Pizza is a flatbread generally topped with tomato sauce and cheese and baked in an oven.

It is
commonly topped with a selection of meats, vegetables and condiments. The term was first
recorded in the 10th century, in a Latin manuscript from Gaeta in Central Italy.[1] The modern
pizza was invented in Naples, Italy, and the dish and its variants have since become popular in
many areas of the world.[2]
In 2009, upon Italy's request, Neapolitan pizza was safeguarded in the European Union as a
Traditional Speciality Guaranteed dish.[3][4] The Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (the True
Neapolitan Pizza Association) is a non-profit organization founded in 1984 with headquarters in
Naples. It promotes and protects the "true Neapolitan pizza".[5]
Pizza is sold fresh, frozen or in portions, and is a common fast food item in the United States.[6]
Various types of ovens are used to cook them and many varieties exist. Several similar dishes are
prepared from ingredients commonly used in pizza preparation, such as calzone and stromboli.