Type | Pizza |
---|---|
Course | Main |
Place of origin | Sweden |
Created by | Unknown |
Invented | 1980s |
Serving temperature | Hot |
Part of a series on |
Pizza |
---|
Kebab pizza (Swedish: kebabpizza) is a Swedish style of pizza topped with kebab meat and other ingredients, the precise topping often varying between restaurants. A combination of Italian and Middle Eastern cuisines, the kebab pizza was created by Turkish and Middle Eastern immigrants in the 1980s. Since its creation, the kebab pizza has increased in popularity and is today one of Sweden's most popular pizzas, and one of the most popular fast food dishes overall. Due to its popularity the dish has reached a position of cultural prominence in Sweden as well as all over Scandinavia, sometimes being invoked in popular culture and politics.
The kebab pizza was invented in Sweden and combines Italian and Middle Eastern cuisine. [1] [2] [3] The first pizzeria in Sweden opened in Västerås in 1947 following the arrival of 300 guest workers from Italy to the city. Further pizzerias were founded in the 1960s and pizza gradually became the most common fast food in the country. [1] After the first wave of Italian immigration into Sweden, few Italians moved to the country with the ambition to make pizzas. [4] Pizzerias in Sweden are today instead predominantly run by immigrants from the Middle East and the Balkans who were unable to find work within the fields they had been educated in their home countries and thus adopted pizza-making as a first business. [4] [5] In the 1980s, kebab and falafel restaurants began to crop up throughout Sweden and in many smaller towns it was common for restaurants to offer both pizza and kebab. The kebab pizza originated at some point during this time, though the original creator and precise time is unknown. [4]
According to the Swedish food company Schysst käk, the kebab pizza can be traced back to 1982. [6] Unlike many other influential dishes, no pizzeria in Sweden has made the claim to be the point of origin of the kebab pizza. The earliest known record of a kebab pizza in the menu collections of the National Library of Sweden dates to 1986 and is from Pizza Dali at Höglandstorget in Bromma. [4] Pizza Dali called their pizza the "shish kebab-pizza" and it included tomatoes, cheese, onions, bell peppers, and beef tenderloin. The next earliest record is from 1988 at Pizzeria Amigo in Eksjö, where the pizza was topped with cheese, tomatoes, kebab meat, onions, champignons, friggitelli, and Béarnaise sauce. [4]
Kebab pizzas can vary greatly from restaurant to restaurant. They are typically topped with kebab meat, onions, friggitelli and sauce. [1] [4] [7] The kebab meat is typically beef but is sometimes substituted for chicken. [8] The sauce used, called kebab sauce (kebabsås) in Sweden, is most often a mixture of yogurt or sour cream and various spices. [1] The most significant difference between kebab pizzas from different pizzerias is whether the common sides to kebab (such as french fries and lettuce) are also added to the pizza. [4]
Some pizzerias also serve a "Viking kebab pizza", a kebab pizza that has been folded to resemble the shape of a Viking ship. [1] [9] In 2021, the Sweden national football team developed the "football pizza" (fotbollspizza), a variation of kebab pizza with kebab, mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce, garlic sauce, herbs, champignons, onions, chili pepper, and pizza salad . [10] Vegan kebab pizzas may substitute the kebab meat for seitan [11] or soy kebab. [8]
Although the kebab pizza remains most prolific in Sweden, it has also spread internationally, even to Italy. [4] The exact ingredients used as topping vary between countries. It is for instance common for the toppings of kebab pizzas in Norway to include maize [4] and for Danish and Finnish kebab pizzas to include garlic. [12] Kebab pizzas in the United Kingdom typically use lamb meat. [4]
Pizzerias serving Swedish-style pizzas and kebab restaurants have also spread the kebab pizza, with few differences from the Swedish original, even further internationally to countries such as the United States, [5] [13] Spain, [14] Australia, [15] and Malta. [12] Pizza Karma, a restaurant in Minneapolis, Minnesota, opened in 2018, serves chicken kebab pizzas inspired by Indian cuisine. [16] [17]
In 2020, British Domino's Pizza restaurants began to offer kebab pizzas in the form of the "beef doner pizza", [18] though it was only available for a limited time. [19] Domino's also serve chicken kebab pizzas with garlic sauce in France and in the Netherlands. [20] Pizza Hut has, with reportedly mixed results, experimented with kebab pizzas in Pakistan in an attempt to appeal to the local market, introducing products such as the "bihari kabob pizza" with meat infused with masala and mustard oil. [21] Frozen kebab pizzas have also begun being sold internationally, including by the British supermarket Iceland. [22]
