What Is Pizza?

I'm very much an inclusionist in that I consider everything that meets three guidelines to be pizza. Those guidelines are 1)some sort of bread or crust 2) that is topped with some kind of sauce and 3) cheese and/or other toppings. Therefore, I consider even a pie topped with ham and pineapple (regardless of how much I loathe it) to be pizza. I have had pizza topped with many things, and there are some interesting combinations out there.

 

I think the definition has to be more specific.  Per Tyler, a plate of nachos is a pizza.  Per PHatch, a hot turkey sandwich with gravy is a pizza.

I think it has to include a yeast-based crust baked with the toppings on it.  No tortillas, crepes, pitas, etc.  I think after that, different toppings are very debatable.

 

Chips don't equal bread or crust. Therefore, I wouldn't consider a plate of nachos to be pizza. I would consider them a plate of nachos. However, a crust covered in spiced ground beef, jalepenos, and cheese would be a pizza.

 

Was just posting a response to this topic on the tomato paste thread when DC sunshine and I went off on a pizza tangent.

I am very loose on the definition of pizza.  Basically it is a starchy flattened base with toppings and then baked.  The base could be dough, pita, bread, tortilla, crepe, pancake, or bagel.  The sauce could be tomato, pesto, gravy, or have no sauce at all.  The toppings one can put on pizza are limitless.  I had a pizza once somewhere in umbria with just mozzarella and cream.

My absolute favorite is thin crust with tomato sauce, mozz, mushrooms, canadian bacon, and cream cheese.

In response to the nacho dilemma - nachos are nachos, they are not pizza unless the tortilla chips are laid out flat and side by side and then topped like this:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3433/3257155428_bef5dd96d5.jpg

But not like this:

http://www.klove.com/BLOG/SCOTTANDKELLI/image.axd?picture=2010/2/nachos.jpg

 

In its best and most basic form, I consider pizza to essentially be a hand-kneaded, strong flour crust of no more than 4 mm thickness that comes out tender but crispy.  Extra-virgin olive oil would be added to the crispy crust and it would be topped with tomato, mozzarella and herbs, namely basil.  For me, anything beyond that is pizza 'plus'. 

The only exception I'd make is regarding sauce.  I don't actually think sauce, in its most popular form, is included in my basic, ideal version.  I don't prefer the pre-made tomato sauces or the ones on the commercial pizza place pies.  If it's going to take sauce form, for me, it would include crushed tomatoes with their juices but no paste.

This is contrary to the options I was presented with growing up which were pizzas from one of the various commercial pizza places (i.e. Pizza Hut, Dominos, etc.), or 'home-made' pizza from a box (Chef Boyardee kits).

 

The term pizza is so difficult to define because it is often used to describe dishes that are not pizza at all but rather built like a pizza (apple pizza)  or contain traditional pizza flavorings (pizza Combos, Pizza rolls).

Pizza- An open pie with a yeast bread crust usually with savory toppings/filling. Traditionally believed to be of Italian origin, toppings often include (but not limited to) tomatoes or tomato based sauce, cheese and meats/vegetables.

This would then exclude nachos (no yeast) and open faced sandwiches (no crust). Likely it would exclude pizza flavored items as well- e.g. bagel pizzas, pizza wraps etc as they are not pies. But would include various exotic pizza topping combinations.

 

Lots of pies are open, pumpkin, chocolate cream, lemon meringue... I would argue a rustic tart is also a pie. All flies are insects not all insects are flies. Rustic tarts are not leavened with yeast but rather have a pastry style crust. Therefore a rustic tart is pie but not a pizza, by my definition.

Did you like how I defined the rules for that argument?  Never said I fight fair.

 

Again by my definition Stromboli, pizza flavored maybe, but not pizza, it's not open. Maybe it's a bread rolotini, call it what you want immaterial to the argument at hand, "what is a pizza?".

Papusa- stuffed pastry, stuffed flat-bread, pan-less pie, giant Mexican pasta... call it what you want same rule applies, not pizza,

 

Yes, I would consider everything you listed to be pizza. Who are we to try to say what is and isn't a pizza? If you want to take a pita, slather it with pesto, and top it with cheese and call that a pizza, all I have to say is: make me one of those pizzas too please. 

 

No, they are not pizza's because it's not a pie. Pie crust is often cooked prior to filling, again, see chocolate cream (my personal favorite).

Rustic tart doesn't qualify because it's crust not yeast leavened. 

As to Chicago deep dish, I don't like it, doesn't make it not pizza. Frozen pizza is considered "not pizza" by many people, it's still pizza just a bad version. Since when has popular opinion dictated reality?