If you’re a fan of Aldi’s Mama Cozzi Sorrentina, you may have chef Antonino Esposito to thank for it. Originally hailing from Sorrento, Italy, Esposito believes in eschewing pizza conventions when it comes to the signature round shape of most pies. Per the chef’s website, he has a history of experimenting with odd pizza configurations. The “Sorrento whip,” with its boat-like shape, has become one of the chef’s most popular dishes, which he also freezes and ships around the world.
Esposito’s original creation is pretty close to Aldi’s version, as both types of pizza feature dough twisted into the easily recognizable bowtie shape. Esposito’s pizza can be filled with a number of fresh ingredients, including fior di latte, a type of cow’s milk cheese similar to mozzarella, and datterini tomatoes, which are small, fleshy tomatoes known for their pleasantly sweet flavor. Though Aldi’s version also contains mozzarella cheese and tomatoes, there’s no indication that the supermarket chain uses the same types of mozzarella and tomatoes as the original Sorrentina pizza.