THE Sorce brothers they decided to make a pizza in honor of Agrigento, Italian Capital of Culture 2025, and one of its most famous sons, Empedocles the philosopher of natural elements. The project of “Empedocle white marinara pizza” it can be interpreted as a metaphorical extension of his philosophical principles. In fact, we could conceive this pizza as a true culinary work that embodies the harmony and balance of the elements through the color white.
A soft and slightly crunchy base represents the “earth” element. It is the foundation on which the harmony of the other ingredients is built, offering taste, substance and structure. Olive Oil Extra virgin olive oil represents the “water” element, although not in the literal sense. Its fluidity and importance in Mediterranean cuisine make it an element that connects and amalgamates the other ingredients, promoting union and purity. The garlic, slightly golden in the oil, together with a sprinkling of sea salt recall the “air” element through their pungent aroma, which spreads and permeates the tasting experience, elevating the flavors and bringing lightness and freshness.
Here we introduce an innovative element that aligns with the white theme – a tomato sauce devoid of pigments, but not flavour. This sauce not only maintains the color theme, but also adds a creamy and enveloping dimension to the pizza, without overpowering the delicacy of the other ingredients. The choice of a colorless sauce further emphasizes the concept of purity and union, creating a unique taste balance that allows each element not to overwhelm each other and to express themselves fully, creating perfect harmony and fully reflecting Empedocle’s philosophy.
One of the elements that makes Empedocle’s marinara pizza unique is the white sauce. When you think of marinara you imagine a tomato pizza. In this case, however, what you immediately see is a pizza with a white tomato sauce on which a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, basil, lightly browned garlic and a sprinkling of sea salt are placed. The peculiarity of this creation is the white tomato sauce, made in a very particular way. “After blending the tomatoes roughly – he says Philip Sorce – are placed in a pot and covered with water. Once they come to the boil they are filtered into a bowl through food gauze. The first drops that fall into the container are white. We collect them, then we emulsify them with an immersion mixer. In this way, you will have a white sauce with an intense tomato flavor that makes the pizza unique.”
