Pizza cutter
Encyclopedia
A pizza cutter is a utensil
that is used to cut pizza
s. The use of a pizza cutter instead of a standard knife
avoids the dislodging of loose toppings through the back-and-forth motion of the blade typical of a knife
. Pizza cutters press their blade down vertically instead.
(Italian
for "half moon"), which is rocked back and forth to cut the pizza. These two types of pizza cutters come in many different sizes. Many people might use the wheel pizza cutter for other things, including craft
work. Some types of mezzalunas (particularly the double-bladed type) are often used to mince herbs or chop vegetables. It was invented in 1708 by Silvio Pacitti.
Tool
A tool is a device that can be used to produce an item or achieve a task, but that is not consumed in the process. Informally the word is also used to describe a procedure or process with a specific purpose. Tools that are used in particular fields or activities may have different designations such...
that is used to cut pizza
Pizza
Pizza is an oven-baked, flat, disc-shaped bread typically topped with a tomato sauce, cheese and various toppings.Originating in Italy, from the Neapolitan cuisine, the dish has become popular in many parts of the world. An establishment that makes and sells pizzas is called a "pizzeria"...
s. The use of a pizza cutter instead of a standard knife
Knife
A knife is a cutting tool with an exposed cutting edge or blade, hand-held or otherwise, with or without a handle. Knives were used at least two-and-a-half million years ago, as evidenced by the Oldowan tools...
avoids the dislodging of loose toppings through the back-and-forth motion of the blade typical of a knife
Knife
A knife is a cutting tool with an exposed cutting edge or blade, hand-held or otherwise, with or without a handle. Knives were used at least two-and-a-half million years ago, as evidenced by the Oldowan tools...
. Pizza cutters press their blade down vertically instead.
Varieties
There are two main types of pizza cutters. The most common uses a wheel that rotates in a circle while a person moves the cutter in a direction that they would like to cut the pizza. The other type is a large curved knife called a mezzalunaMezzaluna
A mezzaluna is a knife consisting of a single or double curved blade with a handle on each end. It is often used for chopping herbs or very large single blade versions are sometimes used for pizza or pesto.-Name:...
(Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
for "half moon"), which is rocked back and forth to cut the pizza. These two types of pizza cutters come in many different sizes. Many people might use the wheel pizza cutter for other things, including craft
Craft
A craft is a branch of a profession that requires some particular kind of skilled work. In historical sense, particularly as pertinent to the Medieval history and earlier, the term is usually applied towards people occupied in small-scale production of goods.-Development from the past until...
work. Some types of mezzalunas (particularly the double-bladed type) are often used to mince herbs or chop vegetables. It was invented in 1708 by Silvio Pacitti.