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Is tonight a takeaway dinner night? Chances are, you’ll probably be nibbling on a cheesy pizza! While Kiwis might take the pizza pie for granted, this popular food has a long history and even people who take it very, very seriously!

Try not to get hungry reading these 10 yummy facts about pizza:

1. Italians totally used pizza to pay rent.

At least, a few did. A rent agreement from around 1000 A.D. stated that a mill owner must pay the local bishop 12 pizzas plus other foodstuffs every year on Christmas and Easter. This is actually the first time the word pizza appears in writing.

2. The margherita pizza – fit for a queen?

There are plenty of pizza legends (no joke), but maybe the best-known includes Italian royalty. Margherita of Savoy, wife of King Umberto I, was presented with a pizza during her visit to Naples. This simple pie of tomato, mozzarella and basil was named in her honour, and it’s colours—red, white and green— later made their way onto the national flag.

3. Neapolitan pizza has its own watchdog.

Yup, you read that right. The True Neapolitan Pizza Association has very strict standards for Marinara and Margherita pizzas. They even helped pass a law to spell out exactly how these two pies should be made, including size, crust thickness and which ingredients can be used.

4. Kiwis didn’t fall in love with pizza until the 1970s. 

It’s hard to imagine, but Kiwis once thought of pizza as an “exotic” food. That all changed in 1974, when Garry Melville-Smith opened the first Pizza Hut restaurant here. Home delivery followed in the 1980s, eventually leading to all dine-in Pizza Huts closing for good in 2016.

5. We love delivery pizza – a lot.

A 2015 survey asked about our favourite takeaway foods and pizza topped the list. The reason? It’s easy. Some 42% of people said they sometimes pick pizza over other options just because they deliver. And 26% said they’d rather order pizza than go out for dinner. Hey, with all those great streaming packages, we like staying in too!

6. A PM’s pizza recipe once made international headlines.

Tinned spaghetti pizza – Kiwi classic or food horror? This debate raged online in 2017 when Prime Minister Bill English posted pics of his dinner on Facebook. Southland families were quick to come to the PMs defense, whilst others around the country and the world were shocked by this bit of Kiwi resourcefulness.

7. Tinned spaghetti? Maybe not the strangest topping…

People around the world are eating pizza and adding their own local flair to it, too! Some popular foreign toppings include green peas in Brazil and pickled ginger in India. Then there’s “mayo jaga” from Japan, a combo of mayonnaise, bacon and potato. The one we probably won’t be trying anytime soon? “Mockba”—a Russian blend of tuna, mackerel, sardines, salmon and onion.

8. Tossing dough—not just for show.

Throwing and spinning pizza dough looks impressive, but it’s not about showing off (well, maybe it’s a little bit about that). Spinning the dough lets air flow over the dough’s surface, drying it out just enough to get that perfect crispy crust. It’s also a pretty easy way to make it perfectly round.

9. Italy holds the record for the world’s largest pizza.

As it should, right? The Guinness World Records officially recognised a 1,261.65 square metre pizza named “Ottavia” as the biggest on the planet in 2012. Ottavia was also gluten-free.

10. Not to be confused with the world’s longest pizza.

It’s different! Businesses in California, USA chipped in to create a 1,930.39 metre long pizza in 2017. They didn’t name it (missed opportunity, if you ask me), but all leftovers were donated to several local charities.

What’s your favourite pizza topping? Share your pizza dreams with us on our Facebook page!

Sources:

NZ Herald, The origin of pizza is wrong – historian, February 2015

How Stuff Works, How Pizza Works, December 2007

Stuff.co.nz, The evolution of New Zealand's pizza industry, March 2016

New Zealand Journal of History, ‘If there’s not one near you now, there soon will be’ American Fast-Food Chains Come to New Zealand, 2005

Canstar, New Zealander’s 5 Favourite Takeaways, April 2015

The Guardian, Tinned spaghetti pizza: New Zealand's prime minister shocks with 'monstrous' recipe, April 2017

How Stuff Works, Tossing a Pizza 101, July 2009

Guinness World Records, Largest pizza, accessed January 2019

Guinness World Records, Longest pizza, accessed January 2019

About the author: Dollar Insurance is all about making insurance as painless as possible, with easy to get funeral cover, for just $1 a day. 

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is of a general nature only and does not take into account your personal situation or goals. You should consider whether the information is appropriate to your needs and seek independent financial advice, if required, to ensure an insurance product is suitable for you.

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