In Italian menus, pizza is generally divided into two types – red, i.e. rosso, and white, i.e. bianca. The latter is simply pizza without sauce. Another factor that distinguishes it from the first pizza is the way the dough is kneaded. The name of pizza bianca can be misleading – outside of Italy, this term hides a version of the dish with white sauce. It is prepared on the basis of cow’s milk, while in Italy the cake is usually served drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with aromatic spices. The original ancestor of the pizzas we know today is mostly the authentic Neapolitan pizza. It is worth visiting the pizzerias in Larnaca to taste dishes prepared according to original recipes. The best pizza in Larnaca is on our menu.
Pizza bianca and its origin
In fact, the recipe for pizza bianca was created quite accidentally. Italian bakers prepared a test pie without sauce before baking the bread to check the temperature in the oven. Subsequently, this type of pancakes became popular among the Romans of the time, who cut them in half and ate them with figs or cheese and chicory. Pizza Bianca became one of the first street food. Tuscany also has its own version of this pastry – under the name schiacciata toscana all’olio there is a salty focaccia poured with olive oil and additives. So it’s a different pizza than the popular Neapolitan pizza. For those who want to taste original dishes without leaving home, pizza bianca or Neapolitan pizza delivery may be a good option.
Characteristics of pizza
As mentioned earlier, the characteristic feature of white pizza is the absence of sauce or the presence of white sauce in variants that are popular outside Italy. However, it is not only this factor that makes pizza bianca unique. It also differs from rossa pizza in the way the dough is baked. A very large amount of water is used to prepare it, almost as much as flour. This makes the dough very soft and crispy at the same time, the pizza melts in your mouth as you eat. It provides a completely different taste experience than its tomato sauce counterpart, and this is due to its simplicity. Most often, a few subtle additions are put on it, so as not to overdo it. The most popular ingredients are mortadella, but also green vegetables (asparagus, broccoli, spinach), various types of cheese – especially long-ripened and blue cheeses, poultry, hot varieties of peppers or olives (black and green). All elements must create a harmonious composition so that the dish has a chance to retain its taste. The original bianca pizza may be lower in calories than the red one, or quite the opposite if we are talking about pies topped with white sauce. A real white pizza is more like a bread pie. The dough should be stretched well and made indentations on it with your fingertips so that the oil applied to it before baking can soak into it. High-quality pizza bianca or authentic Neapolitan pizza are on our menu. The best pizza in Larnaca is only offered by pizzerias that use fresh ingredients and original recipes. The different pizzerias in Larnaca will appeal to people with different tastes.
Ingredients & Preparation
To make the white pizza dough, prepare wheat flour (preferably type 00), slightly warm water, extra virgin olive oil, yeast, salt and sugar. As additions, you can choose, for example, Gorgonzola cheese, onion, pear, spices and herbs – pepper and rosemary. Pour water into a bowl, add the yeast and sugar, and after a few minutes, the flour. Finally, add olive oil and a pinch of salt. The dough can be kneaded by hand or with a mixer with yeast dough hooks for at least 5 minutes. It should be elastic, smooth and can be formed into a ball. If necessary, it is a good idea to sprinkle them lightly with flour, form a ball and transfer them to a bowl. The bowl should be covered with a cotton cloth or cling film and set aside in a warm place to rise for an hour. In the oven, place the tray/drawer on which the pizza will be baked on the middle shelf and set the maximum power with the option of baking pizza, heating up and down or with fan heating with the heater from the bottom. The pizza is baked on baking paper sprinkled with flour. The dough should have a diameter of 24-25 cm and thicker edges. You can put Gorgonzola cheese, onion and pear on top. Portobello mushrooms and more delicate sliced green olives also work. Place the pizza in a well-heated oven and bake for about 12 minutes, remove immediately after baking, cut into pieces and serve sprinkled with spices. Pizza bianca or Neapolitan pizza delivered from a good pizzeria is a way to avoid preparing the dish yourself and enjoy its taste anywhere.
Pizza Rossa, to which Neapolitan pizza belongs, m.in differs from white pizza in the presence of sauce and the way the dough is kneaded. Each variant has its supporters, who will find the perfect dish for themselves in a pizzeria using original recipes.