Pizza bagel facts for kids
![]() Pizza bagels with cheese
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Type | Bagel |
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Course | Lunch |
Place of origin | United States |
Region or state | Cleveland, Ohio |
Main ingredients | Bagel, tomato sauce, cheese |
Variations | Other additional toppings |
A pizza bagel is a yummy snack that combines two favorites: a bagel and pizza! It's basically a bagel topped with classic pizza ingredients like tomato sauce and cheese. This tasty treat first came from the United States.
Contents
The Story of the Pizza Bagel
Who Invented the Pizza Bagel?
Many people claim to have invented the pizza bagel. One story says that Anthony DeMauro created it in 1959. He worked at Amster's Bagel Bakery in Cleveland, Ohio. Later, in 1970, Amster Pizza Bagel, Inc. officially registered the name "Pizza Bagels." They even sold frozen pizza bagels in boxes!
In Cleveland, a famous market called the West Side Market sells legendary pizza bagels from Frickaccio's. These bagels were even shown on the Food Network. Former President Barack Obama enjoyed them during a visit to the market.
Another story credits Bruce Treitman, a 17-year-old store clerk. In 1974, he worked at a Western Bagel in California. He made a flattened bagel with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese. This is similar to the pizza bagel we know today.
Other Inventors and Ideas
In 2014, Katz Bagel Bakery in Massachusetts said Harry Katz invented his own version in 1970. His pizza bagel was like a tiny pizza. It used bagel dough without a hole, topped with cheese and tomato sauce.
There's also a claim that Frank Cerabino invented the pizza bagel in 1968. He was a delivery driver for Entenmann's. He supposedly used extra bagels from bakeries on his route to create the snack.
What Does "Pizza Bagel" Mean?
The term "pizza bagel" can also describe a person. It refers to someone who has both Italian and Jewish family backgrounds. This is because pizza comes from Italy, and bagels are a traditional Jewish food. So, combining the two describes someone with both heritages.
Pizza Bagels in Stores
You might have seen 'Bagel Bites' in the frozen food section of grocery stores. These popular mini pizza bagels were inspired by the original pizza bagel idea. They are a smaller, frozen version that you can easily heat up at home.