Many believe pizza was invented in Italy, but the modern day sensation actually dates back further than the Italian revolution.
Cultures including the Babylonians, Israelites and Egyptians are known to have eaten unleavened flat bread baked in mud ovens.
The phenomenon spread throughout the Mediterranean, where olive oil and native spices topped the flat bread. The pizza America loves today is said to have originated in Naples, Italy.
The story recalls a seventeenth century baker, Raffaele Esposito, who wished to create a dish for the Italian King and Queen when they visited his area.
He chose ingredients for his flat bread that symbolized his country through color: red tomato, white mozzarella and green basil.
The Italian monarchy is said to have loved the dish so much that they brought Esposito into their royal kitchen.
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Pizza
News 8's Crestina Chavez shares how to make new types of pizza with a twist.
 
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When word got out that the Queen loved the pie, it became an Italian favorite. Bakers around the area began copying Esposito’s patriotic food creation.
Italian immigrants from the early 1900s introduced their national favorite food to America. The immigrants settled mostly in New York and Chicago, where restaurants began adding the Italian favorite to their menus.
Soldiers coming back from the Italian front during the Second World War also spread word of the exciting new dish.
Today, pizza is one of the most popular foods in America. There are a wide variety of crust options ranging from flat bread to deep dish. Pizza toppings and flavors continue to grow with the years.
The affordability and availability through delivery companies make pizza an easy and convenient meal for the family.
The most common American pizza topping is pepperoni. Eaten internationally, pizza pies change flavor with culture.
In India, a pizza is typically topped with pickled ginger, minced mutton, and paneer cheese. Japanese top their pies with eel, squid, and Mayo Jaga, a combination of mayonnaise, potato and bacon.
Brazilians mix it up with green peas, and Russians love red herring pizza!
