Charred Neapolitan cornicione crust to thin, crispy Roman pies, and puffy slabs of Sicilian sfincione are just three types of pizza, the national dish that keeps on giving. When it comes to this versatile comfort food, Sicily and Sardinia each claim their own unexpected variety: the mustazzeddu from Sulcis, a region in southwest Sardinia, and the rianata trapanese from Trapani, a seaside town in western Sicily.

From Sulcis with love

A cross between pizza and focaccia invented in southwest Sardinia, mustazzeddu, characterized by an unevenly round shape, is lined with a folded-up crust that frames a tomato-filled center. Pizzaioli prepare the dough with flour, yeast, water, extra-virgin olive oil, and salt, then let it rise in a warm place for at least two-and-a-half hours.