Pizza Goes Ethnic – Beyond Italian, That Is

Trends in pizza making are following trends in ethnic cooking inspired by the increasing popularity of global cuisines. The new varieties inevitably ignite arguments between purists and innovators about what toppings are appropriate. Especially popular among the new experiments – at least in the Fresno, Calif. area –are pizzas inspired by Indian and Mexican cooking, such as carne asada and carnitas pizza drenched in hot sauce. Indian style pies include tandoori chicken masala, curry veggie pies, and butter chicken. The pizzas avoid traditional red sauces, opting instead for curry sauce, butter chicken sauce, pesto sauce and other varieties. Among national pizza chains dabbling in ethnic offerings is Chicago’s Pizza With A Twist with more than 30 locations nationwide. On the menu are 16 traditional pizzas and 18 Indian-style pizzas, including chicken tikka masala and butter chicken, both topped with ginger, garlic, green chillies, and fresh cilantro. ][Image Credit: © Javence Pizza (Fresno, Calif.]