Raw egg on pizza?
Feb 6th, 2004, 05:39 AM
#21
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Those of you who are having such an aversion to raw eggs should also know that real mayonaisse (not the stuff that comes on a jar) and caesar salad dressing are two common items which are made with raw eggs. I would expect that many other uncooked sauces or dressings use raw eggs. (I'm not a gourmet cook but do watch the food channel!)
You probably won't find the real stuff at the local Denny's but if you go to a better restaurant (which is one of the things we all enjoy doing when we travel), you should expect this. Your only way to avoid it is to avoid all uncooked items.
But then, to each, his own. My own mother won't eat a medium rare steak while as far as I'm concerned, the medium well or well she always gets is a waste of good meat -- might as well just get a hamburger.
You probably won't find the real stuff at the local Denny's but if you go to a better restaurant (which is one of the things we all enjoy doing when we travel), you should expect this. Your only way to avoid it is to avoid all uncooked items.
But then, to each, his own. My own mother won't eat a medium rare steak while as far as I'm concerned, the medium well or well she always gets is a waste of good meat -- might as well just get a hamburger.
Feb 6th, 2004, 05:45 AM
#22
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Granisa, I'm surprised by your comment. One of my most ordered pizzas in southern Italy is the capriciosa. While it does come loaded with the things you mention, I've never had it served with a raw egg! But I have seen other pizzas served with the raw egg on top.
Feb 6th, 2004, 05:52 AM
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Patrick, I am equally surprised by your experience. My husband and I frequently order capriciosa pizza and the egg is always right there, plopped in the center. I've had it numerous times at Da Baffeto in Rome, Ai Marmi in Rome and Ivo in Rome as well as Buca di Baco and Chez Black in Positano and some unknown named pizza place in Mattinata. I haven't run across a pizza called "Fiorentina" in Italy though.
Feb 6th, 2004, 06:12 AM
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Patrick, my experience is the same--no egg on capriciosa.
An egg always appears on a Bismarck. A few times I've seen a pizza called something like "all'occhio" ("with an eye"
, which had an egg in the center.
These eggs were never added raw at the table--always cooked with the pizza as described by others above. An the menu always lists the ingredients on each pizza, so to avoid this issue, watch for "uova" as Patrick said.
An egg always appears on a Bismarck. A few times I've seen a pizza called something like "all'occhio" ("with an eye"
, which had an egg in the center. These eggs were never added raw at the table--always cooked with the pizza as described by others above. An the menu always lists the ingredients on each pizza, so to avoid this issue, watch for "uova" as Patrick said.
Feb 6th, 2004, 06:21 AM
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DeirdreStraughan, I don't often laugh out loud when I read these posts, but yours really cracked me up. (How's that for a discussion about eggs?) "There are no eggs downtown." I can only imagine the look somebody might get when they say that to the typical Italian waiter.
Feb 6th, 2004, 06:23 AM
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Yes, ellenem, "all'occhio". I think that's the one I was trying to remember.
But again, most pizza menus will list all the ingredients on each pizza. Just pass on the ones that list egg.
But again, most pizza menus will list all the ingredients on each pizza. Just pass on the ones that list egg.
Feb 6th, 2004, 06:32 AM
#28
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The capricciosa (which means capricious) ingredients often depend on the caprice of the pizzaiolo. Traditionally, the capricciosa includes artichoke hearts, mushrooms, prosciutto, and olives. Cooked egg, raw egg, and hot dog slices can also be found. The point is this recipe varies from place to place.
I'm not a huge fan of "everything but the kitchen sink" style pizza and it's very easy to avoid the ingredients you don't wish to have. Relax. Nobody will slap a raw egg on your pizza unless you order it.
I'm not a huge fan of "everything but the kitchen sink" style pizza and it's very easy to avoid the ingredients you don't wish to have. Relax. Nobody will slap a raw egg on your pizza unless you order it.
Feb 6th, 2004, 06:44 AM
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<<Relax. Nobody will slap a raw egg on your pizza unless you order it.>>
I think you quite do not get the point, NYCFS. It seems almost certain that the friend if the original poster did NOT "oder it that way" - - otherwise why would she tell the story?
And I feel quite certain that my friend in Barcelona did not "order it that way" - - and I am quite sure that there was no picture, nor even an explanation that would have predicted its appearance.
I think that "non all'occhio" is the most relevant of all the phrases listed here (though printing out the picture and saying "no" would run a close second, and will almost surely result in some laughs).
As for "Nessun uovo nel centro" - - I am nowhere close to "idomatic/fluent" in Italian - - so I don't know how much or how little this would be considered "Tarzan speak" in Italian. Even in English, "no egg in the center" COULD be interpreted to mean "There are no eggs (to be found)in the (town) center".
