Italy wants pizza-making to be part of UNESCO world heritage
Traditional pizza-making as practised in Naples should join the list of world heritage traditions protected by UNESCO, the Italian government said Friday, presenting an official candidacy to the United Nations' culture agency.
As part of its remit, UNESCO does not only recognize monuments, but also "intangible" crafts as part of global heritage. In Italy, violin craftsmanship in Cremona and Sicilian puppet theatre are among the traditions already enjoying such privileged status.
"The art of pizza-makers is a worldwide symbol of Italian character and this candidacy shows once again the government's commitment to protect and champion, in all international fora, Italian food traditions," Agriculture Minister Maurizio Martina said.
In a statement, Martina said UNESCO should make a decision by the end of 2017. Pizza is popular worldwide, but Naples claims to be home to its original version.
The True Neapolitan Pizza Association has set very specific guidelines on what makes an authentic product, regulating ingredients and cooking techniques.
In an example of its exacting standards, the association says in an 11-page rulebook that "the cooking [...] must be done exclusively in a wood fire oven which has reached the cooking temperature of 485 degrees Celsius," and that cooking times "should not exceed 60-90 seconds." (dpa)
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