Italian versus Greek Style Pizza. Which Do You Prefer?

We’ve all heard of Greek pizza and New York-style pizza, but what about Italian? It only seems appropriate that Italy should get a little credit for some of the finest pizza across the globe.  But you don’t need to travel far distances for superior pizza, at Constantly Pizza, we rank first as the ‘best pizza near me.’

Despite when many often believe, it’s not as easy as some think to create authentic, handmade dough.  From the ingredients chosen to the techniques used, every choice and every action matters when crafting this work of art.  

Here, our family at Constantly Pizza is going behind the scenes to provide you with insight on making the most delicious pizza dough you’ll ever experience.

First, we start with the flour.

What was the last thing you baked in your kitchen? Now think about the ingredients you used.  If flour happens to be one of those, consider the steps taken to obtain your flour.  Chances are, you grabbed whatever bag was handy in your cabinet.  Although this works for many recipes, it certainly doesn’t cut it when it comes to making pizza dough.

Italians opt for a high-gluten flour versus a traditional Greek recipe that utilizes a lower gluten content.  What does gluten have to do with pizza style? Believe it or not, gluten plays a significant role in how workable dough is.  High-gluten flours allow chefs more flexibility when it’s time to stretch and mold the perfect pizza.

Rolling out the dough.

Another difference between Italian and Greek pizzas lies in the way they are cooked.  Authentic Italian pizza dough is rolled out and placed on a flat stone for baking.  Greek pizza is laid in a shallow dish.  The difference? A Greek pizza will typically have a crust that is much thicker than an Italian pizza. An authentic Italian-style pizza is on the thinner side but presents a fluffy, lighter consistency. 

In fact, the crust is one of the most important aspects of an Italian pizza – besides the sauce, of course.

 

It’s all about the sauce.

Sure crust and sauce are two items that are significant in differentiating styles of pizza, but sometimes it’s still not obvious. Enter the taste test. Beyond the crust, the one element that is the deciding factor for people is the sauce.  

Combined with flavors of oregano, basil, garlic, and onion, Italian sauces tend to be sweeter than a Greek sauce. Although Greek sauce tends to utilize some of the same herbs, authentic sauces may incorporate a splash of vinegar, leaving diners with a tangy, not sweet, experience when eating Greek pizza. Where Italian sauce is known for the sweeter experience with the addition of sugar or honey.

Which style of pizza do you prefer? 

At Constantly Pizza we proudly offer the best Italian pizza in Central New Hampshire! No matter where your preferences lie, we invite you to visit us and try, what we’re told, ‘the best pizza near me!’ Located in Concord and Penacook, NH, we look forward to serving you soon!