Forza Pizza Blog

Pizzeria Profile: Nancy's Pizza

2010-09-04T18:02:00.000-07:00

This edition of "PP" highlights a good ol' Chicago-style, thin crust, square-cut pizza from Nancy's. A Chicago tradition, Nancy's is famous for its stuffed pizza but is no rookie in the thin crust league. What started out as a 35 seat pizzeria in Harwood Heights, IL circa 1971, has turned into a Chicago icon with over 35 locations. Since I happen to live close to a Nancy's, I was able to get a large sausage and mushroom delivered to my house...for research purposes of course. So, in traditional Pizzeria Profile fashion, the question remains. Icon or not, what do you think of the pizza? Appealing enough to give it a shot?

Nancy's Pizza | Multiple Locations

A Sausage and Mushroom Pizza from Nancy's

Close Up

Nancy's Booty Shot

Pizzeria Profile: Mario's Pizza, The Bahamas

2010-06-10T18:55:00.000-07:00

The long awaited and long overdue launch of Pizzeria Profiles is finally here. At first the delay was because I was having a hard time choosing the first pizzeria, but then moving to The Bahamas and starting a new job really got in the way. Sorry about that. So, it's only fitting that the first Pizzeria Profile comes from my new Forza Pizza Headquarters.

Like I said in a previous blog, I want to leave my opinions out of this and let the pizza speak for itself. Therefore, if you're ever on Grand Bahama Island and the following pictures look appealing to you, stop by Mario's Pizza for some pizza and a couple Sands.

Mario's Pizza | RND Plaza | The Mall Drive| Freeport, Bahamas

Pepperoni and Mushroom Pizza and a Cold Sands

Whole Pie

Mario's Booty Shot

Pizzeria Profile: Spacca Napoli

2010-08-10T10:55:00.000-07:00

We're going to the Ravenswood neighborhood of Chicago for the second edition of "Pizzeria Profiles". Spacca Napoli is a VPN certified pizzeria that upholds the Neapolitan traditions while developing topping combinations that push the envelope. As usual, I'm leaving my opinions on the pizza out of this, but I must point out I have never met an owner more passionate about pizza than Jonathan Goldsmith. His desire to please, whether it's through one of his three daily specials or an authentic Italian wine, is obvious and truly genuine. So take a look at these five pizzas from Spacca Napoli and decide for yourself if you like what you see.

Spacca Napoli Pizzeria | 1769 W. Sunnyside Ave | Chicago, IL 60640

http://www.spaccanapolipizzeria.com/

Margherita

Bufala Margherita with Arugula

Proscuitto, Arugula, and Parmigiano Reggiano

"Tartufo" - Porcini Mushrooms and Black Truffle Tapenade

"Cafona Del Rei" - Capicola, Prosciutto, Egg, Arugula, Parmigiano

Una Pizza Video

2010-08-29T16:53:00.000-07:00

This video has been around for a while, but it deserves to be posted. The director, Michael Evans, does an incredible job of capturing the artistic beauty of brick oven pizza. Watch pizzaiolo Anthony Mangieri of Una Pizza Napoletana silently remind us that it takes a serious amount of love and care to produce a deliciously balanced pizza.

Una Pizza Napoletana was pretty much everyone's favorite pizza in New York until Mangieri decided to pull a "LeBron James". He packed up shop and "took his talents" to San Francisco, but with one small difference. Unlike Lebron, Mangieri's fans will likely follow him across the country to reunite with his passion and pizza once UPN reopens.

Eat (Pizza) Pray Love

2010-08-18T20:02:00.000-07:00

Ok, Julia, you've been saying it for months now. We understand you're "having a relationship with your pizza". And, for those of you who couldn't tell, that pizza is from Da Michele in Napoli, Italy. Da Michele was the second stop on The Ultimate Tripleheader last year and we devoured our pizza just one day after Julia Roberts. Just missed! If you listen closely to the video below, and can understand a little Italian, you can hear my sister talking to Signore Da Michele about the near miss.

I haven't seen the movie, but I did read the page or two in the book that describes her relationship. Looks like we got a little love triangle going on because I'm not letting anyone steal my Neapolitan Love. I don't care who you are!

Pictured below is the Margherita Doppia that I devoured last September at Da Michele. There has been a void in my stomach ever since.

A Star is Born: The Making of "Prucola"

2010-07-29T20:07:00.000-07:00

Watch a regular pizza get dressed up for deliciousness in Forza Pizza's first viral video: "The Making of Prucola".

Prucola can also be seen on the Le Pizze page with the rest of her friends. Music by Yolanda be Cool - We No Speak Americano. Rock it out!!!

It Feels So Good to be Baaaack!

2010-07-24T16:07:00.000-07:00

I haven't been home in a long time, and I haven't fired up the oven in an even longer time. Work took me out of the country in the beginning of April making the last fire-up October 2009, which makes me sick. Finally, I got a couple days off so I headed home to see my baby...and my fiance, family, and friends.

