Pizza

I am not a fan of pizza. By this I mean, I will eat if offered, or if there is nothing else worth selecting from the menu. At home we always have frozen pizzas so that there’s an option when nobody feels like cooking.

Aside from Döner, in Germany, pizza is probably one of the most ubiquitous dishes - it's sold everywhere and can be made by those with no culinary training. Of the seven restaurants and take-aways in Aarbergen, four are either pizzarias or have pizza on their menu. I’ve ordered from all of them and, unfortunately none of them are extraordinarily good.

This then begs the question: what constitutes an extraordinarily good pizza. Well, in my view, it must have the following properties:

• The base must be thin; light and not too crispy. Ideally made from 1050 or 812 flour that is a little more gritty glutenous than the 550 that everyone seems to use.
• A pizza that is not perfectly geometric is a sign of being handmade and usually indicates some care in its preparation (though not always).
• Followed by the base, a thin layer of tomato sauce and copious amounts of cheese.

Apparently, the art of pizza-making is to add things like rocket; basil or salami after the pizza has come out of the oven.

Speaking of ovens, a wood-burning oven produces the best results, though I’ve had very good pizzas that were made in an electric or gas oven.

To really compare apples with apples as far as restaurant pizzas go, one should always order a margarita since this is the only pizza that is the same no matter where you go.

I’m not Italian so putting pineapple on a pizza does not solicit any reaction on my part. However, there are some things which, in my opinion do not belong on a pizza:

• Any kind of vegetable, that includes Asparagus and Artichoke.
• Tuna or salmon.
• Mayonnaise or salad cream.
• Lettuce.

Pizza is enjoyed best without the aid of a knife and fork.