Greek pizza facts for kids
.jpg) |
|
| Type | Pizza |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | United States |
| Region or state | New England |
| Main ingredients | Pizza dough, cheese, tomato sauce |
Greek pizza is a special kind of pizza popular in the United States. It's different because of how its crust is made and cooked. Instead of being stretched by hand and baked directly on a hot oven floor, Greek pizza dough is placed in a metal pan. This pan is usually shallow, not deep like pans used for Chicago or Detroit pizzas.
The crust of a Greek pizza is often described as spongy, airy, and light. It's a bit like focaccia bread, but not as thick. You might also notice that the crust is a little oily. This happens because the pan is coated with oil before the dough goes in. This unique style of pizza is very common in the New England area and parts of eastern New York State.
Contents
The Story of Greek Pizza
Who Invented Greek Pizza?
Greek pizza was created by a person named Costas Kitsatis. He was also known as Constantinos Kombouzis, or simply "Charlie." Charlie was a Greek person from Albania. He invented this pizza style at his restaurant called Pizza House. This restaurant was located in New London, Connecticut, and he started making Greek pizza there in 1955.
How Was It Made?
Charlie's idea was to prepare all the pizza crusts for the day in advance. He would make a full day's supply of crusts in 10-inch pans each morning. This was different from other pizzerias that would stretch and prepare the dough only when a customer ordered a pizza. This method made things faster and easier for his restaurant.
Greek Pizza in Connecticut
Because of pioneers like Charlie, Greek-style pizza became very popular in Connecticut. By the 1980s, a large number of pizza restaurants in Connecticut were owned and run by people of Greek heritage. In fact, about 40% of pizzerias in the state were operated by Greeks! This shows how much Greek culture influenced the pizza scene in that area.