My four days home filled up before I could even book my trip. There was a lot going on, but I knew I had to make pizza. The plan was to fire-up Sunday afternoon and I would try and make dough sometime Saturday morning. Well, Friday ended being a long night out so I slept through dough-making time and right into a bunch of errands which forced me to wake up early on Sunday for a same-day batch. This left the dough with only about 10 hours to rise. Oh well, nothing was going to stop me from cooking.

Some of the menu highlights were:

My Favorite of the Night: Shaved Asparagus and Tomato

Maybe the Fan Favorite: Margherita with Arugula

A First-Timer: Mushroom and Escarole

Gia's Favorite: Rapini

There were others but unfortunately I don't have pictures of every pizza. About 20 pizzas came out of the oven that night. The dough actually turned out to be my favorite batch so far. I was getting blisters and charring like never before and it wasn't too bready like some in the past. As expected, it was a little flat and thin but it held up well and the pizzas were great. I could only imagine how it would've came out with the proper rise time.

All in all, it was a great day and an even better weekend. While away, I fill up my notebook with different pizza ideas, topping combinations, and anything else pizza-related just to pass the time. That helps, but nothing compares to homemaking a delicious meal and manning the oven. It's indescribable.

To view the rest of the pics CLICK HERE!

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Chicago Mag Picks the City's Top 25

2010-07-10T18:42:00.000-07:00

In the July issue of Chicago Magazine, Jeff Ruby published his Top 25 Pizzas in Chicago. Lists like these are just marketing tools because everyone eats pizza and everyone wants to know if their favorite spot made the top ten. It sparks arguments, gets people talking, and usually triggers a loudmouth New Yorker to say something like "Chicago pizza isn't pizza" or some other foolishness.

I have yet to try six or seven of these places, but I have some issues with his list. I'll save my opinions for another date. The top five pizzas in Chicago, according to Jeff Ruby, are as follows:

1. Great Lake - Crimini Mushrooms and Dante Cheese

2. Piece - Plain with Artichoke Hearts

3. Castel Gandolfo - Margherita

4. Crust - Flammkuchen

5. Coalfire - Margherita

Jeff Ruby is a well-known pizza lover and the author of Everyone Loves Pizza. Click Here for his complete list.

Do you have a favorite Chicago Pizza? If so, leave it in the comments below and see if we can start some arguments of our own.

Leggo My Pizza

2010-06-27T07:09:00.000-07:00

Come on in, Eggo, join the pizza craze. Everyone is doing it! My brother, Frankie, sent me this pic the other day. I have yet to see them in stores, but I'll snag a box or two when I do. What's next? Pizza flavored cereal??

Un'Americana in Italia

2010-04-27T16:48:00.000-07:00

Let me share with you one of the websites I regularly stalk for updates. It's an online mini-series that "explores the gastronomic soul of the Italian Culture" and it's called Un'Americana in Italia. Follow Sky Dylan-Robbins as she tastes the best Italy has to offer. In this clip she gets VIP access to one of Italy's finest producers of Parmigiano Reggiano...this is me being jealous.

For some local exposure, go back to episode one as Sky tours Chicago's own, Spacca Napoli.

Great work, Sky, I can't wait for the Mortadella episode!

Pizzeria Profiles: A Forza Pizza Series

2010-05-03T19:52:00.000-07:00

Pizza has exploded in the past couple years. There are new pizzerias popping up everywhere and it seems like everyone wants to find the best pizza in the world. Online reviews and ratings are a great way to learn about the new spots, but, for me, it ends there. My brain has gone numb to blogger’s and critic’s pizza reviews that I no longer process their unnecessarily detailed description of my favorite food. I have reached the point where I scroll through all the bullshit to get to the pictures. I want the pizza to do the talking and not some blogger I never met. A decent looking pizza is enough to get me to try it. It doesn’t have to be considered “the best I’ve ever had” or “the best in the city”, I just have to like what I see. I don’t need a blogger to tell me what to eat and neither should you. Which is why Forza Pizza will be launching an ongoing series called “Pizzeria Profiles”.

Starting next week, instead of reviewing the place for you, I will just post some pictures and a little background information and let the pizza speak for itself. I am confident that you’ll know what you like when you see it. I’ve seen pictures of some nasty pizzas with awesome reviews, and I’ve also seen some of my favorite places get ripped apart. I don’t want to put you through that so I’ll spare you my opinion. Besides, I don’t want you to like and dislike the same pizzas as me anyways. That would take the beauty out of the most beautiful food in the world.

As always, there are exceptions. If I have what I like to call a “Pizza Experience”, like my recent trips to Napoli and Rome, then I’m going to write about it no matter how good or bad it was. These are special occasions so I think that’s fair. If any other exceptions are necessary I’ll just add them as I go, ok? Ok.

