One of the most important specialties from the Sorrento Coast – from the enchanting town of Vico Equense in particular – is “pizza by the meter”: a pizza up to 2 meters long, topped with various ingredients and served at the table in a baking tray delivered on a trolley. The invention of this gastronomic excellence – famous and widespread in both Italy and abroad – can be credited to Luigi Dell'Amura, better known by locals as “Gigino,” with his own restaurant and pizzeria of the same name. So let's go back in time and discover the characteristics that distinguish Gigino’s “pizza by the meter” from the classic (and round) Neapolitan variety.
From its 1930s invention to the University of Pizza
The idea of pizza by the meter came to Gigino Dell'Amura in the 1930s – born from the need (and desire) to satisfy the demands of an entire table of hungry patrons all at once without losing quality, serving the pizza on a single long base with additional toppings. Thanks to the invention of the pizza by the meter, Dell'Amura's restaurant – once known as a Gigino 'o zuzzuso – became more and more famous. In fact, word of mouth and the curiosity to taste this new kind of pizza grew to the point that customers soon began to flock from everywhere, forming an endless queue outside the restaurant. Over time, the recipe of the talented pizza chef was perfected and patented in the sixties, and then replicated (then as much as now), by several pizzerias scattered throughout Italy. Another important step for Gigino's activity – as well as a milestone in the history of pizza by the meter – was the opening of the University of Pizza. In this school, established within the same structure as Gigino’s restaurant, aspiring pizza chefs are instructed by teachers on the techniques and secrets of pizza-making. Currently the restaurant has over 200 seats with three large wood-burning ovens and counts on a staff of skilled pizza makers who churn out meters and meters of pizza every day. And the menu – in addition to offering a wide variety of pizzas – includes many specialties of traditional Campania and Neapolitan cuisine.
The secrets to a perfect pizza by the meter
Having explored its origins, let's check out the techniques and specifications of pizza by the meter now. First of all, it must be said that pizza by the meter is 180 cm long and, as we have seen, it can be topped with different ingredients that are eventually cut into strips of dough. The ingredients and preparation of the pizza dough are quite similar to the steps for making a classic Neapolitan pizza, although the former contains a little more water and less salt. The real difference – apart from the shape and final presentation – is the shorter leavening time (6-8 hours, compared to the 12+ hours for Neapolitan pizza) and the longer cooking time. In short, Gigino's popular pizza can be considered a product in its own right in comparison to both Neapolitan pizza and pizza by the slice – whose recipes are all linked, and its realization is the result of years and years of passion, skill, creativity and selection of top quality ingredients.