October is National Pizza Month!
October is the best month of all because it’s National Pizza Month! Enjoy a slice or two at your local Basta Pasta, and read on to learn more about pizza’s humble beginnings.
Naples, Italy
The perfect combination of dough, red sauce, and cheese is claimed to have been created by many different countries, so we’ll begin our journey in Naples, 1600. Pizza was originally served as a street food and sold to poor Neapolitans who were known to enjoy it on the go.
King Umberto I & Queen Margherita
When the King and Queen of Italy traveled through Naples in 1889, they grew tired of the constant diet of French haute cuisine and longed for a meal rich in Southern Italian charm. A local baker created a pizza with mozzarella, green basil, and tomato sauce to reflect the country’s flag. Queen Margherita was so fond of the creation, they decided to name the recipe after her!
The First American Pizzeria
Gennaro Lombardi opened the first pizzeria in the United States in 1905. Located in an Italian-American neighborhood in Manhattan, Lombardi’s is still in operation today! It may have changed locations, but chefs still use its original oven.
The 1930s
It took a few years, but pizza eventually became a common meal in many American households. Pizzerias started to open up across Manhattan, New Jersey, and Boston, with Italian-American chefs recreating the recipes their parents and grandparents taught them.
The Pizza Chain
Pizza took off in 1958 when Dan and Frank Carney opened the first Pizza Hut in Wichita, Kansas. Little Caesars opened shortly after in 1959, and Domino’s followed suit in 1960. All three of these establishments are still around today.
BASTA PASTA
For over 12 years, Basta Pasta has been providing Marylanders with delicious Italian specials cooked from fresh, delicious, high-quality ingredients. Enjoy a taste of classic Italian food with spectacular pasta dishes, unlimited salad and breadsticks, and sumptuous fine Italian wines. To make a reservation at our Timonium, Fallston, Perry Hall, or Eldersburg location, contact us online or give us a call at the location-specific phone number listed here. To find out more about our menu, follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
Don’t feel like going out? Order our signature crab cakes online and enjoy Basta Pasta at the comfort of your dining room table.