I hope you enjoy the pictures as much as I enjoyed ~~eating~~ researching. I also hope “Pizzeria Profiles” helps make your pizza decisions a little easier and unbiased.

Forza Pizza's First Gig!

2010-02-05T20:28:00.000-08:00

Usually there are no surprises at a Maine South football game. We'll dominate, the game will be over before the 4th quarter, we'll sweep through the playoffs, go down state, and look good doing it. It's all pretty standard. When your team is 117-13 with three State Championships and six appearances in the last decade anything less than an undefeated season is considered an off year. Luckily for me I got a nice surprise when I ran into one of my former Italian teachers. She said she heard about Forza Pizza, saw the site, and asked how come I haven't talked to her Italian class yet. "Anytime," I told her, "I would be honored."

It wasn't two weeks later when I received an email from Rita, the Secretary of the Italian Club, inquiring about a club function involving Forza Pizza. Obviously, I couldn't bring my oven to school and a field trip to my backyard would've been a little excessive, so after a couple brainstorming emails we decided on "A Taste of Italy". I would talk all about brick oven pizza, my oven, and my passion and afterwards we would all enjoy some of Forza Pizza's favorite Italian foods. It was a great idea and an even better event. I've never done anything like this and I was excited. Not only was I going to explain brick oven pizza, but I made it my mission to show these students that Italian food is more than just bruschetta (that's broo-sket-ah) and fried calamari. So here is what we ate:

Antipasti Trays - Prosciutto, Mortadella, and Assorted Olives. Spicy Casalinga sopressata and Mild Sopressata
Infused Oil Station - Crushed Red Pepper, Garlic, Fennel Seed, Basil, Rosemary, Lemon, Extra Virgin Olive, White Truffle
Cheese Station - Mozzarella, Crotonese, Gorgonzola, Ricotta
Capicola topped with Arugula, White Truffle Oil, Cracked Pepper, Shaved Parmigiano.
Cucumber and Red Onion Salad with Balsamic Vinegar
Caprese salad
Bean salad
Rapini
Antipasto salad
Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Bruschetta
Nanna's Focaccia (with and without olives)
Nanna's Rice "Purpette"
Nanna's Fried Dough - "Sfinci"
Nonna's Eggplant (made by Mom)
Tiramisu
Cannoli
Espresso

I couldn't have made all these dishes without help from my Nanna and my mom. My Nanna is a lifelong breadmaker and a magician with flour, water, and yeast* and my mom is the best household Italian cook in the country. Also, I get all my pizza products at Joe Caputo's Fruit Market so I knew I would go there for this too. Not only did they make everything incredibly easy for me but they donated some key items and gave me a generous discount making them an event sponsor along with Trattoria Porretta. Ok enough with the commercials.

For my presentation everyone got a pamphlet, we had a slideshow going in the background, and I tried not to postpone the food and music very long. I don't have much practice in front of large groups, and the amazing showing for the Italian Club didn't make it any easier. With a HUGE amount of help from Papa and Gia, we must've fed over 60 people. Did I mention this was after school at 3:30pm?!?! This was a voluntary after-school event and these students could've been anywhere, instead they showed up for me (and the food) and I want them to know how thankful I am. Also, a dedicated club of that size is a testament to the teachers and officers. Thanks for making the events under my presidency look like a game of chess. Keep up the good work!

I am proud to have hosted an event at my former high school and to have shared my passion with 60+ fellow Hawks. I can tell you firsthand that having a passion and doing what you love will positively effect your life. Hopefully, I was able to relay that message to the Italian Club and hopefully some, if only one, are inspired to pursue their passion as well.

Forza Hawks!
-Alberto

Wait!! Where are all the pictures?!? CLICK HERE to view the album from "A Taste of Italy".

*At the first pizza party, Nanna took one look at the dough I slaved over the night before, asked where I keep the flour, and a half hour later, without using a measuring cup, scale, or a mixer, she had a fresh batch of equally sized panuzzi ready to rise. Um, are you serious? Compared to hers, my batch wasn't even good enough to wipe the floor. I learn A LOT from her…she's the best.

What Came First, the Pizza or the Egg?

2010-04-14T17:22:00.000-07:00

Homaro Cantu is the Mad Scientist, I mean Head Chef, at Moto in Chicago. So what happens when an innovative food scientist experiments with a pizza? Just watch the video below. I mean I'm all about coming up with new and interesting topping combinations but I can't even comprehend the level Chef Cantu is on.

*No pepperoni's were harmed in the making of this film*

So he was talking about making pizza when he said, "so it basically de-natured the proteins and then we're gonna coagulate those proteins back together to form that pliable sort of pepperoni look with that cheese texture..." Thats exactly what I do!

Grazie goes to my Pizza-Loving Uncle for bringing this video to my attention.

What the Forza?

2010-04-11T18:35:00.000-07:00

Forza (forts-ah)
-verb (used with object)
1) an Italian term of encouragement that translates to force or strength. An appropriate use is cheering for your favorite food as in “Forza Pizza!"

