How do you slice a pizza? Most people probably cut eight to 10 slices in straight lines that meet in the middle. Well, that’s wrong, according to mathematicians.
New research from the University of Liverpool says there is a much better way to slice a pizza (or flan or tart) to make it go a lot further.
MORE: HOW TO MAKE THE PERFECT PIZZA
Two of the university’s mathematicians, Joel Haddley and Stephen Worsley, have written a paper called Infinite familes of monohedral disk tilings which explains all (it’s less complicated than it sounds).
Basically, they don’t think we should be slicing in straight lines. Instead we should start in the middle and slice in a curve towards the outside.
MORE: HOW TO MAKE PIZZA DOUGH
(Picture: University of Liverpool)
If you start with six, the large slices can be halved to make 12 smaller slices if more guests arrive.
MORE: 8 OF THE MOST DELICIOUS QUICHE RECIPES
It doesn’t stop there. If your pizza is extra large and there are a lot of people to share it with, there are plenty of fancy ways to get slicing...
(Picture: University of Liverpool)
The idea behind the monohedral tiling is that every slice should be pretty much the same size, meaning that no one should pull the tiny-slice straw.
We asked the GH Cookery Team for their top tips on slicing pizza:
First and foremost, the GH team always opt for using scissors over a knife – they find scissors more precise and easier to get through a crunchy crust.
Food Editor Meike Beck says, ‘The monohedral tiling looks very pretty, but would be an absolute nightmare to achieve! You’d need a razor-sharp pizza cutter to make it work… Getting through cooked slices of pepperoni is not easy at the best of times, and try doing that with a curved angle!
‘Beautiful in theory but not practical in reality?’
It’s all food for thought… Pizza tonight, anyone?
Emma-Louise Pritchard is the Membership Director for Country Living UK & House Beautiful UK, previously Executive Digital Editor for Country Living UK. Emma-Louise is a digital expert specialising in content strategy, social media and newsletters. Her topics include sustainability, homes and interiors, gardening, health and wellbeing, pets, travel and countryside news. She has previously written for Good Housekeeping and Cosmopolitan and has won several awards, from AOP Digital Editor of the Year 2019 to PPA 30 Under 30. Emma-Louise studied at Cardiff University where she completed an MA in Magazine Journalism.
