Recently, a conversation was had as to the origins of pizza and naturally, the old adage began the chat with “it all started with the Greeks”. Hold on, I thought – let’s have look at this. Many ideas have started with the Greeks but it is what actually happens with the original idea as it evolves and pizza is no exception. Pizza as we know it today is not Greek – it is Neapolitan, from Italy. But this does not mean there are no precursors to this modern pizza. Let’s rewind.

The first written reference we have of flat bread covered with ‘stuff’ is via the Roman poet Virgil in the 1st century BC.

Their homely fare dispatch’d, the hungry band
Invaded their trenches next, and soon devour.
To mend the scanty meal, their cakes with flour.
Ascanius this observ’d, and smiling said:
“See, we devour the plates on which we fed.”

Earlier (circa 500 BC), Persian soldiers baked flat bread on their shields, which they then covered with cheese and dates. The Greeks had a pita made from pastry, cheese, honey and olive oil and yes, I can hear you, it reminds of the Cretan ‘kaltsousia – more of that later. Greeks also had flat bread called ‘plakous’ which was flavoured with toppings of herbs, onion and garlic. We know of these flat breads from the Odyssey. Other examples of flat breads that survive to this day from the Mediterranean world are focaccia, that may date back to the ancient Etruscans, coca from Catalonia, Valencia and the Balearic Islands and the Greek pita. Foods similar to pizza have been made since the Neolithic age. Records of people adding other ingredients to bread to make it flavoursome can be found throughout ancient history. In Sardinia, French and Italian archaeologists have found baked bread over 7,000 years old.

It is not clear where the word pizza came from. The word is believed to be a derivative of ‘pizzo’, an Italian word meaning ‘a point’. This eventually became the word ‘pizzicare’, which means ‘to pinch’ or ‘pluck’, referring to the action of ‘plucking’ the pizza from the oven. It also may be a derivative of the Latin word ‘picea’, which ancient Romans used to describe bread as it browned and eventually blackened in the oven. Other theories on the etymology of the word ‘pizza’ include the idea that it was derived from Old High German origins as the word ‘bizzo’ or ‘pizzo’ meant ‘mouthful’ and was used in 6th century Italy.
It is uncertain who made the first pizza-like foods before the Italians, as the Phoenicians, ancient Egyptians, the Greeks and the Romans all have a history of dough-based flat breads heated on hot stones.

In the 18th century in Italy pizzas began to be sold in the streets of Naples. Vendors, mostly young boys, walked around with a tin oven on their heads keeping the pizzas warm. They were also sold from open-air stands or pizza bakeries. Pizza gained fame when Queen Margherita discovered it while travelling with her husband King Umberto I; she sampled street food in Naples and fell in love with the humble pizza. She commissioned famous chef Raffaele Esposito to create new flavours and he decided to honour her with a pizza representing the Italian flag. Tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and basil, (‘red, white and green’), which became Pizza Margherita. Having said all the above, I can’t help noticing the similarities between certain Greek pita like foods to some Italian pizzas. Let’s go back to the Cretan ‘kaltsounia’ filled with cheese and honey, so similar to the Italian calzone, a half moon turnover which is filled with ricotta cheese and sugar – and even the name is similar. Then there is our ‘peinirli’ that the Black Sea Greeks brought to Greece over 100 years ago, a savoury open version of a calzone looking like a boat. Today we have recipes for all tastes in pizzas and I will give you some Greek versions. Keep in mind, a pizza can be made from any leftover food; open your fridge and be creative.