L'Italo-Americano

www.italoamericano.org 10 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2017 L'Italo-Americano P izza has been declined in all languages and topped with countless delicacies, each country creating its own - more or less - orthodox version of this quintessentially Italian food. Yet it remains Neapolitan in the minds of all of us and having a pizza in Naples is cer- tainly on the bucket list of more than a foodie. Neapolitan pizza, or "verace pizza Napoletana," as it is known in Italy, has been a "spe- cialità tradizionale garantita" (S.T.G., a guaranteed traditional specialty) since 2010: this means the European Union recognized that a true Neapolitan pizza can only be produced in a certain manner, in a certain area. Manner: with a dough as supple and simple as that of bread and only a handful of allowed top- pings, like Sammarzano toma- toes, olive oil, basil and moz- zarella (di bufala) or fiordilatte (cow mozzarella), to create the perfect Margherita. Sammarzanos, garlic, oregano and olive oil for the humble and flavorsome Marinara. Area: Naples. Making the perfect Neapolitan pizza is an art and the people of Italy, and of Naples in particular, have been hoping to see such patrimony of knowl- edge and history recognized by UNESCO since 2011, when the president of the Associazione dei Pizzaiuoli Napoletani (A.P.N.) Sergio Miccù, with the support of the Italian Ministry for Agriculture, proposed it to the relevant committee for the first time. Unfortunately, UNESCO couldn't take on board the pro- posal for bureaucratic reasons then and the idea laid dormant for a few years. In 2016 the UNESCO Italian National Commission newly accepted the proposal, supported this time by the Ministries for Agriculture, Foreign Affairs, University, Environment and Economy. The art of Naples' pizza-mak- ing could become a patrimony of the world: yes, because it's not the pizza itself to have been shortlisted, but rather the proce- dure, the ingredients and skills necessary to make it. If Italy's plea is successful, it will be a first, as never before UNESCO picked a culinary art to become part of its renowned listings. According to the proposal's sup- porting committee "the art of Neapolitan "pizzaiuoli" became an identifying element for the people of Naples and of Italy, and is a true symbol of Italy and being Italian all over the world." The proposal has been sup- ported internationally also through the hashtag #PizzaUnesco associated to a change.org petition launched by former leader of the Italian Green Party Alfonso Pecoraro Scanio in 2016. Support came from everywhere: 150.000 sig- natures came from Asia, 50.000 from Argentina and just as many from Sao Paul in Brazil. An international success for pizza FRANCESCA BEZZONE Napoletana and, according to Pecoraro Scanio, a necessary step to take in order to protect the origins and heritage of this tradi- tionally Italian dish, threatened – deliciously, mind – by the possi- ble candidature of one of its most popular foreign alter egos, New York pizza. "This is a battle to make once again our own on front of the world one of Italy's best loved and ancient traditions" declared Pecoraro Scanio last year, while campaigning for UNESCO acceptance. But exactly what would become part of UNESCO Intangible World Heritage if the art of Naples' pizza-making is accepted this Spring? The way Neapolitan pizza is made, of course: its ingredients and the unique techniques chosen to pre- pare dough and sauce, but also the cultural and social wealth of the "pizzaiuolo" profession, often learnt directly from the elders and passed on from a gen- eration to the other. Essential is also the atmosphere associated with pizza-making in Naples, relaxed and jovial, where the working counter becomes a place of exchange and entertainment, with pizza makers often engag- ing with customers, showing their pizza rolling abilities and interacting joyfully. The importance of seeing the pizza-making art of Naples rec- ognized internationally has been likened by many to Italy (and Europe)'s own quality and guar- anteed origin labels – think of DOP and DOC: just as they pro- tect specific products and their integrity, making sure only those produced in a certain area and following certain canons can use the original name, so the UNESCO Intangible World Heritage nomenclature would ensure only true Pizza Napoletana, made in Naples by original "pizzaiuoli," could be considered as such. Pizza is successful all over the world because it's versatile, deli- cious and creative: the varieties of pizzas, even within Italy, are countless as every pizza maker likes to add something personal in the way it's baked or topped. American pizzas, albeit different somehow from what you'd find in Italy, are equally good, great to comfort and fantastic to share. Yet, Neapolitan pizza has some- thing more on its shoulders: his- tory. It's only right such an amazing piece of culinary tradi- tion and the true art revolving around it get the world recogni- tion they deserve. The art of Naples' pizza -making could become a patrimony of the world The art of making pizza to become part of the UNESCO Intangible Patrimony LA VITA ITALIANA TRADITIONS HISTORY CULTURE

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