Top Glendale Cafes Basking in their Italian Cuisine Offerings

Born in Naples, Italy, delighting food lovers globally, the La Varace Pizza Napoletana or Neapolitan Pizza finds its name on UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage. Thanks to its exquisite preparation style, it is one of its kind. If I were to describe it to a foodie or a layman, this round pizza is created from a thin dough, has high edges, and an airy, yet thick crust.

The recipe is so authentically Italian that it is protected as a Traditional Specialty Guaranteed (TSG) product in the UK and EU. It is not difficult to understand why this Italian cuisine is a hot favorite, and surprisingly, in the US state of California. Lately, cafes in Glendale, CA, are preparing authentic Neapolitan pizzas for customers who crave the goodness of melted cheese, traditional American bacon, and fresh homemade sauces.

What Makes Neapolitan Pizza Different?

If I were to describe the visual aspects, the crust is soft and thin in the middle with slightly charred outer edges. It is somewhat common in all pizza varieties. However, the bespoke ingredients and toppings make it a classic Italian serving with red wine or champagne.

The best Glendale cafes have mastered the art of pizza making by infusing traditional baking style, methods, and home-grown ingredients. They use authentic mozzarella di bufala campana (buffalo Mozzarella) and Parmesan cheese. Next in the fray are farm-fresh San Marzano tomatoes. They deliver the crimson red hue.

The soft dough is handmade with flour, yeast, salt, and water. It does not comprise refined oil and sugar. After extracting the dough from the kneading machine, it is left on the table, covered by a moist cloth. The fermentation process is long, and the cooking is in a wood-fired oven at high temperatures. It produces a puffy and blistered crust. A few key characteristics of a Neapolitan-style pizza.

- A roundish pizza with a maximum diameter of 35 cm.
- Swollen edges and free from excessive burns.
- The handmade dough characterizes a fermentation process lasting 8-24 hours. It results in a soft, fragrant, and smooth texture.
- Ingredient composition – water: 1 litre, salt: 40-55 grams, yeast: beer yeast and mother yeast, and wheat flour: 1600-1800 grams.

The Creme de la Creme Toppings

- Fresh curd mozzarella di bufala campana (buffalo cheese) or Fior de Latte
- Parmesan
- San Marzano tomatoes
- Kalamata olives
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Fresh basil leaves
- Sliced garlic
- Oregano
- Canadian bacon
- Fennel sausage
- Roasted pepper

Extra Toppings

- Sliced artichoke
- Shredded mozzarella
- Fontina cheese
- Onions
- Bell peppers
- Mushroom
- Jalapenos

NOTE: You can order your Neapolitan with extra meat toppings for an additional price. Popular choices are pepperoni, chicken, Canadian bacon, and Fennel sausage. Some prefer Prosciutto as the primary pizza topping, alongside other meats.

The Original Recipe

Premium cafes in Glendale strictly follow the cooking rules proposed by AVPN (Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana) that lay down the preparation guidelines. The dough consists of brewer’s yeast, wheat flour, salt, and water, without oil. Most importantly, the dough must be made from finely ground wheat, having a flour content of less than 20 percent and a W value of 250-350 with 11-13.5 percent protein.

The pizza dough is hand-kneaded and flattened into a round shape with the help of a wooden rolling pin. The thickness of the dough must not exceed 0.25 cm, and baking is done in a wood-fired oven for 60-95 seconds at an average temperature of 905°F. The two classic variations of this pizza are Margherita and pizza Marinara. They feature distinct cheese, vegetables, and meat toppings, making them unique in taste and texture. It has a smoky flavor, unlike barbecue grilled meat, which is perfectly balanced by the sauces and oil.

A UNESCO Protected Recipe for Years

It is easily the best brunch and snacking recipe among Mediterranean cuisine lovers, as the cooking and baking style has been unchanged for over 30 years. The best Neapolitan pizzas in Glendale follow the same preparation method as in Naples. It is why pizza lovers in Southern California who have been to Italy find it difficult to distinguish between the two. The guidelines set by the Neapolitan Pizza Association (AVPN) help maintain the consistency in the texture of the dough, the overall taste, aromas, and the use of select toppings.

Final Words

A few Glendale cafes have maintained the high standards of pizza preparation, mastering the kneading technique by hand or a fork mixer. The result is a classic Margherita or a Neapolitan pizza. The base is handmade using the pressure of wingers in a motion from the center outwards, creating a perfect round dough, ready to invite the classic toppings and rich sauces. You are in for a magical treat, elevating your all-American taste buds with a pleasant twist. Local cafeterias, such as Art’s Bakery Glendale, have lived up to the benchmarks of top pizzerias. They are preparing the finest Margherita, Neapolitan, Pepperoni, Roma, and Primavera, to name a few.