A unique culinary experience awaits at Neverland Pizzeria in Budapest, Hungary, with a new pizza inspired by ancient Roman flavors. This limited-edition creation promises a taste journey back in time, far removed from the familiar flavors of modern pizza.
In keeping with historical authenticity, the pizza excludes tomatoes and mozzarella, ingredients that have become staples in today’s pizza but were unavailable in ancient Rome. Instead, the pizzeria uses epityrum, an olive paste, and garum, a fermented fish sauce that was a favorite seasoning in the ancient world.
The crust is crafted from ancient grains like einkorn and spelt, giving it a distinct texture and flavor. The dough is uniquely leavened with fermented spinach juice, adding both to its rise and its character.
Topping this historical homage, the pizza includes confit duck leg, toasted pine nuts, and creamy ricotta, all complemented by a rich grape reduction. This blend of ingredients promises a dining experience that’s as intriguing as it is flavorful.
Its base is made of ancient grains, including einkorn and spelt, and the dough contains fermented spinach juice to help it rise.
The pie also features confit duck leg, toasted pine nuts and ricotta, plus a grape reduction.
Neverland Pizzeria founder Josep Zara said he was inspired by a fresco unearthed in Pompeii in 2023 that appeared to show a focaccia-like flatbread with spices, pomegranate seeds and dates.
“We sat down to imagine what we might be able to make using these ingredients, and without using things like tomatoes and mozzarella,” Zara told The Associated Press.
“We had to exclude all ingredients that originated from America.”
Head chef Gergely Bárdossy said the limited ingredient list forced the team to rely heavily on experimentation.
“The fact that there wasn’t infrastructure like a water system at the time of the Romans made things difficult for us, since more than 80% of pizza dough is water,” Bárdossy told the AP.
“We had to come up with something that would have worked before running water.”
To modern diners, the dish resembles a small flatbread made of wheat, honey and olive oil, said Lisa Roberts, a New York-based culinary archaeologist who specializes in the Mediterranean.
“The garnishes might include a cheese pesto, made with olive oil and herbs, and locally grown fruits, including pomegranate seeds, dates, pears and plums,” she told Fox News Digital.
“If I saw this pizza today in New York or L.A., for example, I would think it was a modern chef’s new take on pizza — like a breakfast or brunch pizza.”
Romans were known for their love of garum “on everything,” Roberts said, and she compared the fermented condiment to fish sauce or miso.
“Ancient writers prized it both as an ingredient and as medicine,” she said.
“In Italy and Spain, modern versions are made with anchovies. For Americans, Thai fish sauce would be the closest in flavor profile but less salty.”
If the salty-savory-sweet combination sounds unfamiliar, Roberts noted it already has its place in American food culture.
She cited prosciutto-wrapped melon, pineapple on pizza and maple-glazed bacon as popular examples.
“I make a salad dressing with miso, honey, olive oil and lemon, and it’s delicious drizzled over vanilla ice cream,” she said.
The dish is best seen as a “distant ancestor” of pizza, which was created over a millennium later, Roberts said.
“This dish belongs to a tradition called xenia, in which food images were offered as hospitality gifts in the ancient world,” she said.
“In Virgil’s Aeneid, Aeneas and his companions use flat wheat cakes as edible ‘tables,’ placing fruit and other foods on top of them. After finishing the meal, they eat the bread itself, showing that bread could serve both as a plate and part of the meal.”
As for the pizza’s popularity, Bárdossy said it appeals to a “narrow niche” of people.
“Most people want more conventional pizza, so it’s not for everyday eating,” he told the AP.
“It’s something special.”
The Associated Press contributed reporting.