The Inaugural Blog

2009-07-23T23:02:00.000-07:00

Wow, my very first blog. I feel like Papa should be standing behind me with the camcorder on his shoulder. "So proud of you Berto, I knew you could do it. Forza Pizza!" Thanks Pops.

So this is it. WWW.FORZAPIZZA.COM. Let me be the first to welcome you. If you haven't figured it out by now I built a brick oven in my backyard. The thought of family and friends coming together via delicious homemade pizza from my handmade oven was just too appealing. I had to do it. I scoured tons of websites and even read some books on how to build a brick oven. Some were better than others but most were useless, so I decided to make my own. Not only will you find a picture for every step of construction but also recipes, pizza pictures, local promotions, and party albums. If you've ever eaten in my backyard chances are you'll find yourself in one of the pictures. But don't worry I don't tag, tweet, poke, pluck, chirp, etc…(You can, however, become a fan of Forza Pizza on Facebook and Follow me on Twitter). I simply share my pizza experiences with those who enjoy pizza.

"Forza Pizza" can be interpreted as "Go Pizza!" Think of it like cheering for your favorite sports team. Instead of saying "Go Cubbies" you say "Go Pizza", which in Italy would be "FORZA PIZZA!"

I could talk about (and eat) brick oven pizza forever. The number of topics is uncountable. So with this blog I will try and address as many as possible and keep you interested and excited about brick oven pizza. Ever since I began working on this website it is all I think about. Just ask my family. For those of you who knew about it thanks for your help. You will find a lot of your feedback in these pages. Also, a monster THANK YOU goes to my cousin Matt who taught me everything I know about masonry. Matt owns Sanfratello Masonry and is the best in the business. If it wasn't for him there would probably be some flower pots sitting on that concrete slab rather than a beautiful brick oven.

Finally, I am constantly working towards being a better pizzaiolo and web page master so be sure to keep checking WWW.FORZAPIZZA.COM as it is always being updated with new pizza and oven tips, topics, features, and news. Also, email me any pizza/oven comments, questions, or anything you may have. I love hearing about pizza adventures. Thanks for coming and be sure to check out the rest of the site. Come back soon!

Ok, Papa cut the tape…

Its going to be a great summer,

Alberto

PS - This inaugural blog signifies the official launch of Forza Pizza. What better way to celebrate than with a launch party? I'll keep you posted!

T'was a Very Forza Christmas

2010-01-10T19:35:00.000-08:00

I think I was pretty easy to shop for this year considering all I did was eat, talk about, think about, and dream about Forza Pizza. I can't wait to put all these goodies to use. Check out how spoiled I am.

A) Forza Pizza Apron - How cool is this? Cookin' in style!
B) Twitter for Dummies - I know I'm like the last person to get on Twitter (and Facebook), but all those @ symbols are frickin confusing.
C) Forza Pizza Guestbook - Don't forget to sign it next time your over.
D) Global Chef's Knife - Every cowboy needs a pistol.
E) Mushroom Slicer - What a toy! Just stomp the mushrooms with the cup and it slices it right up. How have I not seen this on an infomercial? Genius!
F) Mandoline - This bad boy will make quick work of veggies during prep. Not to mention I can toss the one from Target that mandolined my finger!
G) Lemon Infused Olive Oil - I'm thinkin' arugula and shaved parmigiano.
H) Peroni Beer Glass Set - Nice huh?

Thanks for the awesome gifts, you know who you are!

Forza Pizza!
-Alberto

Keepin' it Real

2009-08-25T23:15:00.000-07:00

"Do you know why I stopped you sir?"
"No, officer. Did I do something wrong?"

"Ha..." (as he shakes his head)

"Uhh, I'm not sure what you're talking about."

"Ok wiseguy, lets see...you're using baker's flour, there's a Costco can over there labeled "Pizza Sauce", your cheese is processed and delivered pre-shredded, I don't see olive oil anywhere, and your basil is dry and comes out of a red pepper shaker...Put the pizza down and step out of your restaurant sir."

This is how I picture a dreaded run-in with the Pizza Police. Don't laugh. These guys are real and they're keeping a serious eye on Neapolitan pizza all over the world. Picture a group of round, middle-aged, half-bald Italian men (at least that's how I picture them) going from pizza shop to pizza shop to ensure the proper use of quality Italian ingredients.

Years ago, this group of Italians feared the direction pizza was headed. They were afraid modern standardization and mass production would ruin the masterpiece created on the streets of Napoli many centuries ago. In 1984 they formed the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (VPN) and dedicated themselves to protecting and promoting Neapolitan pizza.

