Around the world to discover the strangest pizza toppings: from the Malaysian one inspired by bubble tea to the Japanese one with mayonnaise, up to the Swedish one with kiwi
There Pizza, pride of Italian cuisine, has the distinction of being one of the most famous and most loved foods in the world. As with any other globally renowned culinary specialty, however, even the pizza recipe has undergone all sorts of changes depending on the country, with adaptations and variations that in our eyes can be extravagant and sometimes questionable. So forget the classic Italian flavors and ingredients, because what we are about to do is a virtual tour around the world to discover ten of the strangest toppings. Before starting it is good to know that some of these recipes are in effect the consolidated gastronomic specialties of the respective country, while others are the fruit of imagination and the most modern culinary trends. If the Canadian "Hawaiian pizza", considered by many to be "sacrilegious" due to the presence of pineapple among the toppings, has already upset or intrigued you, hold on tight, because another long roundup of unusual ingredients and risky combinations is on the way.
1) Canada (Quebec), "pizza ghetti"
Incredible, but true: the Canadians, in addition to having invented the famous margherita-based tropical pizza topped with pineapple and ham, have also created a dish that embodies both of the iconic Italian dishes, namely pizza and pasta. The so-called "pizza ghetti" is none other than one margherita covered with spaghetti with tomato sauce and then baked. There is also a variant that provides that the spaghetti are hidden under a generous layer of stringy cheese.
2) Brazil, pizza with unusual vegetable ingredients
Brazilians are true pizza-lovers and are famous for adopting many traditional Italian recipes including the four cheeses and a reinterpretation of the capricciosa pizza. However, there were also other more typically South American recipes that include typical national vegetables and condiments, including hearts of palm, corn, mashed potatoes and peas.
3) Costa Rica, coconut and shrimp pizza
Let's stay in South America to discover a truly original sweet and sour recipe. It is a very popular tropical recipe in Costa Rica, in which shrimp meet the exotic taste of coconut flakes.
4) Sweden, pizza with kiwi
Anyone who is passionate about viral food trends will certainly have heard of pizza with kiwifruit invented in Sweden, a recipe that has become a real media event, attracting the curiosity, but also the indignation, of the people of the web. This local variation of Hawaiian pizza is actually just the latest of one long series of "unconventional" Swedish flavors; very popular are, in fact, also the pizza with curry, chicken and peanuts or the same recipe, but in a vegetarian version, with bananas instead of chicken.
5) France, pizza with crème fraîche, bacon and onions
A French gastronomic specialty, and in particular from the Alsace region, is the tarte flambée, also known as "French pizza". The dough is soft and very similar to that of Neapolitan pizza, but the revolution is in the topping. In fact, instead of Italian mozzarella we find sour cream or very fresh fromage blanc (white cheese), both specialties of French cuisine, and to garnish this creamy base are caramelized onions and strips of fried bacon.
6) Finland, pizza with smoked reindeer meat
For many, the idea of eating reindeer meat may be unpleasant, let alone imagine it on a pizza. Well, a very popular pizza in Finland has among its ingredients the smoked reindeer meat, accompanied by chanterelles and crunchy onion. A dish with decidedly strong flavors, for the truly courageous.
7) Russia, "four fish" pizza
Another bizarre and equally challenging pizza to digest is the mockba, la traditional Russian pizza. This special pizza, named after the city in which it was created, is indeed garnished with ben four kinds of fish (usually salmon, sardines, tuna and mackerel) and a final addition of aromatic herbs and onions. The dish is served strictly cold, perhaps accompanied by a glass of vodka.
8) Malaysia, "boba pizza"
A recent novelty on the creative pizza front is a Malaysian recipe inspired by bubble tea, the beloved drink born in Taiwan and then went viral globally. Well, this pizza with contrasting flavors is topped with condensed milk, spreadable cheese, cheddar and a few drops of garlic oil, all covered with tapioca balls. There is also a variant without condensed milk, but with the addition of cempedak, a tropical fruit typical of South East Asia.
9) India, tandoori chicken pizza
In India, alongside the usual Mediterranean flavors of pizza, you can find a wide variety of unique local toppings, with a spicy and typically oriental flavor. The most famous is the tandoori chicken pizza, which in addition to the well-known chicken marinated with yogurt, a mix of spices and garlic, is garnished with delicate Indian cheese (paneer) or alternatively mozzarella, tomato sauce (or fresh tomatoes), sliced green peppers, red onions and freshly sliced jalapenos.
10) Japan, pizza with mayonnaise
We could not fail to conclude this virtual journey around the world in what par excellence is the land of contrasts, including culinary ones, or the Japan. Here the West and the East meet in the kitchen, giving life to what can be considered one of the most eccentric pizzas ever invented. It's about a pizza topped with mayonnaise (yes, you read that right), or rather with the characteristic Japanese mayonnaise, which compared to ours is denser and with a more intense flavor. But this ingredient is not the only surprise that the toppings of Japanese pizzas can reserve; in fact, the use of sweet corn, cuttlefish ink, cod, bamboo shoots, local mushrooms (including maitake and shimeji), Japanese basil and, last but not least, the traditional "natto", is also very common. fermented soybeans.
In short, as we have seen, there really is something for everyone! Maybe some pizza will have made you turn up your nose, but every foreign recipe, although characterized by "not very authentic" ingredients, should be appreciated as creative reinterpretation of the classic Neapolitan pizza, a way to bring together different cultures and pay tribute to our country.
Photo: World's strangest pizza toppings_hawaiian pizza_flickr_Patrick.jpg
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