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The pizza from Marseille

A popular speciality

The pizza has become a real popular speciality in Marseille. Introduced by Napolitans in 1900, this is a convivial dish which quickly found  its place in our culture and history of Marseille.

A kind  of Naples in Marseille

We  often say: Marseille looks like Naples. And  for  good reason ! At the  end of the  19th century, napolitan families flee pauperisation of the south of Italy and settle  down in Marseille, more precisely in Saint-Jean district between the Saint Laurent Church and the  city  hall in the Panier area.

Houses of ‘ la petite  Naples’ were dynamited by the  Germans in 1943, but  families had  enough time making  pizza an institution in the gastronomy of  Marseille.

This popular  speciality was  invented in the 18 th  century and its  main ingredients are : tomatoes, mozzarella, garlic and olives oil.

 Everyone got his own pizza !

There were several waves of  migration in Marseille. And we can even see that  in its pizza evolution.

  • The Corsica pizza with ‘Figatelli’ and whey cheese ‘brousse’
  • The Armenian pizza with minced steak, pepper with lemon juice
  • The Kabab pizza with its  white sauce
  • And a  newbie : the Eurasienne pizza ( Franceschi’s)

But undeniably the most popular pizza is what we  named ‘moitié/moitié’ which means half part of cheese and half part of anchovies. In Marseille, we don’t really  use ‘mozarella’  but ’emmental’  instead: a provencal touch.

You  can also  ask  for ‘ pili-pili’ a misused term for ‘piri-piri’ (portugese) which is a hot seasoning. It’s only olive oil with rosemary, red pepper and marinated thyme.

You just  need to  add some on your  pizza  slice but ‘Méfi’ (watch out) It can be so hot !

A slice for  everyone

The pizza is also a perfect  snack: whenever you are in Marseille, you can bet you can still find a ‘camion pizza’ (Pizza truck). There are 52  all around the city on  250 locations mainly closed to places  where people gather.

The Pizza  truck was invented in Marseille in 1962 and they play  a major role in our landscape. It is  a kind  of a neighborhood bar. We  talk about our pizza choices, we  order  and wait for them  nearby, just chatting..A real social link !

You can eat these warm and dripping slices, sitting, standing or  even  walking !

And not always during lunch or  dinner  time !

The Pizza truck is a representative  of freedom !

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