| 
Margherita pizza from Pizzeria Prima Strada in Victoria.
THERE'S A NEW SCENT wafting from a pizzeria near you: wood smoke, yeast, charred bread, caramelized meat and sweet tomatoes. "Authentic" pizza comes in several subtle yet distinctly different styles, from soft, pillowy Neapolitan pies to thin, crisp flatbreads. What they all have in common is the use of first-rate ingredients-from extremely fine imported Italian "00" flour to San Marzano tomatoes for topping-and time in old-fashioned wood-fired ovens to produce the perfect blackened, blistered crust.
Serious Pie Seattle
Style More new-world artisan than true Neapolitan in style, these pies use local flour as opposed to Italian. "We’re basically bread people," muses veteran Seattle chef and restaurateur Tom Douglas, who opts for a more structured dough than the softer, moister version from Naples. "We cook our pizzas for a longer time at lower temperatures. I like the blistering that happens." Top toppings Salumi with Walla Walla onions and caciocavallo cheese had us licking the plate clean. A few high-quality components, all working gloriously in unison toward a greater good. Crumbs of wisdom Long fermentation of the dough and a longer cooking time at lower temperature (a mere 650ºF) result in a crispy but still chewy base. Most cheeses are added after the pie is almost cooked in order to prevent them from separating when heated. 316 Virginia St., 206-838-7388, tomdouglas.com
Pizzeria Prima Strada Victoria
Style Neapolitan to the crumb, this pie combines Italian technique with both imported and local ingredients-a wise move, as some get so involved in exact replication of Naples-style pie they lose sight of the prize. Top toppings The Margherita uses local buffalo mozzarella from Fairburn Farms on Vancouver Island; the Salsiccia has house-made fennel sausage and local peppers in season. Local cheese and charcuterie lend a fresh, clean quality to these pies. Crumbs of wisdom While inspired by the pizza of Naples, the oven and pizza are not officially designated Vera Pizza Napoletana, or VPN, an international certification.
105–230 Cook St., 250-590-8595, pizzeriaprimastrada.com
Pulcinella Calgary
Style Unabashedly Neapolitan in approach. Chef/proprietor Dominic Tudda learned from masters in Italy and was the first to achieve APN (Associazione Pizzaiuoli Napoletani) status in Canada, the ultimate designation for pizza makers. Representatives came to Pulcinella from Italy for the first two months of its operation, to help train staff and make sure the pies were up to snuff; they return annually. Tudda imports most of his ingredients and equipment from Italy, including the 1200ºF wood-burning oven (complete with actual lava rock from Mount Vesuvius). Top toppings Margherita (tomatoes, mozzarella, basil), because "there’s nothing to hide," Tudda says. Soft, almost crepe-like bread is perfectly balanced by San Marzano tomato sauce and Italian buffalo mozzarella. Crumbs of wisdom The soft, puffy crust is the result of no fat in the dough, a long proofing time and a very quick fire in an extremely hot oven. During proofing, fermentation breaks down the high protein in the Italian "00" flour, leaving you feeling light, not stuffed, after eating. Don’t call for take-out unless you’ve already experienced these pies fresh from the oven. According to Chef Tudda, "It wouldn’t be fair to the pizza."
1147 Kensington Cr. NW, 403-283-1166, pulcinella.ca wl
from the old country. (The hockey jerseys were sourced locally.)
|
| |
|
Another Slice
A-16 (2355 Chestnut St., San Francisco, 415-771-2216, a16sf.com) Named after an Italian highway, this local gem set the bar high when it opened back in 2004. You may have to eat standing up at the bar, but you’ll be glad you did.
Delancey (1415 NW 70th St., Seattle, 206-838-1960, delanceyseattle.com) A stylish room that shows as much restraint in its decor as it does in its pies, like a porcini mushroom version with funghi, thyme and olive oil.
Pizzeria Bianco (623 E Adams St., Phoenix, 602-258-8300, pizzeriabianco.com) Ask any pizza chef and they’ll recommend this place: it’s where the pros go for inspiration when a flight to Italy is not in the cards.
Pizzeria Mozza (641 N Highland Ave., Los Angeles, 323-297-0101, mozza-la.com) Mario Batali, restaurateur Joseph Bastianich and La Brea Bakery founder Nancy Silverton are bringing traditional, sexy Italian back to L.A. pies (sorry, Wolfgang Puck).
Red Card (900 Seymour St., Vancouver, 604-683-4251, modahotel.com) This sophisticated sports bar and pizza joint at the Moda Hotel imported both its oven and pizzaioli from the old country. (The hockey jerseys were sourced locally.)
|
|
|