Ok, so they don't really just show up at restaurants and start arresting pizza makers. Quite the opposite. Most Neapolitan pizzerias want to be a part of the VPN, and once they commit themselves to VPN standards they become eligible for membership. Then, a member of the VPN makes a special visit to see if the pizzeria meets these requirements. Being a member of the VPN is an honor pizzerias are proud to boast. These exclusive pizzerias receive a special sticker for display (along with some other pizza awards) that guarantees authentic Neapolitan pizza. The sticker looks like the logo on the right so look for it next time you go out for a slice..it also gives me a good idea for a Halloween costume. According to VPN's website, there are less than 40 pizzerias in the U.S. that are VPN certified. This is a very prestigious group of pizzerias where you know you're getting the highest quality Italian ingredients.

The VPN will only certify restaurants or pizzerias. You believe that? I don't know why because as I'm going down this list of rules I'm saying "Got it!" after each one. You want a wood-fired oven? "Got it!" You want 00 Flour? "Got it!" San Marzano tomatoes? "Got it!" Fior di Latte or Bufala Mozzarella? You get the point. Maybe if I send enough crazy fan mail to those pizza-filled VPN members, they will have no choice but to make me the first ever backyard brick oven to be admitted. Not calling them round, middle-aged, and half-bald wouldn't hurt either. Until that day comes, I'll be working on my recipes!

This VPN stuff is pretty serious huh? Here is a pizza laugh to lighten things up a bit.

Also, since I sent out that initial email I have been flattered by all your interest, responses, and questions. Thank you very much and lets keep this pizza passion going!

And finally, I just emailed all my relatives in Italy about Forza Pizza so I need to shout them out...Ciao tutti a Caccamo, Cosenza, e Roma. Questo e' Forza Pizza e io sono molto felice che lo potete vedere. Esplorate il mio sito e dimmi che pensate. Non posso aspettare ad andare a mangiare pizza con la mia famiglia in Italia! Nel frattempo, scrivetemi o mandatemi fotografie di tutti! ~Ciao

Enjoy the updates and Forza Pizza!!
-Alberto

Maine South, Maine South, Maine Soooouuuttthhhh

2010-01-24T19:41:00.000-08:00

Forza Pizza finally made its way to my high school and it earned my first gig. This week I'll be hosting "A Taste of Italy" for the Italian Club. Unfortunately, it won't be a pizza party because the oven doesn't fit in my car, but I'm going to bring the club some real treats. The majority of the dishes will be pizza-inspired (prosciutto, arugula, various cheeses, sopressata, etc...). We'll also be discussing everything that is forzapizza.com and brick oven construction. I don't think this event has the buzz to be a jock-lot topic, but I'm so pumped!

Na NaNa Na, Na NaNa Na, Na NaNa Na Na Maine Soooouuuuttthhh!
-Alberto

PS - Check-in next week to see how it went!

Buried Treasure

2009-10-29T00:12:00.000-07:00

In 79 AD the ancient Roman city of Pompeii was engulfed in sixty feet of ash and pumice unleashed by Mount Vesuvius. The eruption lasted two days and it wasn't until 1748 that Pompeii was rediscovered. During the first intermission of our tripleheader (see below), my dad, sister, and I took the Circumvesuviana from Napoli to Pompeii for some much needed exploring/exercising. How else would we build up an appetite for two more pizza stops?

Thanks to Italy's dedication to history, Pompeii was excavated and is now a popular tourist attraction. Walking the streets of Pompeii was not only exciting, but also gave me the chills. History will do that to you. I felt like a detective trying to figure out how people lived almost 2,000 years ago.

I was scouring Pompeii for one reason and one reason only - to find an ancient brick oven that I read about in one of my pizza books. You can tell from the pictures that I eventually found one of the biggest ovens you'll ever see. I could've stood up inside this masonry masterpiece. It was huge and no question serviced the whole town. I was in awe.

Usually, new technologies and inventions fly by and we find ourselves asking "what will they come up with next?" We're reluctant to buy things like computers, TV's, and cameras because we're afraid a more advanced product will hit the shelves a week later. A brick oven is completely different. It was and still is the best way to cook thousands of years later. Technology will never surpass the way a brick oven can blister a crust, enhance a sauce, and amplify the whole taste of a pizza. After seeing the ovens in Pompeii, the fact that I can cook in my backyard and "do what the Romans do" never ceases to amaze me.

-Alberto

Click this link to view the Complete Album from Pompeii.

"We're Ready for Our Closeup, Slice Dude!"

2010-04-06T15:31:00.000-07:00

I'm thrilled to announce that my oven and I are featured on the pizza blog Slice in a piece they call "My Brick Oven". I was asked a series of questions about myself, my oven, and pizza and I had a blast coming up with the answers. Some of the questions were "what is my favorite topping combination to make?" and "what does my family think of my pizza madness?" and many more. To see my answers follow this link:

MY BRICK OVEN - SLICE INTERVIEW

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Slice, it's the most comprehensive and popular pizza blog on the internet. I'm guessing its daily hits are in the thousands. I subscribe to the email updates and still check it 3 or 4 times a day just in case the email is slow getting to me. The articles are limitless and the photography is first-class. That said, I was pretty nervous coming up with my responses. A lot of people are going to see this!

