Pizza is the symbol of the national table for almost all Italians (89%), even ahead of pasta, which stops at a share of 88%; far more detached are wine with 59% and cappuccino, indicated by 1 in 2 Italians (51%). These are the findings of the Coldiretti/Ipsos survey released on the occasion of World Pizza Day, which is celebrated today. Pizza is perceived as a dish of family, sociability and togetherness not only in pizzerias and restaurants, but also at home, where 36% of Italians say they often throw themselves into doughs and toppings of Margheritas and other variants, while 54% get into it at least sometimes. Margherita is the most popular one: legend has it that in June 1889, to honor Italy's Queen Margherita of Savoy, chef Raffaele Esposito prepared "Pizza Margherita”, topped with tomatoes, mozzarella and basil, to represent the colors of the Italian flag. Since then it has been among the most replicated recipes in the world. Today, with sales rising to more than 15 billion euros a year, pizza remains a treasure of Made in Italy, a symbol of the success of the Mediterranean diet around the world. It is one of the most versatile historical dishes in Italian cuisine, so much so that UNESCO proclaimed the Art of Neapolitan Pizza Makers an intangible heritage of humanity in 2017.
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