[ines] do you think we could get a bigger car, though . [jose] what . [upbeat music] its hard to believe that just a few months ago the first wave of covid19 had emptied the streets of naples and italy was in lockdown. Thankfully, ive arrived during a brief moment of normality. Restaurants are open and masks are not required outside and well be sticking to the local rules. Napoli is a truly thrilling city. The second you arrive youre engulfed by a magnificent chaos and theres no point in fighting it. People here do things their own way. Take the energy of new york, mix in the gritty elegance of new orleans, add 3,000 years of history and cook it all up in the heat of the worlds most famous volcano. That is napoli. Im stanley tucci. Im italian on both sides and im traveling across italy to discover how the food in each of this countrys 20 regions is as unique as the people and their past. This place may be looked down on as the povertystricken underdog of italy. But the people who live in this region have their own way of doing things. For me, this is our philosophy. This is our style and tradition. Theyve given the world its favorite food. Pizza margarita just dont forget where it was invented. [upbeat piano music] if pizza was going to be born anywhere, it would be here in naples. The city is hot, fast, and a feast for the senses. Naples is situated in campania. Its the unofficial capital of the italian south and is even older than rome. Its a region of volcanic landscapes, magical islands and the worldfamous amalfi coast. The southern sun nurtures tomatoes that are the envy of the world and out in the hills, buffalo produce the milk for the finest mozzarella. But pizza wasnt born in the lush hills. It came from the darkest, poorest streets of naples and its story combines two of italys favorite subjects, food and death. [tv announcer] vesuvius explodes. Italys historical Volcano Bursts into the most fearsome and devastating eruption at least once in every century, it has heralded disaster. The volcano is this sort of everpresent threat, isnt it . It is. You know, it is on the landscape, you always watch it, and have it in your mind and in your eyes. Professor Elisabetta Moro is one of the Three Million neapolitans who live in the shadow of the mighty volcano. People are obsessed with the possibility of dying because there is a volcano, because there are earthquakes, because there are epidemics yeah. So its very hard for them. Life can be tough in this volatile city. Its no wonder everywhere you go in naples you see handmade shrines keeping a light shining for loved ones who have died. This is all over the city you see this. Yes, they are included in the architecture of the city. You know these are kind of temples of memory, you remember the people of your family or your friends, especially young people who died. Coming from a Southern Italian family, death was always talked about. I remember my grandmother used to call my mother, my mother would pick up the phone and shed say, you know who died . Yeah, exactly thats what it was my grandmother did the same. But it was also a way for feeling alive. Elisabetta is showing me the historic heart of the city. For hundreds of years the poorest people in naples were packed into these narrow streets. Terrible sanitation meant that life could be snatched at any moment by the brutal epidemic of their age, cholera. People really got scared, because you know, it was an epidemic like more or less the covid19 virus. Yes. So you could transmit it very easily. Right. Right. Cholera was spread by water and by food so people here cooked pieces of bread in hot oil. So the frying is simpler. Its simpler, its easy, you can get a very good point of hygiene because you know, frying really sterilizes everything. It was probably one of the few times in life that frying something might actually be healthy for you. So this is where were going to get fried pizza . Alright, ciao. Okay, so. [stanley] beautiful. [stanley laughing] you know since a century her familys doing this. For a century . For a century these streets were once full of places like this, but fernanda is now the last of an historic lineage. [stanley] it all puffs up, doesnt it . Its beautiful. Alright thank you. Thank you. Youre welcome. [laughing] ready . This Delicious Pocket of history was pizza before pizza was pizza. With the pork and the ricotta yeah, its very tasty. [street vendor] Pizza Margarita as we walk off some of those calories, elisabetta tells me how pizza was born in these streets from quite unpromising beginnings. Well mostly they were selling bread with a little bit of fat on it. Sometimes pepper, because people were really poor. Then at a certain point, people here invented pizza. But for many years it was just a neapolitan taste, on it, sometimes pepper because people were really poor. Ol and then at era certain point people here invented pizza but it was just a neapolitan taste. A played a significant role in attitudes. For centuries. Binkley by the late 19th century the italian prejudice against naples and its food m begin toak change, and elizabet has taken me to the place where according to legend, and 18 in 1889 the italian queen ordered a pizza that went on to bear her name, mergherita. Do you make pizza at home . Ba its almost forbidden, the only exception was during bec lockdown about the pizzerias were closed. That was really bad. En the first day tafter the not lockdown, 60,000 pizzas were na made the same day and they were not sufficient because everybody wanted a pizza. Umed they were so desperate. First the pizza and then thew vaccine. In Fithe Streets of naples people grew out of a pandemic and sustained the city through another. What was born in a place consumed by death is now a food that the entire world finds life affirming. Hey, is that the new iphone 15 pro . Yeah, i got it at tmobile. Hey