Keep it Simple, Stupid

There’s this saying, “If it tastes good on its own, it’ll taste good on a pizza”.  I haven’t had an ice cream pizza yet, or a Cheerios pizza, but I have my doubts.  If you reduce pizza to its basic elements–cheese, crust, tomatoes–you have surprising latitude for improvement.  Maybe a different cheese?  How about heirloom tomatoes, or a special crispy sourdough crust?  There’s a reason the well-known Neapolitan pizza undergoes scrutiny to be labeled as Specialita Tradizionale Garantita Pizza Napoletana.  Simple ingredients have to be prepared just so, and it is in the simplicity and attention to detail that the pizza is worthy of a special registration.  Of course only in Italy or France can you see such religious devotion and legalization of things like the method of spreading sauce on a pizza crust but there’s no reason not to pay the same attention when you make your own food.  When it’s time to make your pizza, instead of piling a mountain of toppings on it and a proprietary fifty-cheese blend, how about keeping it simple?  Being able to taste every ingredient is a the hallmark of a well-balanced recipe, and teasing the most flavor out of simple ingredients is a skill that will be rewarded in your first bite.  Buon appetito!

About Peter Soutowood

Writer, architect, father, husband.