I think if somebody wanted to taste real Italian food cooked in an Italian way, I doubt pizza would be the best choice anyway to be honest. While pizza is a traditional dish originally its been done in that many different ways by that many different countries now, a pizza is probably about as far away as you can get from Italy.
To be honest though, a lot of things are considered a "gourmet crime" in Italy. One has to wonder at how much snobbery can come out of a cuisine based on "poor people's food" (y'know, because most dishes are arranged with just a few local ingredients and this developed into a culture). It's like sushi. For just some vinegared rice and raw fish, it sure grew into a big deal...
Yeah it IS quite snobby. If it tastes good then what's wrong with letting people pick their condiments, right?
Well. People seem to get a sort of self-validation/ego boost out of the feeling that their way is the right way, and they then get quite vocal about it. Happens in America, too. I've heard a lot of people going on and on about what is a good steak and what is unacceptable steak cooking method. And what constitutes a burger patty or a grilled cheese, and what is just not in the same category anymore and does not deserve to be spoken of.
The bike-shed thing. The more simple and common something is, the more people argue about the right way to do it.
Ketchup makes pizza so much better for me. I love it. It's like these two foods are made for each other, however, the Italians only use tomato sauce, which is fine, but doesn't quite taste the same. I've had an Italian waiter give me some really funny looks when I asked for some ketchup[/QUOTE
Ha ha I bet you did! I have to say I have never considered it as I find tomato ketchup masks the flavour of everything else as it is so overpowering and with the base tomato sauce on the pizza I guess I never found it necessary, but whatever works for you!
I raised an eyebrow when I saw the title of this thread. Ketchup on a pizza?! Are you crazy? 
You need to eat better pizza with better sauces.
Honestly, I have never heard of someone putting ketchup on a pizza. Don't get me wrong, I like ketchup and use it a lot but it does not belong on a pizza.
You need to eat better pizza with better sauces. Honestly, I have never heard of someone putting ketchup on a pizza. Don't get me wrong, I like ketchup and use it a lot but it does not belong on a pizza.
I guess it is like putting ketchup on a Rib-eye steak. If you like ketchup than do it but if you want to taste the local flavor of tomato sauce don't. I do think that the taste of pizza is different in every country, city, town... I always taste my food before putting any condiments on it. If I don't like it plain then I will try to dress it up. As for pizza in Italy, I would say that most of them were pretty darn good without anything additional being added.
I love ketchup! I eat it with everything, and I can't imagine a pizza without ketchup. However, I haven't yet tried a real Italian tomato sauce, so maybe once I try that, there will be no going back. But seriously, I eat ketchup with everything, from pizzas, hot dogs and hamburgers to regular snacks like sandwiches and what not. Their tomato sauce better be good, or I'm gonna pour myself some ketchup!
Persoanlly I never put ketchup on pizza as there is already the potatos that gives a similiar taste and putting the ketchup too would be too "overcharging" the taste of the pizza itself to me and I wouldn't like that much.
For me, ketchup is an absolute must when it comes to pizza! Sometimes I even add it if they didn't put enough... well, my "enough" when it comes to ketchup is... let's just say that I adore it. Tomato sauce is alright, but it doesn't give the same flavour like ketchup. Some have probably said that ketchup is too sweet or isn't sweet enough, but it all depends on which one you buy. Hellmann's is absolutely the best. The only one, in my opinion, which is almost as good (if not just as good) is Heinz. The flavour is rich and they are sweet. This wasn't the case with some brands such as Podravka (Croatian, I believe) and some others.
Perhaps you just didn't try the right ketchup.
Perhaps you just didn't try the right ketchup.
I guess I'm a pizza purist and I am firmly in the no ketchup with pizza camp.
If it's made right, it's flavorsome enough without the need to dip it in ketchup. Plus, to me ketchup is an American thing...it just doesn't seem right with pizza. Possibly a bad analogy, but to me it would be like dipping your sushi in ketchup if you were in Japan. Sure, some people might like it, but is it the way that the locals would do it? No way!
If it's made right, it's flavorsome enough without the need to dip it in ketchup. Plus, to me ketchup is an American thing...it just doesn't seem right with pizza. Possibly a bad analogy, but to me it would be like dipping your sushi in ketchup if you were in Japan. Sure, some people might like it, but is it the way that the locals would do it? No way!
I've never even thought of putting ketchup on my pizza before, I always thought that the tomato sauce was good enough... Besides, ketchup would make the pizza taste oddly sweet, wouldn't it?
I've heard of putting hot sauce on pizza but to be honest I've never heard of anyone putting ketchup on it. How does it taste? Doesn't it go against the taste of tomato sauce.
Ketchup is nothing like pizza sauce - it's loaded with corn syrup, vinegar, and spices not commonly used in a traditional Italian pasta or pizza sauce, like clove and allspice. No offense, but that sounds absolutely stomach churning to think of a pizza coated with ketchup then blanketed with mozzarella cheese. The ketchup would be way too strong. Even in the US, it's eaten in smaller amounts as a condiment, not something covering an entire pizza crust. Is this an Asian thing? Because I seem to recall some Asian recipes calling for the use of ketchup as a "secret ingredient".
Most pizza sauces I've ever had just tend to be a bit thicker than a traditional pasta sauce, and they bump up the oregano and red pepper flakes, along with a pinch of sugar to sweeten it slightly and dampen the acidity a bit.
Most pizza sauces I've ever had just tend to be a bit thicker than a traditional pasta sauce, and they bump up the oregano and red pepper flakes, along with a pinch of sugar to sweeten it slightly and dampen the acidity a bit.
Ketchup on your pizza? I'm sorry, but that sounds downright disgusting. I'm a fan of both foods but that is not a good combo. 
Wow, ketchup on pizza?...thats uhh....a little...hehe...strange?
Personally when i think of pizza i really enjoy dunking it into ranch dressing. I dont even like racnh on my salad!
Does anyone else here dunk?
Personally when i think of pizza i really enjoy dunking it into ranch dressing. I dont even like racnh on my salad!
Does anyone else here dunk?