be right back. Whoa, i love that titanium you need to go to tmobile where new and existing customers can get iphone 15 pro on them. And with their best go5g plan, youll have the freedom to upgrade every year. You are very wise reflection common and youre very handsome real common. At tmobile. Get the iphone 15 pro with titanium on us now and the freedom to upgrade every year. [its the final game, folks. This one wins the series. ] struck out with the cheap seats . Important things arent worth compromising. At farmers, we offer both Quality Insurance and great savings. crowd cheers here, take mine. Farmers Mnemonic the best advice i ever got was to invest with vanguard for my retirement. The second best . Stay healthy enough to enjoy it. So i started preparing physically and financially. Then you came along and made every mile worth it. Hi mom. At vanguard youre more than just an investor, youre an owner. Helping you prepare for todays longer retirement. Thats the value of ownership. Tourists tourists that turn into scientists. Tourists photographing thousands of miles of remote coral reefs. That can be analyzed by ai in real time. So researchers can identify which areas are at risk. And help life underwater flourish. If you have medicare and medicaid unitedhealthcares dual complete plans come with the ucard the simple member card to use for your plan benefits. Like what kind of benefits . Were talking credit every month to pay for healthy food. Utilities. And overthecounter items, too. All that with just one card . Yep only unitedhealthcare gives you the ucard and much more. Mmmm. Ill take more get more of what matters at no extra cost to you with a dual complete plan, only from unitedhealthcare. From pep in their step to shine in their coats, when people switch their dogs food to the farmers dog, the effects can seem like magic. But theres no magic involved. dog bark its just smarter, healthier pet food. Its amazing what real food can do. [upbeat piano music] [upbeat trumpet music] [pizzaiolo] pizza with ham. In this city of pizzamakers, there is a man whose Reputation Towers over the town like vesuvius. In the city of pizza makers, there is a man whose Reputation Towers over the town like vesuvius. He wrote the globally recognized standards on making the best Neapolitan Pizza in the world and was the first pizza yolo to be represented. Enzo . The only thing he loves more than pizza is naples itself. When you can go straight to the source . Before he makes me a pizza, the maestro needs to go shopping. And who needs a store when you can go straight to the source . Buffalo were brought to work for the seven italian land by arab conquerors almost 1000 years ago and eerily each morning their milk is turned into the finest mozzarella. This masked man is Mimmo La Vecchia and hes acknowledged as one of the greatest cheesemakers in italy. Once this mornings collection of buffalo milk is heated, this masked man is acknowledged as one of the greatest cheesemakers in italy. Once this mornings collection of buffalo milk is heated, he separates the kurds in the way. The kurds are chopped and boiling water is added and the result is incredible. The curds are chopped and boiling water is added and the result is incredible. Its like hes a magician. And italian this means to cut off and the Engine Process gives the cheese its name. The mozzarella then rest in a salt bath for a few hours. Unlike other cheeses, which get better with age, mozzarella is best eaten fresh it. Which is great news for me. [upbeat guitar music] if youre going to make the greatest pizza in naples, once you have the best mozzarella, you need the perfect tomato. Sopl, if you are going to make the greatest pizza in naples, once you have the best mozzarella, you need the perfect tomato. Theres a place whose name is whispered in our by pizza fans everywhere from Brooklyn To Bangkok and enzo is taking me there. As a pizza lover, i only ever purchase cans of these tomatoes and now im heading to the promised land. Although i had not quite expected to be a small farm under a freeway. We are meeting his special supplier, uncle vincenzo. I am reminded that treasures are to be found in the most unlikely locations here. Ive eaten san marzano tomatoes All Around The World, but the bright, balanced flavor of these is like nothing ive ever tasted. Ive eaten these tomatoes All Around The World but the bright, balance flavor of these is like nothing ive ever tasted. [stanley] thats it . Yeah, no, impossible. Yeah. Yeah, no, and possible. Impossible. Varieties using the san marzano name are grown everywhere from new jersey to new zealand but only the tomatoes grown right here are fed by the Nutrient Rich Soil gifted by our old friend looming on the horizon. [stanley] wow. Wow after our little shopping trip, were back in the city wo the ma w. After our little shopping trip, we are back in the city and finally the maestro is making a pizza for me. S kill. Massproduced pizza brands always add sugar, fat, and flavoring but in napoli its just water, flour, salt, yeast, and a lot of skill. Next, the creamy nuggets of mozzarella di bufala the crushed san marzano tomatoes go on first. Next, the creamy nuggets of Mozzarella Di Buffala , and a final flourish. To add saltiness. And fragrance. And then, in a matter of moments, food magic happens. Oh my gosh. Oh my god. Its delicious perfect, perfect, Perfect Pizza making is one tradition we all hope will never die out thats delicious. Perfect. Pizza making is one tradition we all hope will never die out and that the pizza of naples will always keep the flame of. , simple perfection burning. In napule. In napule. In napule. Good tourists tourists that turn into scientists. Tourist taking photos that are analyzed by ai. So researchers can help life underwater flourish. Its because of tiktok that i had to go out and get a website. Im at a