Vending-fired machine pizza

Pizza vending machines being launched in Italy next week will knead dough, flatten it to a disc, add toppings and bake the pizza in just three minutes.

A machine that makes and delivers pizza in three minutes will make its appearance in offices and factories around Italy from next week.

The tomato-red machine, called Let's Pizza, prepares the dish from scratch. A window in the front allows customers to watch as the flour is kneaded, the pizza disc formed, tomato paste and other ingredients spread on top and the finished creation baked under infra-red rays.

Although Italians are particular about their native foods and drinks, they are susceptible to the convenience of vending machines.

Machines which produce creditable versions of cappuccino, caffe machiato and other coffee types have become so popular that a television comedy series was located in front of such a machine.

Claudio Torghele, the inventor of Let's Pizza, hopes the success of the coffee machines will rub off on his own device.

"This is not just a vending machine, it's a mini-pizzeria. With the windows where you can watch the pizza being made, kids love it."

Traditional pizza makers are scathingly critical of the device, but they will probably shrug off the competition.

Coffee machines have had little impact on Italy's thousands of espresso bars.

- INDEPENDENT