipe u simply write it down on a piece of paper, in Italy we register it at the chamber of commerce to be sure that our recipes and memories wouldn’t be lost but will be always preserved.
Going back to pizza we put figs jam on it, or if u check on ChefTable Pizza edition there is a Chef that serve fried pizza with apricot and ricotta. I don’t think there is something bad putting pineapple on pizza if u use good ingredients if it taste good, everyone can interpreting recipes as you see fit can combine them with your own traditions, creating something unique and different.
I’m not perfect still when I see Jamie Oliver cooking the “original Bolognese” with rosemary I feel like someone gave to me a punch in the stomach, how I said we are full of contractions 😂😂.
U know what we don’t have in Italy? Recipes of new generations, in Uk u are full of Brit people of second/third gen. the book “Mother Tongue” is a good example. In Italy we still don’t have it and honestly I can’t wait to see how our recipes will change through the yrs.
1000% pro pineapple. Pizza, burger, fish and chip shop pineapple fritter back in the day. Love love love. Sweet, tart, crunch, juicey what's not to enjoy? Oh and with anything salty like a works pizza from my local, amazing. Onwards.......
I am with you, Max! With you all the way. After 20 years of living in Italy, I can only say that when it comes to the Italian food police there is literally no rhyme or reason to the things that can cause outrage! Fig and prosciutto on pizza are totally acceptable (and delicious). I've even seen apple on pizza here. So why not pineapple? Pizza should be the kind of thing you can feel free to put anything on (and indeed here, really anything -- other than pineapple -- goes. There's a pizzeria near Bologna that puts tortellini on their pizza and there's a place in Pistoia that does sushi pizza and every average pizzeria in Italy has frankfurters and french fries as a topping option!
I just came back from an event where I was listening to Nancy Silverton talk about her career and (to a room full of Italians) explain why she has a pineapple pizza on her menu -- it was her late son's favourite pizza when he was little and she wanted to do a grown up version that she would eat (it sounds very much like the one you describe, hers has speck, fresh pineapple and jalapeno peppers). When she also explained "food always tastes better with a story" I think that also pinpoints why, for me, anything has the potential to go on pizza if if it has a meaningful story behind it.
Hi
Actually I never tasted a pizza with pineapple, it never happened but I tasted one with beef teriyaki and sesame seeds that was pretty tasty. That only because it’s extremely rare for me order a pizza when I’m not in Italy, I always looking for local food for me it’s insane eating a pizza if I’m in Vienna, London, Paris etc. I’m sure that they cook a great pizza but if I have only few lunch/dinner in a place I need to know that I have eaten all the local food possible.
I’m Italian and you have to consider that we are a country full of contradictions only 50yrs ago our breakfast was salty in particular for farmers they started the day with caffè, pancetta (bacon) or salami and boiled eggs it was more similar to a dinner or lunch. Now our breakfast is made principally with sweet things croissants, biscuits, porridges, cake etc. and always with caffè, milk, juice or other.
We never understand how foreign people could drink a cappuccino with pasta or t-bone etc. but when we go in Uk what we order?? Cappuccino with English breakfast, we also have a rules about don’t take cappuccino after the 11am.
We are focused on flavour when u eat a dish u have to taste each ingredient, we always looking for the best ingredients like the best mozzarella, the best tomatoes I always thought and I still thinking that if u buy ingredients that don’t give u joy u are doing something wrong.
Plus u have to consider that in the other countries if u want to save a recipe u simply write it down on a piece of paper, in Italy we register it at the chamber of commerce to be sure that our recipes and memories wouldn’t be lost but will be always preserved.
Going back to pizza we put figs jam on it, or if u check on ChefTable Pizza edition there is a Chef that serve fried pizza with apricot and ricotta. I don’t think there is something bad putting pineapple on pizza if u use good ingredients if it taste good, everyone can interpreting recipes as you see fit can combine them with your own traditions, creating something unique and different.
I’m not perfect still when I see Jamie Oliver cooking the “original Bolognese” with rosemary I feel like someone gave to me a punch in the stomach, how I said we are full of contractions 😂😂.
U know what we don’t have in Italy? Recipes of new generations, in Uk u are full of Brit people of second/third gen. the book “Mother Tongue” is a good example. In Italy we still don’t have it and honestly I can’t wait to see how our recipes will change through the yrs.
1000% pro pineapple. Pizza, burger, fish and chip shop pineapple fritter back in the day. Love love love. Sweet, tart, crunch, juicey what's not to enjoy? Oh and with anything salty like a works pizza from my local, amazing. Onwards.......
This really is the way to get people to take sides! 😂