Pizza Forte: Pizza to rival deep dish

As a Chicago native, one would assume that I am loyal to my hometown and its customs. One of those many customs is that of preparing pizza with a thick crust and often many ingredients. This is known as deep dish. My loyalty was challenged recently on a trip to the Cilento region, when in the town of Salerno I ate a pizza called pizza forte. The pizza was a polar opposite to the pie-style that I've come to love so much; however, this pizza gave even my favorite deep dishes a run for their money. It was topped with spicy salami, grilled peppers, chilis, basil, and a few sprinkles of parmesan. It was simple, but the execution was flawless and it was easily the best pizza I've had in my time abroad. Each bite was savored more than the last until the last one entered my mouth and i shed a single tear. Salerno, residing in Southern Italy is known for its quality ingredients (especially peppers) and of course the wood-burning oven gave the pizza it's signature crunch and texture. All in all I can say that I was surprised in the best way with this pizza, and that I hope to encounter it at some point or another again.