WO1998000028A1

WO1998000028A1 - Divided pizza with adjoining crust segments

Info

Publication number: WO1998000028A1
Application number: PCT/US1997/011038
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jeno F. Paulucci
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-06-28
Filing date: 1997-06-25
Publication date: 1998-01-08
Anticipated expiration: 1998-12-28
Also published as: CA2259293A1; AU3578197A

Abstract

A pizza (10) includes at least two distinct pizza pieces (12 and 14) and a boundary between the pieces being defined by adjoining crust segments (22 and 30), which is designed so that the pieces of the pizza are separable from each other between the adjoining crust segment.

Description

DΓVIDED PIZZA WITH ADJOINING CRUST SEGMENTS

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to pizzas.

Pizza has become a popular food, both as a fully cooked food prepared and eaten at a restaurant or delivered to the home, and as a food cooked at home. Frozen pizzas that are ready-to-cook have increased the popularity of cooking pizza at home. Microwave cooking technology has even further increased the demand for ready-to-cook pizzas since cooking time is greatly reduced by microwave cooking. One reason pizzas are so popular is that almost any type of ingredient may be included on the tomato sauce and cheese base of a pizza.

Ingredients may include such items as pepperoni slices, sausage, ham, mushrooms, hamburger, chicken, onions, olives, green peppers and even anchovies. This list is not all inclusive, and the ingredients that can be included on a pizza is only limited by imagination.

Pizzas are often eaten at social gatherings or with a group of friends at a restaurant. Since a number of people are typically present to consume a pizza, the size of a pizza is typically large, for example greater than ten inches.

Often times, to accommodate differing tastes in a group of people, pizza are made with one set of ingredients on one-half of the pizza and another set of ingredients on the other half. For the most part this is a satisfactory solution. However, if the ingredients on one-half of the pizza are particularly aromatic or spicy, the taste of such ingredients can migrate across to at least the boundary area of the other half, and are retained by more bland ingredients such as mushrooms. Some times this may be offensive to persons who do not like spicy ingredients which makes such portions of the pizza in the boundary area less than particularly desirable. Furthermore, depending on the care in which the ingredients are placed on the pizza or the care in which the pizza is cut, sections of pizza in the boundary area can contain ingredients from both halves of the pizza. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention includes a pizza comprised of at least two distinct pizza pieces. The boundary between the pizza pieces is defined by adjoining crust segments that run along the edge of each of the pieces. The pieces are separable between the adjoining crust segments. Preferably, the crust edge of each pizza piece runs continuously along the entire periphery of each pizza piece. The present invention also includes a method of making a packaged pizza. The method includes producing a pizza crust having an outer peripheral crust segment and two inner adjoining crust segments that separate the pizza in at least two pieces. Pizza topping is deposited within each of the two pieces and the pizza is packaged. The pizza can either be frozen so that it is ready to cook, or the pizza can be prepared by a vendor and delivered to the home ready to eat. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the pizza of the present invention. Figure 2 is a sectional view of two adjoining crust segments joined by a thin crust.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The pizza of the present invention is generally indicated at 10 in

Figure 1. The pizza 10 preferably comprises two half portions or pieces 12 and 14. The half portion 12 includes a crust 13 on which a pizza topping 15 (such as pepperoni slices) is disposed. The portion 12 is topographically defined by a center section 16 and an edge 18. The edge 18 includes an outer peripheral raised crust segment 20 and an inner raised crust segment 22. Similarly, the half 14 includes a crust 23 on which a pizza topping 25 (such as mushroom and sausage) is disposed. The half 14 is topographically defined by a center section 24 and an edge 26. The edge 26 includes an outer peripheral raised crust segment 28 and an inner raised crust segment 30.

The outer peripheral crust segments 20 and 28 are of an arcuate configuration that resembles the typical arcuate configuration of the periphery of a standard pizza. The inner crust segments 22 and 30 are in adjoining relationship and define a boundary between the two half portions 12 and 14. Preferably, the outer peripheral crust segment 20 and the inner crust segment 22, and the outer peripheral crust segment 28 and the inner crust segment 30 run continuously along the edge of each of the respective halves. Preferably, both crust segments 22 and 30 are relatively straight. The pizza pieces 12 and 14 are separable, that is either in a separated state as illustrated in the Figure or severable between the inner crust segments 22 and 30 as illustrated in Figure 2. When the pieces 12 and 14 are severable, the pieces may be joined by a thin crust or the pizza may be cut between the segments 22 and 30. It will be understood for purposes of this application that the periphery of the pizza can be other than arcuate or circular, and that although it is preferred that the inner crust segments 22 and 30 are relatively straight, they can be other than straight. Furthermore, that although two pizza pieces are discussed in this application, that the bounds of the invention should not be limited to two pieces, and that there may be more than two pieces comprising the pizza of the present invention.

