Do aliens really exist? What is the meaning of life? Is there life after death? These are just the mind-boggling things that we seem to ask ourselves but we cannot find any answers because that it may never be answered. But even if we cannot find an answer those questions for you, we might have an answer to the question we keep on asking whenever we eat pizzas, Why are Pizza’s Round and Why Are They Served In Square Boxes?
How Pizza got its Circular Shape
One of the most common questions about Pizza is “why is it round?” which goes to show that a lot of people are also genuinely curious about why pizzas mostly come in a round shape. Some might be rectangular or square, but most of the pizzas are round.
Pizza dough was originally composed of just yeast, water, and flour. After the pizza dough rises, it is stretched to the desired thinness, it is manually spun in the air to remove lumps in the dough and by using this method, it creates a circular shape. And during the baking of the pizza dough, a circular shape is more economical because it leads to even cooking and heating. A round shape also means that the pizza can be easily divided into equal pieces and cut diametrically. The shape also helps distribute the toppings and flavor easily.
Did you know that there is a pizza association? It’s called the True Neapolitan Pizza Association. And in 1984, they made a specific rule to create a true Neapolitan pizza and it states that an authentic Neapolitan pizza must not be any bigger than 13.7 inches in diameter.
Another question that comes to mind is why does a round pizza come in a square box?Don’t fret, because we are here to give you an answer to that, too. Here we go.
Why Are They Served In Square Boxes?
- It’s hard to make a round box – Every box and container manufacturers have all their machines to make a round box but, it is time and labor consuming. Because a square box can be formed in just a single sheet of cardboard. It also turns out that round boxes take at least four separate sections that are needed to be pressed together by a piece of special machinery. The cost of retooling the machine that makes pizza boxes are expensive and pizza makers see no reason to put so much money in making a box just to carry a pizza. The square boxes also make them easier to store because they are more stable compared to round boxes.
- A Square Box Keeps the Pizza Safer – A square box has a large and stable hinge compared to the round box that’s why its difficult to damage. The square box also offers a lot of space to accommodate a round pizza and this space makes it easier for everyone to get their pizza on the box. The corners of the box also stop the pizza in sliding all over the place that’s why a square box is a must if you want to have your pizza delivered fresh and hot. It also leaves space for extra items like dips, hot sauce, oregano, and chili flakes.
At the end of the day, pizza is still one of the most popular and delicious foods ever invented. It doesn’t matter if has a rectangular, rounded, or square shape. Or if it comes in a square, pentagon, or hexagon box. Pizza is the Italian’s gift to mankind and it is one of the best food in the world.