MY BRICK OVEN - SLICE INTERVIEW

I'm honored to be on Slice and to be exposed to a whole new pizza-loving audience. Check out the interview and let me know what you think.

Thanks Slice!
-Alberto

MY BRICK OVEN - SLICE INTERVIEW

The Ultimate Tripleheader

2009-09-28T23:57:00.000-07:00

The butterflies in my stomach woke me up at six in the morning. I sat on the edge of the bed, rubbed my eyes, and started focusing. My coaches always told me if I envisioned myself making big plays then they'd happen. I put in my iPod and looked for some "getting in the zone" music. David Guetta and will.i.am. welcome to the zone. I got there early and stepped onto the field except, instead of dirt and grass, it was dirty concrete and what looked like a used sugar packet. I was in Stazione Centrale in Napoli.

I used the train ride from Rome to follow Coach's orders and pictured myself eating pizza in the most prestigious pizzerias in the world except, for some reason, I saw myself freezing up and everything around me going silent. I was so excited it made me nervous. This is the Motherland; the birthplace of pizza. Crazy thoughts were running through my head: "Is this gonna change my life? What if they're closed today? Should I quit my job and move here? What if I don't like it? Stop! Get it together! It's time to eat REAL Pizza Napoletana."

Our plan was to eat pizza for breakfast, pizza for lunch, and pizza for dinner, and we stuck to it. Stop number one was Pizzeria Trianon. It was 11:30am and my sister, dad, and I were standing on Via Pietro Colletta poking our heads through the windows of Trianon. There were no customers inside so my sister asked the guy through the window, "Aperto?" He looked at us for a second and it didn't take him long to realize we weren't locals. I don't think many Italians stroll into pizzerias during the AM. He shrugged his shoulders and led us to a table. We were the first and only people there. On the way to our table we passed by a pizzaiolo in the dining room tearing basil leaves from their stem. The smell of fresh basil infiltrated the room and struck me immediately. I stared at the guy with a smile on my face the whole way to our table. Creepy, I know. Hey, some people love the smell of fresh coffee in the morning, I prefer fresh basil.

Margherita DOC at Trianon

Margherita with Mushrooms at Trianon

On to the pizzas. We ordered a Margherita DOC and a Margherita with Mushrooms. The Margherita DOC with fresh tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, and basil put all my nerves to rest. The buffalo mozzarella made the pizza deliciously creamy and slightly rich and I was happily surprised to taste the freshness of the tomatoes even after 2 minutes in an 800 degree oven. The Margherita with mushrooms had a well-balanced sauce, some crimini mushrooms, and some bigger slices of fresh mushrooms. I adore a pizza that makes you bite into a hearty piece of mushroom rather than have a bunch of smaller ones scattered around. This one knew what I liked. I had a fork fight with my sister, Gia, for the ones that fell onto the plate. The dough was tasty and couldn't hold the ingredients which I expected and enjoyed, but was also a little denser than anticipated. If you check out the booty shot you can see it's a little thick and could've used some more char. But that's ok. The Margherita DOC is still one of the best pizzas I've had and was a great sign for the rest of the day.

To break up our pizza feast we hopped on a train and headed to Pompeii, the city buried under the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius (I'll save Pompeii for a later blog). It requires A LOT of walking to get around those ruins which served as the perfect appetite builder for Pizzeria Da Michele.

This picture brings a tear to my eye

Da Michele posing for their Booty Shot

Typing "Da Michele" makes the butterflies come back. I don't think my vocabulary is extensive enough to describe it, but I'll try. When we walked in, all the pizzaioli and other workers were gathered around a dining room table laughing and having a good time. It was an awesome environment to join. Unlike the rest of the places in Italy, the people at Da Michele (which I might start referring to as my favorite place on Earth) didn't make you feel like a shy and ignorant tourist. The floor by the oven was being mopped so all the guys got a break. We sat down and ordered three Nastro Azzurro's. The waiter knew we were American and was very friendly, but once my dad started speaking Italian to him he immediately fell in love. He gazed into my dad's eyes for the next five minutes talking about Calabria before he got our drinks. Gia and I were baffled. That was hilarious. It's like the guy thought we were aliens because we are Italian-speaking Americans. Again, on to the pizza!

Da Michele serves two pizzas: Margherita and Marinara. We ordered two Margheritas with double mozzarella just as the starstruck waiter recommended. He was back five minutes later with our two plates engulfed in pizza. Da Michele's pizzas are bigger than typical Neapolitan pies, but easier to finish. The dough is so light and airy that it seemed like the crust was hollow. Instead of buffalo mozzarella and extra virgin olive oil, Da Michele uses fior di latte mozzarella and seed oil to keep the pizza light tasting and easy to eat. They threw out the VPN playbook and came up with an incredibly well-balanced pizza where no ingredient overpowers or outshines the other. But what I like most about Da Michele is the char and the little holes in the dough. Notice the difference in char. Da Michele's dough has a lot more black spots than the others. The little holes are tough to see in pictures but they make the dough look as if it is slowly deteriorating. You won't find them at every pizzeria because they are very hard to achieve. Small holes are the sign of a thin and airy dough that I have been trying to get on my pizza.