If verbally expressed as if meant to be an imperative, I think that "nessun uovo nel centro" will be interpreted correctly.
I think you quite do not get the point, NYCFS. It seems almost certain that the friend if the original poster did NOT "oder it that way" - - otherwise why would she tell the story?
And I feel quite certain that my friend in Barcelona did not "order it that way" - - and I am quite sure that there was no picture, nor even an explanation that would have predicted its appearance.
I think that "non all'occhio" is the most relevant of all the phrases listed here (though printing out the picture and saying "no" would run a close second, and will almost surely result in some laughs).
As for "Nessun uovo nel centro" - - I am nowhere close to "idomatic/fluent" in Italian - - so I don't know how much or how little this would be considered "Tarzan speak" in Italian. Even in English, "no egg in the center" COULD be interpreted to mean "There are no eggs (to be found)in the (town) center".
If verbally expressed as if meant to be an imperative, I think that "nessun uovo nel centro" will be interpreted correctly.
Feb 6th, 2004, 06:55 AM
#30
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I got the point, Rex. Who you talkin' to?
I've been eating pizza in Italy for over 20 years and nobody put an ingredient on mine that I did not ask for.
Learning a little vocabulary before ordering food goes a long way to avoid surprises.
I've been eating pizza in Italy for over 20 years and nobody put an ingredient on mine that I did not ask for.
Learning a little vocabulary before ordering food goes a long way to avoid surprises.
Feb 6th, 2004, 07:14 AM
#31
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<<Learning a little vocabulary before ordering food goes a long way to avoid surprises.>>
Having an entire conversation with the wait staff, fluently in his/her native language goes a long way, too. So?
I think you still do NOT get the point.
The language of restaurants is filled with idioms, for which "learning a little vocabulary" is no safety net - - and in fact, "learning a little vocabulary" is exactly what mjnbrown was seeking to do.
Nothing about her post suggets that she will be too lazy or too stupid to learn the word "uovo" or "uova". She was asking - - is there a "particular type of (idiomatically named) pizza" that she should look out for.
Martha, I think that a listing of ingredients IS commonplace at a place that serves a lot of pizze (pizzas) - - NYCFS is right about that, FOR MOST PLACES.
Take a look at http://www.imolanet.com/delcentro/menu.htm (click on "Pizze" to see a typical listing of FIFTY-THREE different ways they serve pizza. Some of these are quite self-explanatory ("asparagi" several seem quite "made-up" to me, perhaps by the restaurant ("007", "Atomica". Three of them reference "uovo ad occio di bue" (in fact Atomica is one of them. Bismark and del Centro are the other two.
uovo ad "occhio di bue" or "bull's-eye" (literally, perhaps eye of ox) seems to be an expression for what we might cally "sunnyside up" here in the US.
I take this from http://www.dietamed.it/ali_dieta/art...occhio_bue.jpg
Enjoy ALL your culinary experiences in Italy!
Having an entire conversation with the wait staff, fluently in his/her native language goes a long way, too. So?
I think you still do NOT get the point.
The language of restaurants is filled with idioms, for which "learning a little vocabulary" is no safety net - - and in fact, "learning a little vocabulary" is exactly what mjnbrown was seeking to do.
Nothing about her post suggets that she will be too lazy or too stupid to learn the word "uovo" or "uova". She was asking - - is there a "particular type of (idiomatically named) pizza" that she should look out for.
Martha, I think that a listing of ingredients IS commonplace at a place that serves a lot of pizze (pizzas) - - NYCFS is right about that, FOR MOST PLACES.
Take a look at http://www.imolanet.com/delcentro/menu.htm (click on "Pizze"
to see a typical listing of FIFTY-THREE different ways they serve pizza. Some of these are quite self-explanatory ("asparagi" several seem quite "made-up" to me, perhaps by the restaurant ("007", "Atomica". Three of them reference "uovo ad occio di bue" (in fact Atomica is one of them. Bismark and del Centro are the other two.uovo ad "occhio di bue" or "bull's-eye" (literally, perhaps eye of ox) seems to be an expression for what we might cally "sunnyside up" here in the US.
I take this from http://www.dietamed.it/ali_dieta/art...occhio_bue.jpg
Enjoy ALL your culinary experiences in Italy!
Feb 6th, 2004, 07:45 AM
#32
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Before vist a foreign country I always try and familiarize myself with some foreign food words, and especially the ones I want to avoid....I have saved myself from eating "brain tacos" more than once...
Feb 6th, 2004, 07:56 AM
#34
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A pizza "capricciosa," by definition, is subject to the caprice of the chef (just as a "minestrone" is a big mixture and "soup du jour" will be different depending on the day, and none of these things should be assumed to be the same , with the same ingredients, every time). Maybe some sadistic chef will get the whim to throw an egg on pizza capricciosa, but not all will.
