Italy, known for its unwritten food rules, could see a breakthrough in the most sacred of pizza toppings; pineapple. The controversial ingredient has been added to the menu of Gino Sorbillo, a renowned pizzaiolo in Naples, who is hoping to “combat food prejudice” and challenge the Italian public’s perception.
The Margherita con Ananas, which costs €7 ($7.70), is a pizza bianca (white pizza) layered with three types of cheese and the pineapple is cooked twice to give a caramelised feel. Sorbillo, a third-generation pizzaiolo, said “Sadly people follow the crowd and condition themselves according to other people’s views, or what they hear.”
In addition to its location in Via dei Tribunali, the best-known pizza street in the world capital of pizza, Sorbillo is renowned for his pizzas, which have been given the seal of approval by the likes of Bill Clinton and Michelle Obama, as well as the Pope. Sorbillo, who has lived in the United States and has a pizza restaurant in Manhattan, is looking to subvert the idea that “true” Neapolitan pizza is never to be messed with and while his interpretation of the Hawaiian pizza is a bold move, he is already causing a stir.
The debate about whether or not pineapple belongs on pizza has been going on for years, with die-hard pizza purists arguing that the two simply do not mix. The controversy escalated when the then-president of Iceland, Guðni Th. Jóhannesson, caused a stir in 2017 when he jokingly suggested he would like to ban pineapple pizza. The public reacted with anger and even threats, and Jóhannesson later clarified that he was only joking.
However, the trend of pineapples on pizzas is growing, particularly in North America, and has even led to a pineapple pizza emoji being created, approved and made available in 2020. And now, with Sorbillo introducing it to his menu, it appears that Italy, the birthplace of pizza, might be opening its heart – and stomach – to the idea.
The pizza maestro believes there could be a future for the Margherita con Ananas as it is also being considered for inclusion on the menu in Sorbillo’s New York restaurant. However, whether it will become a permanent fixture at the Naples eatery remains to be seen.
