Mouthing Off | What’s wrong with pizza with pineapple? It’s no weirder than using that other foreign import: tomato

I love pizza. My favourite is with prosciutto, buffalo mozzarella, tomato sauce and fresh rocket. But I’m not too picky so I’ll enjoy most any toppings – even pineapple and ham.

For some purists and gastro snobs, that is tantamount to blasphemy and treason. To them, Hawaiian pizza is a crime against nature. It’s a food felony much like wine in a box, dragon sushi roll with cream cheese, and a well-done porterhouse steak served with ketchup.

For fun and provocation, when I interview Italian chefs I like to ask them what they think of pineapple and ham pizza? Do they disapprove? Would they ever admit to trying, and god forbid – liking, a pie with such toppings?

Some vehemently reject it. “No! I would never order it!” Others suggest they have tried but it’s not for them. The more diplomatic ones laugh and say people can enjoy whatever they like. But the general consensus is, it’s not part of Italian culture and not what they consider a “classic” pizza.

But pineapple and ham is a classic pairing that works very well. Glazed ham is often cooked or served with the tropical fruit. The world’s favourite Chinese dish, sweet and sour pork, marries the ingredients beautifully. It’s only when used as pizza topping that they are viewed as a vile combination. Why? Tradition.

The original Neapolitan pizza is tomato sauce and mozzarella, with wheat flour and yeast in the dough, and maybe a little extra virgin olive oil. At the turn of the last century, Italian-Americans started throwing pepperoni and other unconventional things on their pizza. Now, in America anyway, pepperoni is often a prerequisite.

As pizza’s popularity grew, the aberrations spread. Now, almost anything goes as topping including Chinese duck and hoisin sauce, foie gras, and seafood. I’m game to try almost any creation – except Thousand Island dressing. That’s just gross. But somehow, pineapple and ham seems to offend traditionalists the most.