EVERYONE’S FAVOURITE

Sink your teeth into Neapolitan culture on an authentic, hands-on pizza-making class. Under the guidance of an expert pizzaiolo foodies will discover the tricks of the trade, master the legendary art of creating delicious pizza and enrich their knowledge of the local celebrated culinary traditions.

Pizza is undisputedly the best-known symbol of Italian gastronomy and Naples is known across the globe as its homeland. The list of pizza fans spans centuries, continents and social classes. From popes to peasants, from kings to commoners, countless generations have been spellbound by this age-old delicacy.

The origins of pizza are lost in the mists of time. Historians believe the word pizza might derive from ancient Greek pektos meaning solid or baked. We know several ancient cultures, including the Phoenicians, Egyptians, Greeks and Romans enjoyed baked flat breads seasoned with olive oil and local herbs, creations that today we would call focaccia breads. The invention of the modern pizza is, however, something of a mystery and surrounded by a curious urban legend. In 1889 King Umberto I and his wife Queen Margherita first visited a newly unified Italy and took a trip to Naples. While there, the queen grew bored of French cuisine, which was popular at that time in southern Italy, and requested that something more local be prepared. Neapolitan baker Raffaele Esposito created the very first pizza for her pleasure, topped with three ingredients whose colours are a tribute to the Italian flag: green basil, white mozzarella cheese and red tomato sauce. The pizza was a huge hit with the queen and was supposedly named after her. And that’s how Pizza Margherita was invented, leading the way for the creation of a myriad of different pizzas. Among the popular regional varieties are Pizza Marinara, topped with tomatoes, oregano and garlic; Pizza Capricciosa a triumph of tomatoes, mozzarella, mushrooms, artichokes, ham, olives and eggs; Pizza Boscaiola, made with mozzarella, champignon mushrooms and sausage; Pizza Carrettiera with provola cheese, sausage and friarielli.

Inside a well-known pizzeria, the secrets of pizza will be unveiled. Your pizza chef will guide you through the preparation of a buonissima truly Neapolitan pizza. You will get to know which kind of flour should be used for the dough, pick up appropriate kneading techniques, learn how to roll the perfect pizza base and create the most delicious topping by selecting a well-matched combination of ingredients. Later, make the most of your hard work and tuck into your very own creation. No pizza you’ve ever eaten will taste better than the one you made yourself. Compliments to the chef!