What was the name of the ancient Greek bread called that served as a flatbread precursor to pizza?
Answer
Plakous
The historical practice of topping a round piece of bread formed a conceptual lineage that connects to ancient civilizations. Specifically, the ancient Greeks favored a bread known as *plakous*. This bread functioned as a sturdy, edible base for various savory toppings such as herbs, onion, garlic, and sometimes cheese. Although it shares the basic structural concept of a topped flatbread with modern pizza, it predates the defining elements like the tomato sauce and specific leavening techniques used by the Neapolitans, firmly placing *plakous* as a historical ancestor rather than the invention itself.
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