- Neapolitan ice cream originated in Naples, Italy, in the 19th century. At that time, style dictated more elaborate food presentation, which led to the combination of different flavors of ice cream of distinctly different colors. The most common combination was vanilla, chocolate and strawberry, although pistachio was also used.
- To make Neapolitan ice cream, the three different flavors were placed in a mold, then frozen together to form layers. When the freezing was completed, the finished product was cut into slices for serving. In the beginning of the 19th century an Italian named Giuseppe Tortoni introduced this process in Paris.
- A recipe from 1894 found in Cassell's New Universal Cookery Book lists additional ingredients besides the three traditional flavors, including orange, pineapple or lemon water, cream flavored with brandy, and brightly colored water ices. It also included specific slicing instructions so that the flavors are distributed evenly in each serving.
- A 1940 recipe from The American Woman's Cookbook lists the three main flavors as pistachio ice cream, strawberry ice cream, and orange ice, although it does mention that any three flavors would be suitable. The process involved spreading strawberry across the bottom, adding strawberry in the middle, and topping it off with pistachio.
- Neapolitan ice cream recipes have evolved over time. More current recipes include adding cherry sauce, and the making of ice cream cakes and ice cream sandwiches. Epicurious.com lists a recipe for Neapolitan pie that calls for frozen yogurt and mint ice cream, and is topped off by adding crushed Oreo cookies.