Though the two dishes are unrelated, the Swedish author Jenny Damberg has compared the kebab pizza to the Middle Eastern lahmacun, a type of flatbread sometimes topped with kebab meat. [4]
The kebab pizza has reached a position of cultural prominence in Sweden [4] and is a common comfort food [8] and hangover food. [7] Although rarely considered to be part of traditional Swedish cuisine, [24] [25] the kebab pizza has been described as among the "most recognizable dishes in Sweden", [26] one of the "most Swedish foods", [27] the "most essential weird Swedish food" [2] and a "uniquely Swedish creation". [3] The Swedish author Marcus Priftis described the kebab pizza in 2012 as a "typically Swedish culinary innovation" that could not have been invented elsewhere; Priftis noted that its creation was only possible in a country where the same chefs made both kebab and pizzas and where the consumers view both foods as interchangeable products. Priftis further noted that although it was developed by immigrants, it was developed for the general Swedish public and was thus in his opinion an example of evolving Swedish culture rather than "immigrant culture". [28] The Swedish author Annika Windahl Pontén has compared the kebab pizza's place in Swedish cuisine to that of kåldolmar, a type of cabbage rolls that originated as a Swedish version of the Turkish dolma in the 18th century, and speculated that it like kåldolmar may one day too be seen as a traditional dish. [24]
Kebab pizza is sometimes jokingly called the national dish of Sweden. [10] [29] [30] According to yearly surveys by Onlinepizza , kebab pizza is one of the most popular pizzas in Sweden and most years it has been the most sold named pizza, sometimes losing to Vesuvio (a pizza topped with ham); [1] [31] it is thus perhaps the most popular fast food dish in the country. [10] New Year's Day is the day when most pizzas are sold in Sweden, often twice as many as on other days. [1] In 2016, the politician Robert Hannah, member of the Riksdag and son of a pizza baker, proposed making New Year's Day into "kebab pizza day" both due to how high sales of pizzas are on New Year's Day and as a way to honor Sweden's foreign culinary heritage and highlight positive effects of immigration. Hannah's motion called the kebab pizza the "shining star among all pizzas". [32] [33] During the COVID-19 pandemic, kebab pizzas have been one of the most ordered fast foods in Sweden, particularly in major cities; it has for instance been the most ordered dish through the company Foodora in both Gothenburg and Linköping. [34]
The kebab pizza has been described by some commentators as combining Italian and Turkish food in a way that might horrify or confuse both nationalities [1] [2] [27] and as a "Frankenstein's monster-like creation". [32] The Swedish chef Magnus Nilsson argued in 2015 that the kebab pizza differs so much from its Italian origins that "it's no longer an Italian thing made in Sweden, it's Swedish". [35] Also in 2015, Ellie Bennett of The Local Italy called the kebab pizza "decidedly un-Italian". [36] Some Italians have lamented the kebab pizza as an insult to Italian cuisine and cultural heritage. [37] [38]
In Melodifestivalen 2008, the band Andra Generationen performed the song Kebabpizza Slivovitza . [4] [32]
On 21 July 2021, two inmates at the Hällby prison near Tumbo took two correctional officers as hostages and demanded a helicopter to use for escaping and twenty kebab pizzas, one for each inmate in their department. After nine hours of negotiations, the release of the hostages was secured and the inmates were taken into custody. Although no helicopter was provided, the inmates did receive the twenty kebab pizzas. [39] The pizzas were made by the pizza baker Beshar Toma of Hällby Pizzeria. Due to being in a hurry, the police left with the pizzas without paying. Both Hällby Pizzeria and the Swedish Prison and Probation Service later confirmed that the pizzeria was paid the next day. [40]
Pizza is a dish of Italian origin consisting of a usually round, flat base of leavened wheat-based dough topped with tomato, cheese, and often various other ingredients, which is then baked at a high temperature, traditionally in a wood-fired oven.
Kebab, kabob, kebap, or kabab is roasted meat that originates from the Middle East and has been popularised by Azerbaijani, Arabic and Turkish cuisine. Many variants of the category are popular around the world, including the skewered shish kebab and the doner kebab with bread.
Pakistani cuisine can be characterized as a blend of regional cooking styles and flavours from across South, Central and Western Asia. Pakistani cuisine is influenced by Persian, Indian, and Arab cuisine. The cuisine of Pakistan also maintains certain Mughal influences within its recipes and cooking techniques. Pakistan's ethnic and cultural diversity, diverse climates, geographical environments, and availability of different produce lead to diverse regional cuisines.
