Italy's Undercover Pizza Detectives
21 days ago
- #Italy
- #Food Culture
- #Pizza
- The Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (AVPN) was founded in 1984 to promote and protect authentic Neapolitan pizza, which was later recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage.
- AVPN sets strict guidelines for 'real' Neapolitan pizza, including dough preparation, cooking time (under 90 seconds), and presentation (soft, elastic, foldable with no burned spots).
- International trainees undergo rigorous training at AVPN's headquarters, learning dough techniques, topping selection, and oven handling to bake perfect Neapolitan pizza.
- Pizzerias seeking AVPN accreditation must submit detailed documentation, including kitchen photos and videos of pizza preparation, and are subject to secret inspections by AVPN agents.
- Despite AVPN's strict standards, debates exist within Italy about other regional pizza styles (e.g., Roman, fried pizza) and whether modern variations (like Hawaiian toppings) can coexist with tradition.
- AVPN has adapted some rules over time, such as allowing electric ovens, but remains committed to preserving traditional Neapolitan pizza-making methods.