Da Michele is the best pizza I've ever had. You can tell by this comic strip my sister took without me knowing. My sister and dad were watching and giggling at me the whole time, but I was in the zone. The pizza-paparazzi could wait. One of the signs of a great pizza is that you could eat a lot of it and not feel full. I'm telling you I could eat Da Michele pizza endlessly. It is like no pizza I've ever tasted. It's just sad I have to go thousands of miles to get it. They should sell a Da Michele patch or chewing gum for those of us in withdrawal.

Time for dinner. After shopping and exploring the streets of Napoli we arrived at Pizzeria Di Matteo on Via Tribunale. We paced ourselves all day by only ordering two pizzas per place, but after leaving Da Michele wanting more, we ordered three just to be safe.

Margherita DOC at Di Matteo

Prosciutto and Arugula at Di Matteo

I ordered the Margherita DOC again, Gia ordered a prosciutto and arugula, and Papa ordered the Capricciosa with mushrooms, prosciutto cotto, artichokes, and olives, and we passed them around. The Margherita DOC wasn't as creamy and decadent as the one at Trianon but it was still a great pizza. The tomatoes were fresh and the buffalo mozzarella was tasty but it took a little more bite to get through. I would've liked a little more arugula on Gia's choice but I like more arugula on everything. The prosciutto was lean and had nice salinity. The Capricciosa that my dad ordered kind of bugged me. It tasted like all the toppings were put on after it was cooked. This is fine for some toppings, but not mushrooms, artichokes, olives and prosciutto cotto. It made the majority of the pizza room temperature and everyone knows the best way to eat a pizza is right out of the oven. Di Matteo also had the densest, driest, and least charred crust out of the three. They definitely weren't getting the holes like Da Michele. It was still a great meal but, hey, someone had to come in third. Sorry Di Matteo but trust me, if you decide to open a pizzeria in Chicago I would be your number one customer.

Di Matteo's Booty Shot

Capricciosa at Di Matteo

At the end of this successful trip, I decided not to quit my job and move to Napoli. Instead, I am back in America reporting highlights from my Ultimate Tripleheader. So, in order from most favorite to least favorite Neapolitan pizzeria, it goes Da Michele, Trianon, then Di Matteo. All of which, serve an exceptional pizza. It was a big day, and I think my team performed well. 3 for 3 with a homerun is pretty good!

One major difference about pizza in Italy and pizza in America is the attitude. Here, it seems that every customer is a critic and owners are constantly trying to please them. This can create a very tense eating environment, but it also forces the owner to constantly improve their product. In Italy, the attitude is relaxed and more like "Hey, this is my pizza. You can love it or hate it, but either way, I don't really need to know." I guarantee the owner of Da Michele isn't logging on to Metromix to see "what users are saying" about him. These two different mindsets are just that. Different. Neither is better or worse. While America strives to produce cutting edge products, it could be slowly losing the authentic pizzeria environment. Similarly, while Italians continuously serve delicious pizza, they could be sitting on a level of complacency.

I am so lucky to have tried these three places, and, from a pizza perspective, eating pizza in Napoli was a mind-changing experience. I will eventually go back for round two but until then I'll be in my food lab (basement) trying to replicate the REAL Pizza Napoletana.

Forza Pizza and Forza Napoli!
-Alberto

PS - See a video from Da Michele HERE and view the Pizza in Italy album HERE. Pizza in Rome is a whole other show. That blog is on the way!

The 12 Days of Pizza

2009-10-12T00:05:00.000-07:00

I sent this email to my family last Friday and they told me to post it on my blog. Actually, they said I was ridiculous and to get back to work, THEN they said to post it on my blog. I dont know how this happened. I guess Pizza gets the same EVite's I do: a couple birthday parties, a bachelor party, out to eat with friends, a lunch at work…I wouldn't call it a stalker; I would call it the best food in the world.

By the way, that following Saturday I had Pequod's and Sunday I made pizza at home…count it!

Forza Pizza,
Alberto

I'll Break a 5 for That!

2009-11-22T00:17:00.000-08:00

"Ya, let me get a large pepperoni, the ravioli, a salad, 2 cannoli, and 2 coca-colas."
"Ok pal, that'll be $4.80"
"Here. Keep the change..."

