Cookbook talk:Pizza

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I don't think pizza should be in with "pie". I've heard of a "pizza pie" of course, but it's not a proper pie. It's not made out of pastry (more of a bread) and it's not filled with anything (only topped)... "Pizza" is more of a classification in and of itself (or maybe with other topped flatbreads). Kellen ^T 04:38, 7 October 2005 (UTC)

Yes, it's definitely not a pie. I'd really like to keep the page organized into sections. We can have a crust section, with links to various crust recipes, and so on. The choice of sauce is unrelated to the choice of cheese, the choice of topping is unrelated to the choice of crust, etc. AlbertCahalan 05:03, 7 October 2005 (UTC)

A pie isn't supposed to be filled with anything. A pie is something that is baked and holds the rest of the dish together. Pizzas are pies. It's like a pumpkin pie or a pasty, they're all pies. I don't see a reason for putting section divisons in a short piece like this, it's an index of sorts to the various pizza recipes to be filled in. Hell, the Original Pizza recipe there isn't even a proper pizza, it's one of the americanized ones. Nmontague 06:40, 7 October 2005 (UTC)

Nope, a pie is definitely filled. I won't agree that a pie must be pastry, because it could have a crumb crust, but a yeast bread or soda bread would be wrong. AlbertCahalan 07:31, 7 October 2005 (UTC)

The section divisions serve to divide the sections. Without section divisions, the crust info runs right into the next section and so on. AlbertCahalan 07:31, 7 October 2005 (UTC)

Since pizza is an American food, "americanized" is redundant. Pizza is no less American than Chop Suey and Crab Rangoons. I won't object to listing an Italian proto-pizza on the page though. AlbertCahalan 07:31, 7 October 2005 (UTC)

That is very wrong-headed of you, claiming pizza for the United States is like claiming apple pie, apple pie is an English thing. Just because someone lays a claim to something does not make it valid. Much like the hotdog isn't American, but is just a frankfurter from Germany renamed. And a pizza is definately a pie, claiming otherwise is either ignorance or invalid knowledge on the subject. Nmontague 08:53, 7 October 2005 (UTC)

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary has, as the only two food-related definitions:

1. a meat dish baked with biscuit or pastry crust -- compare POTPIE
2. a dessert consisting of a filling (as of fruit or custard) in a pastry shell or topped with pastry or both

That would include the cobbler, crisp, bearclaw, and danish. It would not include a pizza.

AlbertCahalan 01:58, 8 October 2005 (UTC)

I won't claim the apple pie. I don't want to claim the hot dog, but sadly I must. I'm quite sure that the vile concoction of beef and synthetic casing is nothing like a traditional German sausage. AlbertCahalan 01:58, 8 October 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Pizza an American Dish? No Way!

While pizza, in all it's myriad forms, has become a staple of Italian-American cooking, it is most definitely rooted in classic Italian cooking. Reliable ovens were a rarity in Italy until the second half of the 20th century, especially in small villages. Breads, etc. were prepared at home then taken to the village bakery for cooking. Pizza developed as a way to both utilize left-over dough and create an easy supper dish on baking days. William Peterson 08:26, 13 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Change the photo

That photo is just revolting. Surely there's a better, more representative photo of pizza!

Changed.