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If Domino’s is finally getting old, you might want to turn to something more authentic. But what happens when you’re sick of authentic Italian pizza too?
This is a pizza-loving world we live in, and there are so many countries out there that put their own spin on the beloved treat. From cheeseless, sauceless pizza in Rome to banana pizza in Iceland, check out these nine different types of pizza from around the world.
If you’re a ketchup-hating Chicagoan, you’ll appreciate the way Sicilians make pizza. These are thick boys, baked in deep, rectangular pans. All that porous dough is perfect for creating caverns of cheese and sauce.
“White pizza,” as it is known in Rome, probably isn’t what you’d expect from Italian pizza. For starters, it’s got no cheese or sauce, instead opting for olive oil, garlic, and salt. It’s actually a lot more like focaccia. Is it even pizza? It’s got the word pizza right there in the name, so at least for now, we’ll go with yes.
Thicker than Neapolitan pizza but thinner than Detroit-style is the sweet spot for 'za in Milan. You’ll find a lot of heart in the dough and crust, which is often enriched with milk and olive oil. Toppings tend to be minimal and usually focused on regional ingredients. The way all pizza should be, in my opinion.
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Brazil is wild about pizza. Ingredients like hearts of palm, catupiry cheese (Brazilian cream cheese), and guava paste are common as toppings, nestled on top of thick, rectangular slices. The crust should please just about anybody, too, as it’s a perfect balance between the doughiness of Italian and American styles.
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As somebody who defends pineapple pizza, I don’t think I’d touch Iceland’s banana pizza with an eight-foot pole. I don’t feel great about that texture, especially since Iceland also likes to dress its banana pizza up with béchamel cheese sauce as well.
That said, if you wanna take a torch to the top of this pizza and brûlée those bananas, then I’m ready to have a conversation.
Greek pizza’s crust is more like bread, and you’ll be stunned to hear it shines with golden, olive oil flavor. You’ll also be stunned to hear that feta and Kalamata olives are common toppings. Hope you don’t love tomato sauce, because chances are high that you won’t find any here.
Bigger is better when it comes to Persian or Iranian-style pizza. Traditionally, these pies have a boatload of toppings (like ground meat and cold cuts) loaded up on top of the cumin-spiced dough. It’s not uncommon for them to be cooked in tandoor ovens too, which helps with their signature crispiness.
Kabob meat, lettuce, and garlicky mayo are par for the course when it comes to pizza in Sweden. Curry sauce and (sigh) banana slices also make appearances here, usually layered on top of thin, crispy dough. I used to live a short walk from a Swedish pizza shop, and I can personally attest to how good it can be.
If you think there are rules to what does and does not belong on pizza, Korea is not the place you’re going to want to eat it. I’d say the rules here are more like guidelines, but to be honest, there are no guidelines either. Sweet potato mousse, corn, seafood, bulgogi, mayo, potato wedges… the list of popular Korean pizza toppings goes on and on. This is kind of like the Burning Man of pizza vacations; everything goes.
Next up: The World's Most Amazing Sandwiches
