Considered a peasant’s meal in Italy for centuries, the debate on who invented the very first pizza is still unresolved. Food historians tend to agree that those in Italy as well as many people in the Mediterranean including the Greeks and Egyptians ate pizza-like dishes. However, the modern pizza that we all know and love has been attributed to baker Raffaele Esposito of Naples. In 1889, restaurant owner Esposito baked what he called “pizza” especially for the visit of Italian King Umberto I and Queen Margherita. This pizza was garnished with tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and basil, to represent the colors of the Italian Flag – this style of pizza is what we know as the Margherita Pizza today. With the ability to morph between different cultures, tasting just as good the morning after as it did the night before, whether you feel like something fancy or basic, pizza keeps almost every palate satisfied. Here in Bendigo, a good pizza is not scarce. We are fortunate to house some restaurants that have developed pizza making into an art form, and as you will read have done so in different and unique ways.
Peter Cavallaro has been delivering pizza to the residents of Bendigo for nearly 23 years. It all began with Jo Joe’s, a restaurant based on the simple notion of top quality pizza and pasta for the hungry late night crowd of the High Street precinct. Peter has since opened GPO and pizza makes up a very important element of the restaurant’s menu. Described, as crisp Naples style pizza the GPO version of a pizza is not quite as ‘traditional’ as Jo Joe’s. The pizzas have a thinner crust and are cooked on a hot stone within a pizza oven imported from Italy. This oven provides a similar taste and texture to that of a wood fired pizza. The most popular pizza on the GPO menu is the roast pumpkin explains Peter. “The roast pumpkin pizza wasn’t on the original menu and was added as a vegetarian option for our guests. It has now become the most popular with not only our vegetarian patrons but all of our patrons!” And it isn’t hard to see why, with ingredients adorning the roast pumpkin pizza including caramelised onion, rocket, pine nuts, pesto and goat’s cheese. Buon appetito!
Nicole and Ian Roberts are a father/daughter team and bring a new concept of pizza to Bendigo. These two know how to run a restaurant with years of experience in the hospitality industry in Bendigo. With the motto ‘Because life should be delicious’ the Crust Gourmet Pizza Bar franchise take a slightly different approach to making pizza. The dough is prepared and made on site fresh each day with fresh local produce used to adorn the creations. With wholemeal pizza bases, the use of honey instead of sugar, gluten free options and a heart foundation tick approved menu, Crust Gourmet Pizza Bar is helping us feel a little less guilty about indulging in pizza. When asked what the most popular pizza is on the menu, Nicole explains “Definitely the Mediterranean Lamb. We pull this one out of the oven the most.” Which is completely understandable when ingredients such as slow cooked marinated lamb, tomato, green capsicum, spanish onions, feta and oregano are laid on top. Oh and don’t forget the mint yoghurt and lemon.
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