Pizza Moitié-Moitié
Marseille’s iconic half-and-half pizza, from my kitchen to yours
Ten years ago, I was wandering the streets of Marseille on a warm, windy Spring afternoon when I stumbled upon a food truck along the harbour serving something unexpected. It wasn’t Bouillabaisse, Tapenade, Panisses - nor was it anything I’d seen in the Provençal cookbooks I grew up with. It was pizza—yes, pizza—but not the kind I’d tasted in Italy nor made at home. This one was on the thinner side, and divided in two: one half topped with gooey cheese and one half topped with a chunky red tomato sauce, fragrant Pistou and succulent little anchovy fillets.
That was my first encounter with Pizza Moitié-Moitié, and I’ve been in love with it ever since.
Marseille might not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of pizza, but spend a few days there and you’ll understand. Like Naples in Italy, it’s intense, electric, sun-drenched and a little chaotic. A city of dockworkers and artists, of spice markets, bakeries and sea air. And pizza? It’s everywhere. Shared during loud OM* matches (*Olympique de Marseille soccer team), folded in half and eaten on the go, or enjoyed with friends and a cold beer on a café terrace.
The Moitié-Moitié (literally “Half-Half”) is its own kind of local emblem. A half-and-half pizza with a raw tomato sauce where one side is topped with cheese and the other is slathered in fragrant Pistou -the Provençal cousin of pesto- made with only basil, garlic, olive oil, and salt. Two beautiful toppings in conversation, side by side. I still remember the taste of that first slice—one bite full of cheesy warmth, the next briny and herbal. It was unexpected and completely satisfying. Since then, I've made it many times, and each time, it feels like I’m bringing a little piece of Marseille into my kitchen.
More provençal recipes to enjoy this summer:
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to A Table in France to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.