Most people associate pizza with the Italian culture. Naples Italy, on the Mediterranean shoreline is where the popular dish finds its beginnings. The dish was prepared from leftover bread and pasta sauce. Neapolitan pizza with its thin, somewhat crispy crust was topped with an herbed tomato based sauce and Mozzarella. While Italian eateries still offer the classic Italian favorites, additional versions have developed over time becoming a gourmet’s dream and an artistic challenge for chefs. There are numerous kinds of pizza, which range from thin, crispy crust to deep-dish versions, typically connected with a specific location in the United States.

Chicago Pizza

A thick wall of soft dough that forms a bowl for sauce and toppings characterizes the Chi town version of deep-dish pizza. A special pan with two or three inch walls enabling the pie to rise during cooking is usually needed for this variety of pizza. A square or round pizza pan containing area for sauces and toppings enable you to produce a Chi town pizza. Stuffed pizzas are deeper but similar in design enabling denser toppings.

New York Pizzas

New Yorkers are experts when it comes to savoring their own variety of pizza. Usually fashioned with a thin flexible crust, these pies are designed to be folded and then devoured as a finger food. No cutlery and forks are required to enjoy a New York City style pie. Often available "basic", with only cheese and sauce, pies are normally giant, allowing wider slices to be produced. Toppings such as mushrooms, onions, sausage and bell pepper are well suited for New York style pizza.

New Pizza Trends

Conventional pizzas are commonly made on a round, ten to twenty inch pizza pan. Mini-style pizzas, where everybody can decide on their own toppings is turning out to be a popular trend. Even though these pies may not have the true essence of a full-sized pizza, they offer convenience and flexibility.

Extremely thin, crispy crust pizzas are a new variation that concentrates far more on the toppings then on the crust. Favored by gourmet chefs, these super thin versions that may include whole wheat or gluten free flour often appeal to trendy health-conscious people. These pies focus on fresh ingredients and non-traditional toppings such as grilled shrimp, jerk chicken, asparagus, and exotic mushrooms.