point now where ive outgrown my house. Growing up, every me id get out of the shower, i would itch. My First Experience with goat milk soap, it kinda was like a light bulb moment. Tiktok is a fantastic platform for diy. If youd have told me three years ago that i would own my own business and be expanding into a separate building, i wouldve told you youd lost your mind. Okay everyone, our mission is to provide complete balanced nutrition for strength and energy. Woo hoo ensure, complete balanced nutrition with 27 vitamins and minerals. And ensure complete with 30 grams of protein. It immediately feels like somebodys poking directly on the nerve. I recommend sensodyne. Sensodyne toothpaste goes inside the tooth and calms the nerve down. And my patents say you know doc, it really works. the new stuffed quesadillas. Only at El Pollo Loco the power goes out and we still have wifi the to do our homework. Llas. And thats a good thing . Great in my book who are you . No power . No problem. Introducing stormready wifi. Now you can stay reliably connected through Power Outages with unlimited cellular data and up to 4 hours of battery backup to keep you online. Only from xfinity. Home of the xfinity 10g network. The new summer family meal. Starting at 24. Only at El Pollo Loco. [upbeat piano music] [police sirens] so, this isnt what it looks like. Let me explain. In this city, it sometimes seems like everyones making up their own rules, but somehow the place ha what it looks like. Let me explain. In this city, it sometimes seems like everyone is making up their own rules but somehow the place hangs together. Im meeting the man who tries to keep some order here, chief of the municipal police. In true neapolitan style he wants to explain how it works over a coffee. I figured he just really likes coffee. The captain orders three copies for the two of us. I figure he just really likes coffee. But paying for one extra is actually a hugely important tradition here. It is called suspended coffee. When a person in need shows up, the Coffee Seller gives them a free drink that their fellow citizen paid for earlier. Ways of helping each other out that go back centuries. They suspend essentials like coffee, and Eve N Toys The People of naples have ways of helping each other out that go back centuries. They suspend essentials like coffee, food, and even toys for families who cant afford them. This is the second poorest region in italy and Community Help is the only safety net that some people have. When that fails, the Powerful Neapolitan Mafia is only too ready to swoop in. Poverty and crime has always been part of life in this city, but in 1960s an experiment to improve things went badly wrong. Five miles from th poverty and crime has always ceof life in this but in the 1960s an experiment to improve things went badly wrong. 5 miles from the city center, a new world was built. It was called scampia. The poorest neapolitans were moved out of dark slums into futuristic homes but the dream quickly turned into a nightmare. The place had neither jobs nor transport and people here were trapped. Crime gangs stepped in where the state had failed. Drugs were sold on the streets and things got so bad even the police state away. Ordinary residents were caught in the middle. More recently, a new chapter in the history of the neighborhood began when hundreds of nomadic travelers called the Romani People arrived. They came from Eastern Europe and set up camp under a freeway here. The romani sought a better life in italy and have made their home here despite no access to Running Water or electricity. All across this Neighborhood Thousands of people like samantha saw their lives going to waste, unfairly labeled as criminals, while the authorities turned their backs. All across this neighborhood, tthousands of people like samanthahi saw their lives goin to waste, unfairly labeled as criminals while the authorities turned their backs. But still, this is napoli and people look out for each other in the most creative ways. So kitchen was very powerful and instrument to other stereotypes but also to create work and we decided to make a smaller revolution through the kitchen. In a hut on the edge, Local Activist Emma and her friends realized they had a talented community of neapolitan and romani women, each with unique food traditions, and decided to take matters into their own hands. We are very used to fight with or without the institution. This is, i think, a very self italian quality. That small idea grew into something astonishing. The hot is long gone. It is now a restaurant and Catering Company based in a large, disused building. Samantha, whom i met at the romani camp got a job as a cook here. Her recipes proved so popular, they star on the menu. Customers now come to scampia from across the city to taste the delicious fusions of neapolitan and romani food they create here. Customers now come there from across the city to taste the delicious fusions of neapolitan and romani food they create here. But the success of the Social Enterprise allows them to also offer childcare and education to all the residents of scampia. This place receives no government help, but the success of the Social Enterprise allows them to also offer childcare and education to all of the residents of scampia. This neighborhood still has huge problems, but in the face of unimaginable bleak this, the volunteers have opened up the space to mix food with talent. And create hope. This is just the most wonderful experiment but reality now, which is that youve taken two cultures and brought them together. With a frying pan. Important things arent worth compromising. At farmers, we offer both Quality Insurance and great savings. crowd cheers here, take mine. Farmers Mnemonic tourists tourists that turn into scientists. Tourist taking photos that are analyzed by ai. So researchers can help