National Pizza Day in the UK : Deals and Recipes for Students
There are few things in the world better than pizza, right? Or is there actually anything better?
If you’re a fan of pizza, National Pizza Day in the UK is just another excuse to eat your favourite food, whether it’s a simple Neapolitan-style margherita, a big New York slice of pepperoni, a calzone, or a Detroit with that sweet, crunchy edge.
For students who love pizza, we’ve put together a guide about the day and some things that you can do to celebrate this awesome day in the calendar!
What is National Pizza Day UK?
An iconic food deserves an iconic day to celebrate it. National Pizza Day in the UK is just that, a day where we can all celebrate in the glory of pizza!
It Is celebrated on the 9th February each year and gives pizza lovers the perfect chance to shout about pizza from the rooftops, to ‘force’ friends and family into having pizza for dinner on that day (it’s Christmas Day for pizza so of course you’re having pizza for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!), to try out new styles and flavours, and to just rejoice in what is the best, and most innovative food there’s ever been.
What’s the history behind National Pizza Day?
It’s really a grass roots idea of an event, as pizza is loved globally, and in many different forms.
The modern pizza that we know, with a tomato sauce and mozzarella topping, comes from Naples, in Italy, a quick, easy, and cheap meal that was delicious and that was eaten by people from all walks of life.
This was then transported around the world through immigration and that’s where we see the development and popularity of New York Style pizza, and then variations such as Detroit and Chicago pizza in the US throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.
How should I celebrate National Pizza Day in the UK?
There are no right or wrong answers as to how you should celebrate National Pizza Day in the UK, just go with your heart, whether that’s making pizza with your friends, going out to a fancy Italian restaurant for a top pizza, or taking advantage of some of the best pizza takeaway deals. Here are some suggestions:
Create your own pizza
You can make pizza at home really easily, and with a perfect, simple base, you can then customise with your own choice of toppings. Throw a pizza party with friends or just knock up some pizza for you, and you alone.
This BBC Good Food Pizza Margherita recipe is an easy-to-follow recipe that gives you the perfect base to customise and be innovative with your pizza toppings.
Ingredients:
• 300g strong bread flour
• 1 teaspoon instant yeast
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 100ml passata
• Fresh basil
• 1 crushed garlic clove
• 125g sliced mozzarella
• Grated or shaved parmesan
• Cherry tomatoes (halved)
• Basil leaves to tear for the topping (optional)
Method:
• To make the base, put the flour into a large bowl and stir in the salt and yeast. Pour 200ml warm water into a little well, add the olive oil and use a wooden spoon to bring it all together until it is soft and wet. Knead for around 5 minutes on a lightly floured surface until it is smooth, cover with a tea towel and leave it to one side. The dough doesn’t have to rise if you are looking for a thin crust, so do not worry about this.
• For the sauce, mix the passata, garlic, and passata together and leave at room temperature as you set your sights on the dough.
• Roll out the dough and split into two balls. Roll out with a rolling pin on a floured surface into large rounds, about 25cm across. Place the rounds onto two floured baking sheets.
• Put another baking sheet on an upturned baking tray on the top shelf of the oven and pre-heat the oven to 240C/220C fan/gas 8. Smooth the sauce over the bases and scatter the cheese and tomatoes, drizzle with olive oil and season. If you are adding any toppings, you can do so at this point. Bake for 8-10 minutes until crisp, drizzle some more olive oil and scatter basil leaves.
What about toppings?
The world is your oyster. Some people like the classic margherita, others use vegan alternatives, pepperoni, ham, sausage, artichokes, chilli, jalapenos, whilst there are some who like pineapple on their pizza or seafood. You can really go wild. If you’re having a pizza party, this is a great way to be creative with friends, and competitive. Ask everyone to make different pizzas, share, and rate them!
Order in from your favourite pizza place
We’ve all got our favourites, our comfort food. If you want to sit at home with a big pizza deal, why not just order in a slice or a few pizzas from your favourite pizza takeaway.
There are always great deals on, meal deals for one person at home up to a meal deal for a bigger group. Why not throw in some cheesy garlic bread and some tenders too while you’re at it?
Make the most of the whole experience and throw a film on to watch while you eat. Another option is to head to Netflix and watch Chef’s Table: Pizza, as you eat pizza.
Go out for dinner and make the most of deals
If you’ve got a favourite pizza place or have wanted to try somewhere for a while, National Pizza Day is the perfect time to do so.
Head out to that Italian restaurant that’s been getting rave reviews, or that Detroit pizza joint singing about how deliciously crispy and sweet the edge of its pizza is.
There’s no such thing as bad pizza, so go out and try it all. Keep an eye out for some exciting National Pizza Day UK deals, where you might get some free pizza if you’re lucky!
One great example of this for this year’s event is free pizza at Pizza Express for those guests wearing a striped top!
As well as helping you find out where the best pizzas in different student cities are, and providing you with simple recipe ideas, we hope that this guide has provided you with all the information you need to find that perfect slice this National Pizza Day in the UK.
What are you going to do to celebrate pizza this year? And what are your favourite toppings? There’s always fierce debate with our staff, especially when it comes to things like whether pineapple belongs anywhere near a pizza (I don’t think it does!) and whether a calzone is a pizza or more a pie of sorts?
If you are looking for student accommodation for the next year, you are in the right place. Visit our Essential Student Living website and browse through the range of properties that cater to every budget.
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