At midnight this Saturday in Naples, Italy, the guardians of Neapolitan pizza will light a fire in honor of Sant’Antuono, their patron saint. This year’s feast day festivities–in spite of the pandemic– will be larger than ever, starting with the gesture of fire. Flames, after all, make dough rise, mozzarella melt and Neapolitan pizza delicious.
The Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, an association founded in 1984 to promote and teach the traditions of Neapolitan pizza, will host the world’s first “Vera Pizza Day.” Virtual masterclasses taught by the world’s best pizzaioli in 13 countries and 13 languages, including sign language, will be broadcast via Facebook Live.
“Only some time ago it would have been unthinkable to hypothesize such an event, with lessons held by professionals trained in our school, having cities like Los Angeles, Istanbul, Cairo, Marseille, Tokyo and Melbourne as theater,” said President Antonio Pace. “With the Association we have managed, in over 35 years of activity, to create a network well rooted in all continents, which sees to the promotion of true Neapolitan pizza as a common thread that unites different peoples, histories and cultures."
The US will host two pizza-making sessions led by Mozzeria Pizzeria and Pizzaiolo Ettore Rusciano in Washington, DC and Pizzaioli Peppe Miele, from Antica Pizzeria, and Mario Vollera, from Southend pizzeria, in Los Angeles.
Italian pizza celebrities, like best-selling author Maurizio de Giovanni, will make appearances and the “Sant’Antuono Awards” will be given out to journalists who covered pizza.
Visit the AVPN's website for a full schedule of events. And don't forget the ingredients: ½ liter of water, 1 kg of 00 flour, fresh brewer's yeast, salt, peeled tomato, fior di latte or mozzarella, extra virgin olive oil and basil.