Pizza Napoletana Vs Pizza Al Taglio: What's The Difference?

Undoubtedly the single most ubiquitous dish on the planet, pizza is a global favorite that has taken on many forms; just glance at our list of 20 pizzas around the world to see how different cultures mold pizza with local ingredients and cooking methods. In the U.S. alone, pizza has evolved into dozens of styles, from Chicago deep dish to the floppy, giant, by-the-slice New York-style pies. Of course, the birthplace of pizza is Italy, with a long list of its own varieties.

Sicilian-style pizzas and calzones are mainstays at New York pizzerias. Neapolitan — or pizza Napoletana — is the original recipe that's gained a lot of traction stateside. We even feature a few Neapolitan pizzerias on our list of the best pizza places in the U.S. But what about pizza al taglio? This style might be new to you, and while both pizza Napoletana and pizza al taglio are Italian, that's about the only thing they have in common. These two pizzas are different in nearly every way, from cooking method and serving style to texture and ingredients. So let's explore each pizza style more thoroughly.

Thought to be the recipe from which all forms of modern pizza originated, pizza Napoletana is Naples' and Italy's most prized type of pizza. It has received many protective seals, including from the Italian Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (which translates to the True Neapolitan Pizza Association), the European Union's Traditional Specialty Guarantee, and a spot on UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. These accreditations specify a set of locally sourced ingredients and preparations that make Neapolitan pizzas unique. However, despite all the lofty badges of approvals, pizza Napoletana is a simple recipe. It consists of a thinly stretched dough made of water, salt, yeast, and flour, topped with a sauce of San Marzano tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, and mozzarella di bufala.

The pizza is then cooked in an incredibly hot 900 degrees Fahrenheit wood-burning oven for a maximum of 90 seconds. The heat from the oven causes the outer crust to bubble and char while the center of the pizza remains thin and soft. Neapolitan pizza is served fresh out of the oven without being cut into slices. Every customer at a Neapolitan pizzeria orders their own pizza, eating it with a knife and fork instead of with their hands; the floppy almost gooey center isn't suited for hand-held slices, anyways.

While there are really two original recipes for pizza Napoletana – pizza margherita and pizza marinara (the latter served without cheese) – you can now find a wide variety of toppings including meat, vegetables, different types of cheese, and even arugula.

While pizza Napoletana is what you imagine when you think of Italian pizza — circular and topped with tomato and mozzarella, pizza al taglio is the quintessential Roman snack ordered from behind a display case. Translated literally, pizza al taglio means "pizza by the cut" but you'll also see it called pizza al trancio, which means "pizza by the slice." Pizza al taglio isn't baked in a searing wood-burning oven, and it also isn't round. Instead, it's a rectangular sheet-pan pizza baked in electric ovens for a whopping 15 minutes, resulting in a super crunchy, thick, and airy crust, that has more of a focaccia-like texture. It's then cut into rectangular slices.

The original by-the-slice snack, pizza al taglio is even more customizable because the customer can often specify exactly how big of a slice they want. After choosing the variety of pizza from the selection on display, the slice is cut to the desired size and sold by weight. Due to long baking times, these sheet-pan pizzas often begin baking with just sauce and cheese, and the toppings are added halfway through. Unlike the strict guidelines that define pizza Napoletana, pizza al taglio is the street food that's open to limitless creativity when it comes to topping combinations. Many varieties are a veritable charcuterie board, topped with all types of cured meats, cheeses, olives, and even fresh fruit — proscuitto and figs are an approved topping, as is potato and soppressata sausage. While pizza al taglio originated in Rome, it's a beloved snack and street food with slice shops found all around Italy.