So Maybe Pizza Originated in Pompeii?

[mawnansmiff]

"Archaeologists in the ancient Roman city of Pompeii have uncovered a painting which depicts what might be the precursor to the Italian pizza".

Well it certainly looks like 2,000 year old pizza to me.

Pompeii archaeologists discover 'pizza' painting

Experts say the flatbread depicted in the 2,000 year-old fresco may be a precursor to the Italian dish.

www.bbc.co.uk

Regards,

Jay.

 

[Hillcrest]

Za'atar ??

https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2013/06/11/190672515/zaatar-a-spice-mix-with-biblical-roots-and-brain-food-reputation

 

[jguss]

Served with a nice bottle of Lacryma Christi.

 

[mawnansmiff]

Za'atar ??

https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2013/06/11/190672515/zaatar-a-spice-mix-with-biblical-roots-and-brain-food-reputation

I should imagine mankind has been putting things atop bread since the year dot. I had to look up za'atar and found it is a mixture of herbs/spices used in a variety of ways.

Za'atar manakeesh looks very similar to the image on your link, ie herbs spread onto a dough base....looks tasty .

Regards,

Jay.

 

[jguss]

Served with a nice bottle of Lacryma Christi.

Or for those of us in New Jersey, Lacryma Chris Christi.

 

[Flatfish]

Does indeed look like a pizza.
But I suppose it is only natural that if you have a flat bread product, to embellish it a bit with whatever you have.

 

[AJL67]

Rome at last check was in Italy and pretty sure we always knew pizza came from there.

 

[brooklynpiper]

But was it sold and consumed in triangular slices?

This kind of ambiguity needs a semi arbitrary organizing principle and slice style is as good a parameter as any.

 

[mawnansmiff]

Rome at last check was in Italy and pretty sure we always knew pizza came from there.

I have heard Greeks have laid claim to pizza.

Regards,

Jay.

 

[Davy]

I have heard Greeks have laid claim to pizza.

Regards,

Jay.

I seem to remember Socrates discussing the pizzas & toppings his group would order in one of Plato's dialogues.

 

[brooklynpiper]

Why do you think they called it the Hot Gates?

 

[UB 40]

The pizza we know today is originated from Napoli. With tomatoes that were unknown before the west explored South America, also buffalo mozzarella, olive oil are some of the ingredients etc. baked especially for a very short period in very hot oven beneath a wood fire.

But similar flatbread with diverse toppings has been spread far over Italy as focaccia and almost over any civilised region in the many thousand years before.

Yes the Greek also have their pitas, nothing to do with a pizza, just a wrap for meets and other things.

 

[AJL67]

I have heard Greeks have laid claim to pizza.

Regards,

Jay.

Never heard that, always that it was the Roman soldiers.

Also Greek "pizza" sucks

 

[warren]

I firmly believe the origins of pizza will be determined by which claiment has the best public relations campaign. I'd bet money that any region that dined on flatbread could make the claim. That's a lot of regions!

The US population of Italians certainly puts an Italian region in the lead.

 

[anotherbob]

"Archaeologists in the ancient Roman city of Pompeii have uncovered a painting which depicts what might be the precursor to the Italian pizza".

Well it certainly looks like 2,000 year old pizza to me.

View attachment 230138

Pompeii archaeologists discover 'pizza' painting

Experts say the flatbread depicted in the 2,000 year-old fresco may be a precursor to the Italian dish.

www.bbc.co.uk

Regards,

Jay.

the known history of Pizza is interesting. Although it took a while to get to something we'd call pizza. I love how with ancient and historic recipes they either sound incredible or horrifying. Like I think that could be a big thing now or no way anyone would eat that. Like overly sweetened pizza with rose water for the flavor sounds not so great.

 

[huntertrw]

I believe that pizza was invented by the famous Italian mathematician Leonardo Fibonacci (1170 -1250 AD). As proof, here is his formula for it:

 

[AJL67]

Too bad the jews didn't have tomatoes and cheese during the exodus ... could have invented flatbread pizza and beat everyone to the punch by 1000s of years!

 

[brooklynpiper]

Conflating flatbreads is intellectually disingenuous.

Does it have toppings?
Does it have a handle/crust?
Does it get sliced?
Does the pizzaiola have an ego about him?

 

[brooklynpiper]

Joey’s go back to near the beginning of time a la the biblical Joseph: there’s no telling which one of them invented pizza.

 

[simong]

Well it certainly looks like 2,000 year old pizza to me.

View attachment 230138

Pompeii archaeologists discover 'pizza' painting

Experts say the flatbread depicted in the 2,000 year-old fresco may be a precursor to the Italian dish.

www.bbc.co.uk

Regards,

Jay.

Whatever it was, bound to be better than the British grub they were serving up 2000 year's ago!