For purposes of this application, the crust segments 20, 22, 28 and 30 are raised. By raised is meant that the crust segments 20, 22, 28 and 30 retain the pizza topping within the boundaries of the pizza. Typically, the crust segments are higher than the respective center sections 16 and 24 when filled with pizza toppings. The crust segments retain flowable ingredients prior to cooking, such as tomato paste, and those ingredients which melt upon cooking, such as cheese within the raised crust segments. Typically, pizza topping is not disposed on the crust segments.

By pizza topping is meant, a tomato based sauce to which is added spices typically used in pizza sauces, and cheese such as mozzarella, and upon which can be added ingredients such as pepperoni slices, sausage, ham, mushrooms, hamburger, chicken, onions, olives, green peppers and any other type of food ingredients that suit the taste of the particular consumer.

The pizza of the present invention may be packaged in a frozen condition, and can have either the same toppings on each pizza piece or different toppings on each piece. If each piece of the pizza has the same toppings, then the consumer has the option of cooking the entire pizza or if less than an entire pizza is needed, then only one piece may be cooked. Since each piece is surrounded by a continuous raised crust, the individually cooked pieces present themselves as miniature pizzas. In the situation in which each piece 12 and 14 has different toppings, the pizza of the present invention accommodates different tastes of more than one person for consuming the pizza. Also, the pizza of the present invention provides to a single person a variety by having one set of ingredients on one half and another set of ingredients on the other half as compared to prior art frozen pizzas which contain one set of ingredients on the entire pizza.

In the situation in which the pizza is prepared by a restaurant for either eating on the premises or delivery to the home, the pizza of the present invention provides an option to the consumer that otherwise has not been available. In the case of pizza consumption by more than one person, differing tastes can be accommodated by the present invention. A pizza can be ordered at a restaurant with one set of ingredients on one piece of the pizza and another set of ingredients on the other piece of pizza of the present invention. In all of the situations described above, the taste of one set of toppings used on one piece of the pizza will not migrate to the other toppings of the other piece of pizza of the present invention. The different toppings do not become mixed at the boundary area since a raised crust separates the different toppings. The pieces of pizza of the present invention can be cooked in separate ovens, or at separate times in the same oven or the pieces can be separated while being cooked in the same oven. As presented to the ultimate consumer, a raised crust runs along the entire edge of each pizza piece thereby providing the effect of an individual pizza for each piece. Additionally, ingredients such as cheese and tomato paste do not run over the edge of the pizza piece since they are retained by the raised crust.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A pizza comprising at least two distinct pieces, and a boundary between the pieces being defined by adjoining crust segments and wherein the pieces are separable from each other between the adjoining crust segments.

2. The pizza of claim 1 wherein each distinct piece contains a raised crust edge disposed on its periphery and wherein the crust edge includes the crust segments.

3. The pizza of claim 1 wherein each piece of the pizza contains pizza toppings that are different from the pizza toppings in the other piece of pizza.

4. The pizza of claim 1 wherein each of the distinct pieces includes an outer periphery and an inner periphery, and a raised crust extending along the outer and inner peripheries that includes the adjoining crust segment.

5. The pizza of claim 4 wherein the outer periphery is arcuate and the inner periphery is substantially straight thereby defining a half circle configuration.

6. The pizza of claim 1 wherein the pizza is frozen.

7. The pizza of claim 6 wherein the pizza is micro wavable.

8. A pizza comprising at least two distinct pizza pieces, each pizza piece having an interior portion and a peripheral crust edge and each of the pizza pieces having a segment of the crust edge in adjoining relationship with a segment of the crust edge of the other piece.

9. The pizza of claim 8 wherein the crust edge is raised.

10. The pizza of claim 8 wherein the pizza is frozen.

11. The pizza of claim 10 wherein the pizza is micro wavable.

12. The pizza of claim 10 wherein each piece of the pizza contains pizza toppings that are different from the toppings contained in the other piece of pizza.

13. The pizza of claim 8 wherein each pizza piece has an arcuate-shaped outer periphery.

14. The pizza of claim 13 wherein the segment of the crust edge that is in adjoining relationship with the segment of the crust edge of the other piece of pizza is substantially straight.

15. A method of making a packaged pizza, the method comprising: producing a pizza crust having an outer peripheral crust segment and at least two inner adjoining crust segments defining a boundary between pizza pieces such that the pieces are separable from each other; depositing pizza toppings on to each of the pizza pieces; and packaging the pizza.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the pizza crust is raised.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein different toppings are deposited on each of the pieces of the pizza.

18. The method of claim 15 and further comprising: freezing the pizza to produce a frozen pizza.

19. The method of claim 15 and further comprising: cooking the pizza prior to packaging.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein the separable pizza pieces are separated from each other.