Toni and Sanja from Banja Luka decided to move their life from abroad to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). She returned home, and he went with her, hand in hand, into the unknown. But with his pizza, the Italy they once lived in has never felt closer.
Toni, an Italian and a pizza master, has been living in Banja Luka for four years. At work, in the kitchen, as he stretches the dough, he measures every ingredient. A real pizza must be made according to strict Italian procedures.
However, upon arriving in Banja Luka, Toni was met with cultural shock on the plate because, when it comes to pizza, the rules are clear.
“Ketchup doesn’t go on it, mayonnaise doesn’t go on it, absolutely not. When people ask me why it’s not okay, I tell them it’s the same as someone saying that burek with cheese exists here. It’s the same thing,” Toni said.
But Toni didn’t bring a taste of Italy to Banja Luka alone. With him is his wife, Sanja.
This Italian-BiH couple decided, after several years of living abroad, to pack their bags and head to Banja Luka. It is the hometown of Toni’s wife, Sanja. Long-distance love was no longer an option, so they decided on the next step.
“I was like, ‘Let me try coming to BiH,’ and he literally came for 15 days, and after that, he never went back to Italy,” Sanja said.
Not even the language, which he admits was his biggest obstacle, discouraged him. However, the biggest surprise was the reactions from those around him:
“You, you came here? Are you crazy? An Italian? You lived in the Netherlands, and you came here to the Balkans? To Banja Luka? I don’t understand you, and I realize – you guys don’t know yet, go back there,” Toni said.
“There, you don’t have to think about survival, whether you’ll make it to the end of the month, whether you’ll have to borrow money – so from that perspective, it’s much better. But on the other hand, let’s say, they lack social life, and in essence, a human is a social being – money aside,” Sanja added.
That was the main reason for Sanja’s return and Toni’s arrival in BiH. The mentality, hospitality, and welcoming hand were decisive. Toni doesn’t hide his fondness for BiH, but Sanja reveals there is one thing he doesn’t like:
“What is this? What kind of pasta is this? Look at how they stuck it together, this doesn’t even look like pasta anymore, it’s just some dough, what is this? I’m never buying your pasta again,” Sanja recounted.
However, there are some things from BiH cuisine he cannot resist.
“Sarma is my favorite, and stuffed peppers,” Toni admitted.
Sanja, however, has a different choice:
“Ever since Toni started making pizzas in Banja Luka, I haven’t eaten pizza anywhere else – only at Toni’s.”
Because his recipe has at least a crumb of love, or as Sanja and Toni put it.
