FOODSTUFF

D e s c r i p t i o n

The present invention relates to a foodstuff and in particular to a pizza cone.

It is known that several snack bars or restoration centres offer ready-to-eat pizza slices for sale to the consumers. However, due to the supple and unsteady- nature of a pizza slice it is sometimes uncomfortable to handle the foodstuff when it is being eaten.

In order to solve the above mentioned drawback, alternative solutions have been proposed on the market for pizza consumption. In detail, conical holding elements have been produced which are made up of pizza dough conveniently garnished with tomato sauce and seasoning products suitable for this type of foodstuff.

These foodstuffs are usually called and referred to as pizza cones.

The latter are generally supplied to the reseller or retailer provided with the necessary stuffing or filling and in a frozen condition so that they can be quickly heated in adapted ovens designed for the purpose.

In this way, the consumer can be given, upon request, an easily eatable product that does not soil and has the desired sizes (a medium pizza cone or a large pizza cone, for example) .

The product briefly described above has been also

proposed in different geometric variants, one of which is provided, inside the cone, with suitable fin elements and also has a central core so as to enable better distribution of the stuffing and avoid escape of the latter when the pizza is being eaten.

At all events the above described foodstuffs appear to be susceptible of further improvements.

Since frozen products are concerned, during baking the water contained in the dough has a tendency to cause softening of the crust.

Under this situation, when the cooked product is placed on a grid or exhibition support, the same is likely to get deformed, and it may even fall down.

In addition, the same problem arises during handling of the pizza cone by the consumer; in fact, the strong heat built up by the stuffing is transmitted through the pie to the outside, making therefore necessary to use suitable heat insulating means such as a napkin or a container to separate the hands from the food during heating.

Accordingly, the present invention aims at substantially solving all the above highlighted drawbacks .

It is a first aim of the invention to make a pizza cone of suitable structure adapted to enable a steady support of same on the stands.

It is a further aim of the invention to make available a ready-to-eat foodstuff that can be handled more

easily and has a different aesthetic appearance as compared with the foodstuffs presently known.

The foregoing and further aims that will become more apparent in the course of the following description are substantially achieved by a foodstuff in accordance with the features recited in the appended claims.

Further features and advantages will be best understood from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the invention given by way of non- limiting example in which:

- Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of the foodstuff in accordance with the invention; - Fig. 2 shows the foodstuff seen in Fig. 1 provided with the stuffing, i.e. duly garnished; and

- Figs. 3 and 4 show a longitudinal section and a cross section respectively, of the product seen in Fig. 1.

With reference to the drawings, a foodstuff commonly referred to as pizza cone has been generally identified with reference numeral 1.

As can be viewed from the accompanying figures, the foodstuff consists of a hollow structure 1 open at the top and substantially having a cone-shaped configuration .

In particular, the hollow structure 2 has a downwards- tapering side wall 6 connected, at the lower part thereof, with a base wall 7 of circular shape.

This configuration enables handling of the foodstuff with one hand that will hold a lower grip portion 2a of the pizza cone exactly like an ice-cream cone.

Since structure 2 is closed at the bottom, the same can receive a suitable stuffing 3 inside it. This stuffing will obviously be of the type adapted for pizza and will comprise, among other things, tomatoes and cheese. Obviously all ingredients presently used for garnishing pizzas can be also used as the stuffing for a pizza cone, so as to ensure an always genuine product of good quality adapted to satisfy the gastronomic taste of the concerned population.

The structure 2 consists of a flour-based dough and is substantially similar to the dough used to form the pizza crust; in particular it comprises flour, water, salt, oil and preferably leaven, while preservatives, fats and genetically modified organisms are absent.

In this way, the hollow structure 2 has a dough consistency over the whole conical surface and is of a suitable thickness to enable the baked pie to have an elastic consistency and to be tender and easily masticable .

The pie consistency is sufficiently strong so that the crust is stiff enough to enable proper use of it, without however being tough or dry.

The dough thickness is about 5/7 mm with a surface that is rather rough to the touch, and has the classic colour of the pizza dough.

Obviously this type of material is fully different from that used for ice-cream cones or for wafers and does not include eggs, milk, vanilla or butter, which substances are typical of the last-mentioned preparations.

Advantageously, ^' the hollow structure also comprises a predetermined number of ribs 4 located on the outer surface of the hollow structure itself.

In the examples shown the ribs are 4 in number and they are preferably angularly spaced apart the same distance (see Fig. 4) . The ribs themselves are disposed longitudinally along the extension of the hollow structure and have a first end 4a close to an upper edge 5 and a second end 4b close to a median portion of the outer surface.

Advantageously, the ribs are made of the same material as the hollow structure 2 and are unitary with said structure.

The invention achieves important advantages.

The product is conveniently studied so that one hand can hold it tightly and, due to its consistency, it is stiff enough to enable proper use of it, although it is not tough or dry.

The stuffing that the product can receive is of varied types and the cone is at the same time the container and the food itself, being an irreplaceable element in the proposed foodstuff.

Due to its configuration the foodstuff does not either soil or drip, and can be eaten without use of cutlery, so that the eating person can be sitting or walking.

It can be supplied in a pre-cooked or frozen condition in such a manner as to ensure the product genuineness

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and quality and at the same time it can be provided in different basis weights until a maximum of 100 grams, for example.

From a structural point of view, the ribs increase the cone strength allowing the product to rest on suitable support grids without being submitted to deformations.

In addition, the presence of said ribs creates a barrier of increased thickness against the heat stored in the stuffing, which heat therefore can hardly reach the user's hands.

The aesthetic appearance too is improved, as can be seen from the accompanying figures.