Innovative cooks have long exploited the powers of deep-fried dough (look no further than fried Coca-Cola batter and fried beer ravioli). But Neapolitan cooks are responsible for one of its finest forms: fried pizza. The traditional specialty can be served in one of two ways: the stuffed, calzone-like pizza fritta and the more pie-like pizza montanara. 

The latter hails from the mountains around Naples (hence, “montanara”). To make the dish, chefs drop a disc of uncooked pizza dough in hot oil for about a minute, then top the puffy fried dough with marinara and cheese. To melt the cheese and char the crust, they bake it for another minute in an oven. Tasters say this gives the crust a crunchy, airy texture and a smoky, toasted flavor. It may not be as light as dough that’s avoided a bubbling oil pit entirely, but it’s not the battered slice you were imagining, either.