I Just Learned How Italians Really Cut Pizza, And It Doesn't Involve A Wheel

Sliced pizzaFirst came the news that some Italians add bicarbonate of soda as well as sugar to their tomato sauce to help neutralise the acidity. Then, I found out Italians rely a lot more on nutmeg than I previously realised. Turns out even meatballs on pasta are kind of a lie, too.But none of those facts prepared me for the information Davide Argentino, Master Baker at Manchester’s new Neapolitan pizza place, Forbici, recently shared with me. Speaking to HuffPost UK, the expert tells us that the traditional Neapolitan (the pizza is generally agreed to have been invented in Naples) way of slicing pizza does not involve a wheel or even a knife.(OK, OK, the method might not be used country-wide; but it’s certainly used in the dish’s birthplace, the expert says). Apparently we should be using scissors (yes, really)Argentino says: “In Naples, how you eat pizza is as important as how it’s made.“Traditionally, pizza is served whole, quartered with scissors, and eaten folded ― never sliced with a pizza wheel.”Naturally, I spiralled on hearing that ― but it seems the master baker isn’t alone.Speaking to Food & Wine, Jim Lahey, who studied baking in Italy, shared: “The tradition is that the person cutting your slice asks you how big of a slice you want, and you say ‘yeah, cut it there.’”Customised slices aren’t the only reason to use the tools, though, Argentino states.“Cutting with scissors preserves the delicate, airy crust created through a long fermentation process. It’s about protecting the craft, respecting the dough, and inviting guests to experience pizza as it’s truly meant to be.” Though I baulked at the suggestion at first, it makes sense when think about it ― I am getting pretty sick of wheeling a squeaky slicer back and forwards 50 times and still not slicing the crust properly.Forbici chef cutting pizza with scissorsThe device might not work for every single type of pizza The bakers at Forbici use a traditional, slow-fermented dough to make “an irresistibly soft and flavourful crust.”But your supermarket frozen pizza, or even a thicker, cheesier takeaway pizza, might not be fit for the job. Lahey tells Food & Wine that if you’re dealing with a bulkier, heavier slice and “shears are all you have and the cheese is molten hot and it just came from the oven, you’re probably gonna burn your hand.”Still, I I get my hands on some high-quality pizza any time soon, I know how I’ll be cutting it...Related...The Unexpected Secret Ingredient Italians Add For Perfect Pasta SauceThe 1 Common Risotto Mistake Italians Never MakeHere's The Only Breaded Mozzarella Italians Really Eat, And It's Not Mozzarella Sticks

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