P.S. I avoid cooked eggs, too, in doses of more than about 1/2 or occasionally one full egg. I find them hard to digest, just like milk and cream. I dislike mayonnaise, I don't order tiramisu or custards and I've never had a carbonara sauce, but I know what's in it. I try a wider variety of foods than many people I know, and always have. I just avoid eggs--it's one of the privileges of adulthood. Raw milk cheeses are wonderful, and my immune system is in good working order.
P.S. I avoid cooked eggs, too, in doses of more than about 1/2 or occasionally one full egg. I find them hard to digest, just like milk and cream. I dislike mayonnaise, I don't order tiramisu or custards and I've never had a carbonara sauce, but I know what's in it. I try a wider variety of foods than many people I know, and always have. I just avoid eggs--it's one of the privileges of adulthood. Raw milk cheeses are wonderful, and my immune system is in good working order.
Feb 6th, 2004, 07:58 AM
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NYFS is right, the capricciosa pizza ingredients depends upon the "caprice" of the pizza maker at that time and can vary from place to place and even at the same restaurant, depending on who is making the pizza at that time. I've always experienced the raw egg on my capricciosa pizzas, sometimes they put proscuitto bits on it too, sometimes not. I have an old copy of Maureen Fant's book "Eat like the Romans" which lists pizzas and their ingredients. Egg is listed under capriciossa. This pizza place (www.pizzaprestige.com/menu.htm) lists "ouvo" as an ingredient of their capricciosa pizzas but I'm sure you can find other places that don't list it as well.
Feb 6th, 2004, 08:14 AM
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markty - every now and then there is an outbreak of listeria in Europe, so it would be wrong to say that the raw milk cheese are *always* safe. They usually are, but the effects of listeria can be tragic for pregnant women, the young, and the old.
Feb 6th, 2004, 08:29 AM
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Willtravel -
Of course people with weaken immune systems and pregnant women should probably avoid raw milk cheeses, to be on the safe side (of course, you can also die getting out of bed)- but the level of hysteria that the FDA had towards raw milk cheese is silly. If raw milk cheese were killing thousands of Europeans every year then I wouldn't eat them. But I love those stinky, flavorful runny cheeses.
Of course people with weaken immune systems and pregnant women should probably avoid raw milk cheeses, to be on the safe side (of course, you can also die getting out of bed)- but the level of hysteria that the FDA had towards raw milk cheese is silly. If raw milk cheese were killing thousands of Europeans every year then I wouldn't eat them. But I love those stinky, flavorful runny cheeses.
Feb 6th, 2004, 09:51 AM
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Hey Miss Ziegfeld -
It was a raw milk cheese tasting organzied by Slow Foods - I'll see if i can find my notes regarding the American producers. They produce, I think, minimum 30 (may be 60) day old raw milk cheeses - farmers are not allowed to sell cheese younger than that.
It was a raw milk cheese tasting organzied by Slow Foods - I'll see if i can find my notes regarding the American producers. They produce, I think, minimum 30 (may be 60) day old raw milk cheeses - farmers are not allowed to sell cheese younger than that.
Feb 6th, 2004, 10:24 AM
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First, I agree a totally raw egg on a pizza would not be a sublime gastronomic experience. However, I believe it was most probably served in such a way that the egg was set by the heat of the pizza, fresh from the oven.
Furthermore, lets not be so paranoid about raw eggs. Nowadays most eggs are treated in such a way there is perhaps a 1 in a thousand chance of it being inflicted with salmonella bacteria. I drink cocktails with raw egg whites and/or yolks in such as pink panthers, and gin fizz's, and so far (to some people's dismay, I'm sure) no harm whatsoever has come to me yet. Lets all stop being so paranoid over raw eggs, I agree pregnant women, young children, and the elderly should not risk eating raw eggs, as the consequences whilst still unlikely are more serious. Let's try to live a little, and not be afraid of everything we eat. A raw egg won't kill you. Pulleez don't come back with stories of people dying from salmonella, it's very rare, more chance of a motor accident, let's put it into perspective!
Furthermore, lets not be so paranoid about raw eggs. Nowadays most eggs are treated in such a way there is perhaps a 1 in a thousand chance of it being inflicted with salmonella bacteria. I drink cocktails with raw egg whites and/or yolks in such as pink panthers, and gin fizz's, and so far (to some people's dismay, I'm sure) no harm whatsoever has come to me yet. Lets all stop being so paranoid over raw eggs, I agree pregnant women, young children, and the elderly should not risk eating raw eggs, as the consequences whilst still unlikely are more serious. Let's try to live a little, and not be afraid of everything we eat. A raw egg won't kill you. Pulleez don't come back with stories of people dying from salmonella, it's very rare, more chance of a motor accident, let's put it into perspective!