I found this in my basement the other night and I thought it was worth sharing. It's from Porretta's in the early 1960's. It's always fun to see the evolution of a menu. They even advertised the air conditioning at the top of the page! Today, over 45 years later, that same meal will run you about $36 (large pepperoni - $14.50, ravioli - $10.95, salad - $3.00, two cannoli - $6.00, two diet cokes - $1.60) which is still very reasonable; dinner for at least three people for under $40 is hard to find.

Forza Pizza,
Alberto

Pizza Romana and Its Double Personality

2010-01-03T19:04:00.000-08:00

I don't go anywhere without Forza Pizza business cards, and I sure as hell don't go into Rome without a pizza map. Which is why, mixed in amongst all the Pizza al Taglio places, were two places I made sure not to miss. The first one, Forno di Campo dei Fiori, serves pizza al taglio and is also an incredible bakery. And the second one, Dal Paino, serves Roman style thin crust.

The pizza al taglio at Forno is different than the other Roman pizza shops. They still price slices based on weight, but they use smaller amounts of cheese and don't reheat the slice after you order. The small amount of cheese and the fast pace that they're selling slices allow them to skip the reheat step and still serve delicious pizza. I ordered a slice of mushroom, marinara, prosciutto cotto, zucchini flowers and anchovies, and a bianca (olive oil and sea salt). That's just one of the beauties of pizza al taglio; you can try more toppings by ordering smaller slices. The toppings were fresh and robust but its no shocker that the highlight here was the crust. It was gently crispy on bottom and chewy all around. The inside resembled a beehive and was so light that it seemed hollow.

Zucchini Flowers and Anchovies at Forno

My favorite slice was with zucchini flowers and anchovies pictured above. The strategic and sporadic placement of the 'chovies made it even more enjoyable. Even though I didn't get one in every bite I definitely tasted that anchovy-kick every time.

Forno is my favorite pizza place in Rome and the only place I went to twice (three times if you count the pastry tasting). After you watch this video from their website it will be your favorite too...even if you've never been.

The second style of Roman pizza is what they serve in the sit-down pizzerias and has a very very thin crust. I selected Dal Paino to represent this side of Rome. The pizza is round, cooked in a wood-burning oven, and served uncut and on a plate just like neapolitan pizza but it is much thinner and not as chewy. The best way to describe it is like Baked Lay's that taste more like flour than corn. It's light and fun to eat but the crust lacks the complexities of other pizza styles. Still, a good change of pace.

The Paper Thin Booty Shot at Dal Paino

Margherita w/ Prosciutto at Dal Paino

At Dal Paino I had a marinara and margherita with prosciutto. The marinara was flooded with sauce and the marg with prosciutto didn't do anything for me. They both tasted fine but this style of pizza bores me a little. Nothing about it jumps out at me; its flat, basically monotone, and not as substantial as other styles. Who knows, maybe being in Rome made me expect more out of their pizza.

Well that's a wrap on all the pizza I had on the ground in Italy (wait for next blog). Next time I'm in Rome I will go for both styles of pizza, but I think I am more of a pizza al taglio kinda guy - both taste and concept. To anyone that has a passion or hobby, I fully recommend traveling to another country or its origin and experiencing it there. Not only will it deepen your knowledge of that topic but it will keep you smiling the whole time as well.

Forza Roma!
-Alberto

PS - You can see all the pizza pics from Italy in the Pizza in Italy Album.

Pizza Al Taglio

2009-12-03T21:47:00.000-08:00

Pizza al taglio means pizza by the cut. Yep, by the cut not by the slice. It's the best way to get pizza in Rome.

After you get over how awesome the pizza-checkered counter looks, you walk up and point towards the one you want. Then, the person behind the counter grabs a cutter, places it somewhere on the pizza, and makes a little gesture like the knife is the one asking the questions. That's your cue to decide if the size is right. Give an "Ehhh..." and they'll make it bigger. Give them an "Ohhh..." and you'll get a smaller piece. I mean, you can use actual words, but if you're like me you'll be hypnotized by the pies and just make noises. They'll understand. After their second read, you might get something like "Va bene cosi...?" and you'll say "Si, si, va bene...."

The slice then goes onto a scale and after a couple pushed buttons you find out how much you owe. It's like a pizza deli, but here you won't mind if they go over by a couple ounces. The slices go in the oven for about a minute and then it's time to eat. I was in Rome for three days and had pizza al taglio four different times; it was accessible, delicious, and fun. Pizza Romana is similar to Chicago-style thin crust in the sense that it is crispy and does not flop. This makes it very easy to take your slice through the piazza while you look for some gelato or espresso to cap it off.

"Pizza al Taglio" is such a great concept that I sometimes frown when I'm in an American slice joint. Look at all of these pics, pizza al taglio or a soggy slice that's been sitting in a warmer all day? =( ...exactly. Don't get me wrong, I'm always down for a greasy, thick, hearty slice but pizza al taglio would be a nice change of pace.

Forza Pizza (al taglio)!
-Alberto

CLICK HERE for some more touristy pictures of Rome.