Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Half the pizzas we love in America wouldn't even be considered pizza in Italy. I had no idea either.
In this episode I brought in Chef Leo Spizziri, one of only about 100 Americans certified to teach Italian pizza outside of Italy and a member of the World Pizza Champions team, to break down the four Italian pizza styles that gave birth to everything we know and love about American pizza.
We made four pizzas inside Chef Leo's legendary pizza garage, starting in Sicily with sfincione, the pan pizza that directly inspired Detroit style, Chicago deep dish, and the grandma pie. From there we moved to Rome and made pizza tonda, the thin crispy rolled dough style that gave us tavern pizza, St. Louis style, and New Haven. Then we made pizza classica, the closest Italian cousin to New York style, and finished with pizza al taglio, the airy high hydration Roman pan pizza sold by weight and cut with scissors.
Every American pizza style has a direct ancestor in Italy. This episode is about finding them.
PIZZA RECIPES: adamwitt.co/allrecipes/realitalianpizza
đź“–Chef Leo's book Pizza Love is available for pre-order now: amzn.to/4v29v4i.
🌶️Giardiniera Band Tee found here👕: https://adamwitt.store/products/giardiniera-band-tee
🫶CONTRIBUTE TO THE GROCERY FUND! (Patreon): patreon.com/adamwitt
đź‘ľDISCORD: discord.com/invite/aFQ4h4BXg4
đź”—FOLLOW ALONG ON SOCIAL: adamwitt.co/social-links
________________________________________________________
STUFF I USE…
Pizza Scissors: amzn.to/47zpoW5
Sicilian Pizza Pan - lloydpans.com/catalog/product/view/id/1830/s/grandma-style-pizza-pans/category/435
Sheet Tray + Rack - https://a.co/d/0eU4ALuY
Good Tomatoes (whole) - https://a.co/d/0cqTE5yj
Fish Spatula - https://a.co/d/01kOjf3O
Hot Giardiniera (Italian Peppers) - https://a.co/d/0eCsX5Dx
Clarified Butter (Ghee) - https://a.co/d/01Cnwc5u
Corn Meal (Medium Grind) - https://a.co/d/03IEaUlS
Bread Flour - https://a.co/d/05yl6MSd
My Cookware Set: amzn.to/3vaWhbG
My Dutch Oven: amzn.to/48MKuhq
Portable Single-burner Stove: amzn.to/3IytyjV
Butane Torch: amzn.to/48TkQra
Deli Containers: amzn.to/49QO635
Large Mason Jars (32oz, wide mouth): amzn.to/49QO635
Rust-proof Mason Jar Lids: amzn.to/49QWlfy
Butane Canisters: amzn.to/3wLUtpM
Coarse Reinforced Strainer: amzn.to/3PePLHK
Fine Mesh Reinforced Strainer: amzn.to/3TxvkYP
Sheet Trays: amzn.to/3IG3zXL
The BEST Smash Burger Spatula: amzn.to/3UdSHab
Cutting Board Scraper: amzn.to/3Jy64fx
Ice Cream Maker: amzn.to/3wd2vIu
My Induction Burner: amzn.to/4dfhJNE
________________________________________________________
TIMESTAMPS…
00:00 American Pizza Is a Lie
00:30 Inside the Pizza Garage
00:55 Introducing Chef Leo
02:14 Sicilian Sfincione
08:35 Roman Pizza Tonda
16:08 Neapolitan Pizza Classica
23:43 Pizza al Taglio From Rome
28:47 Outro
________________________________________________________
#ItalianPizza #PizzaMaster #ChefLeoSpizziri #AmericanPizza
Disclaimer: I earn commission income with qualifying purchases made through Amazon’s Affiliate program and other affiliate links in this description.
Half the pizzas we love in America wouldn't even be considered pizza in Italy. I had no idea either.
In this episode I brought in Chef Leo Spizziri, one of only about 100 Americans certified to teach Italian pizza outside of Italy and a member of the World Pizza Champions team, to break down the four Italian pizza styles that gave birth to everything we know and love about American pizza.
We made four pizzas inside Chef Leo's legendary pizza garage, starting in Sicily with sfincione, the pan pizza that directly inspired Detroit style, Chicago deep dish, and the grandma pie. From there we moved to Rome and made pizza tonda, the thin crispy rolled dough style that gave us tavern pizza, St. Louis style, and New Haven. Then we made pizza classica, the closest Italian cousin to New York style, and finished with pizza al taglio, the airy high hydration Roman pan pizza sold by weight and cut with scissors.
Every American pizza style has a direct ancestor in Italy. This episode is about finding them.
PIZZA RECIPES: adamwitt.co/allrecipes/realitalianpizza
đź“–Chef Leo's book Pizza Love is available for pre-order now: amzn.to/4v29v4i.
🌶️Giardiniera Band Tee found here👕: https://adamwitt.store/products/giardiniera-band-tee
🫶CONTRIBUTE TO THE GROCERY FUND! (Patreon): patreon.com/adamwitt
đź‘ľDISCORD: discord.com/invite/aFQ4h4BXg4
đź”—FOLLOW ALONG ON SOCIAL: adamwitt.co/social-links
________________________________________________________
STUFF I USE…
Pizza Scissors: amzn.to/47zpoW5
Sicilian Pizza Pan - lloydpans.com/catalog/product/view/id/1830/s/grandma-style-pizza-pans/category/435
Sheet Tray + Rack - https://a.co/d/0eU4ALuY
Good Tomatoes (whole) - https://a.co/d/0cqTE5yj
Fish Spatula - https://a.co/d/01kOjf3O
Hot Giardiniera (Italian Peppers) - https://a.co/d/0eCsX5Dx
Clarified Butter (Ghee) - https://a.co/d/01Cnwc5u
Corn Meal (Medium Grind) - https://a.co/d/03IEaUlS
Bread Flour - https://a.co/d/05yl6MSd
My Cookware Set: amzn.to/3vaWhbG
My Dutch Oven: amzn.to/48MKuhq
Portable Single-burner Stove: amzn.to/3IytyjV
Butane Torch: amzn.to/48TkQra
Deli Containers: amzn.to/49QO635
Large Mason Jars (32oz, wide mouth): amzn.to/49QO635
Rust-proof Mason Jar Lids: amzn.to/49QWlfy
Butane Canisters: amzn.to/3wLUtpM
Coarse Reinforced Strainer: amzn.to/3PePLHK
Fine Mesh Reinforced Strainer: amzn.to/3TxvkYP
Sheet Trays: amzn.to/3IG3zXL
The BEST Smash Burger Spatula: amzn.to/3UdSHab
Cutting Board Scraper: amzn.to/3Jy64fx
Ice Cream Maker: amzn.to/3wd2vIu
My Induction Burner: amzn.to/4dfhJNE
________________________________________________________
TIMESTAMPS…
00:00 American Pizza Is a Lie
00:30 Inside the Pizza Garage
00:55 Introducing Chef Leo
02:14 Sicilian Sfincione
08:35 Roman Pizza Tonda
16:08 Neapolitan Pizza Classica
23:43 Pizza al Taglio From Rome
28:47 Outro
________________________________________________________
#ItalianPizza #PizzaMaster #ChefLeoSpizziri #AmericanPizza
Disclaimer: I earn commission income with qualifying purchases made through Amazon’s Affiliate program and other affiliate links in this description.