Chicago-style pizza is pizza prepared according to several styles developed in Chicago. It can refer to both the well-known deep-dish or stuffed pizzas and the lesser-known thin-crust tavern-style pizzas more popular with locals. The pan in which deep-dish pizza is baked gives the pizza its characteristically high edge, which provides ample space for large amounts of cheese and a chunky tomato sauce. Chicago-style deep-dish pizza may be prepared in the deep-dish style and as a stuffed pizza. Chicago-style thin-crust pizza dough is rolled for a thinner crispier crust than other thin-crust styles. The thin-crust pizza is cut in squares instead of slices, and is also referred to as a "tavern-style" pizza.
Hawaiian pizza is a pizza originating in Canada, traditionally topped with pineapple, tomato sauce, Mozzarella cheese, and either ham or bacon.
Doner kebab, also spelled as döner kebab, is a dish of Turkish origin made of meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie. Seasoned meat stacked in the shape of an inverted cone is turned slowly on the rotisserie, next to a vertical cooking element. The operator uses a knife to slice thin shavings from the outer layer of the meat as it cooks. The vertical rotisserie was invented in the 19th-century Ottoman Empire, and dishes such as the Arab shawarma, Greek gyros, Canadian donair, and Mexican al pastor are derived from this.
The history of pizza begins in antiquity, as various ancient cultures produced flatbreads with several toppings.
Afghan cuisine is influenced to a certain extent by Persian, Central Asian and Indian cuisines due to Afghanistan's close proximity and cultural ties. The cuisine is halal and mainly based on mutton, beef, poultry and fish with rice and Afghan bread. Accompanying these are common vegetables and dairy products, such as milk, yogurt, and whey, and fresh and dried fruits such as apples, apricots, grapes, bananas, oranges, plums, pomegranates, sweet melons, and raisins. The diet of most Afghans revolves around rice-based dishes, while various forms of naan are consumed with most meals. Tea is generally consumed daily in large quantities, and is a major part of hospitality. The culinary specialties reflect the nation's ethnic and geographic diversity. The national dish of Afghanistan is Kabuli palaw, a rice dish cooked with raisins, carrots, nuts, and lamb or beef.
The cuisine of New Jersey is derived from the state's long immigrant history and its close proximity to both New York City and Philadelphia. Due to its geographical location, New Jersey can generally be divided by New York City cuisine in the northern and central parts of the state and Philadelphia cuisine in the southern parts. Restaurants in the state often make use of locally grown ingredients such as asparagus, blueberries, cranberries, tomatoes, corn, and peaches. New Jersey is particularly known for its diners, of which there are approximately 525, the most of any state. Various foods invented in the state, such as the pork roll, and salt water taffy, remain popular there today.
A sope is a traditional Mexican dish consisting of a fried masa base with savory toppings. Also known as picadita, it originates in the central and southern parts of Mexico, where it was sometimes first known as pellizcadas. It is an antojito, which at first sight looks like an unusually thick tortilla with vegetables and meat toppings.
The cuisine of Michigan is part of the broader regional cuisine of the Midwestern United States. It is reflective of the diverse food history of settlement and immigration in the state, and draws its culinary roots most significantly from the cuisines of Central, Northern and Eastern Europe, and Native North America.
Pizza arrived in the United States in the early 20th century along with waves of Italian immigrants who settled primarily in the larger cities of the Northeast, such as New York, Philadelphia, Boston and Baltimore. After American soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II, pizza and pizzerias rapidly grew in popularity.
A meatball is ground meat (mince) rolled into a ball, sometimes along with other ingredients, such as bread crumbs, minced onion, eggs, butter, and seasoning. Meatballs are cooked by frying, baking, steaming, or braising in sauce. There are many types of meatballs using different types of meats and spices. The term is sometimes extended to meatless versions based on vegetables or fish; the latter are also commonly known as fish balls.
Seafood pizza is a pizza prepared with seafood as a primary ingredient. Many types of seafood ingredients in fresh, frozen or canned forms may be used on seafood pizza. Some retail pizza chains, as well as smaller restaurants, offer seafood pizzas to consumers.
A halal snack pack is an Australian fast food dish, which consists of halal-certified doner kebab meat and chips. It also includes different kinds of sauces, usually chilli, garlic, and barbecue, whilst yoghurt or yoghurt sauce, cheese, jalapeño peppers and tabbouleh are common additions. While the snack pack was traditionally served in a styrofoam container, it is now most commonly served in moulded pulp or cardboard containers, as most Australian states have banned single-use plastic packaging. The snack pack has been described as a staple takeaway dish of kebab shops in Australia.
A pizzeria is a restaurant focusing on pizza. As well as pizza, dishes at pizzerias can include kebab, salads and pasta.
Canada has many of its own pizza chains, both national and regional, and many distinctive regional variations and types of pizza resulting from influences of local Canadian cuisine.