| #ffffff;" /> | | | | walking in Italy’s most active volcanic region |
| How do you cook the perfect pizza? The answer lies | | | | certainly isn’t an easy affair and walkers should |
| somewhere in Italy’s south, where the first | | | | be warned that the hike is quite strenuous. There is, |
| pizza was invented by Raffaele Esposito back in 1889. | | | | however, another reason that you may be tempted to |
| When walking in Italy you’ll see how the simple | | | | visit the fertile soils of Mount Vesuvius and that is to |
| ways of the South inspired this classic dish, which | | | | collect the first of your ingredients, juicy San Marzano |
| should ideally be made with only the most basic of | | | | tomatoes which grow on the fertile soils to the south |
| ingredients. | | | | of the volcano. |
| Pizza-making in Italy certainly isn’t a slap-dash | | | | Buffalo Mozzarella |
| affair and, it’s only right that, a nation that loves | | | | Another scenic walk around the Campania region is in |
| its food so much, may lay down a few rules in order | | | | the rustic area of Lazio. In this area, verdant hills give |
| to prevent just anyone claiming to produce an | | | | way to sprawling rustic towns, and the region is one of |
| authentic pizza. In fact, for a pizza to be classed as an | | | | the most attractive and traditional in the whole country. |
| authentic Neapolitan it must abide by rules proposed | | | | Lazio is home to the Abruzzo National Park and, in the |
| by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana. There | | | | town of Opi, mountain-life is still very prevalent. Whilst |
| are three different types of Neapolitan pizza; the | | | | walking in Italy you’ll be able to watch the locals |
| Marinara made with tomato, garlic, oregano, basil and | | | | hand-make pecorino cheese and ricotta, but the |
| olive oil; the Margarita with tomato, mozzarella, basil | | | | cheese that you’re here to collect is buffalo |
| and extra virgin olive oil; and Margarita Extra where the | | | | mozzarella; made from the milk of the water buffalo |
| mozzarella is served in fillets from the Campania | | | | that roam in a semi-wild state in this area. |
| region. A Neapolitan pizza,that abides by these rules is | | | | Cooking Your Pizza |
| classed as a Traditional Speciality Guaranteed product, | | | | Now that you’ve collected these two |
| under an EU regulation that protects food from a | | | | ingredients, you’re well on your way to making |
| certain region. In fact, all the ingredients for an authentic | | | | an authentic Neapolitan pizza. The first part of your |
| Neapolitan pizza can be found locally, and walking in | | | | lesson involves making the dough or the base of your |
| Italy’s Campania region should allow you to pick | | | | pizza. You’ll be shown the traditional way to |
| up everything you need to make Italy’s most | | | | work the dough in an Italian cookery class. The dough |
| famous pizza. | | | | needs to be both formed and kneaded by hand and |
| San Marzano Tomatoes | | | | should be no more than 3mm thick. You can then |
| Walking in Italy’s south instantly conjures up | | | | choose your Neapolitan topping to place on the dough, |
| images of a few places that you simply can’t | | | | before baking it in a traditional stone oven for no more |
| afford to miss. One of these is Mount Vesuvius, a | | | | than 90 seconds. However, if you’re not yet |
| dormant volcano that occasionally emits a few | | | | convinced by your own culinary genius, you may want |
| streams of lava. From the top of this breathtaking | | | | to eat out at one of any number of Naples’ |
| mountain you can see images out over the Bay of | | | | famous pizzerias. |
| Naples, Capri, Ischia and the Almafi Coast. However, | | | | |