Pizza Adventures In Italy (Part 13): Pizzeria Pellone In Naples

The first leg of my trip to Italy included meals at nine different pizza places over the course of a week. After that, I was off to Barcelona for a week of traveling and enjoying what were generally pizza-free days. On my way back to the United States, however, my travel itinerary landed me back in Naples for a night which meant that I would have time to try one final pizza place before heading home. Scott (who had been traveling in Sicily) and I agreed to meet up at L'Europeo Di Mattozzi. Ed Levine (author of A Slice Of Heaven) wrote the following about the place -- which was the primary motivation behind making this a must-try stop:

My favorite pizza in Naples, and my favorite all-around restaurant as well. The pizza melts in your mouth, and the pasta with peas and potatoes is the ultimate Italian comfort food.

When we arrived there around 7:30PM on a Monday night, however, the oven was not working and we were forced to come up with another plan. Luckily, we had asked the owner of the hostel where we were staying (Hostel Of The Sun) to join us for the meal, and he was quite familiar with the pizza scene in Naples. We followed him to one of his favorite places: Pizzeria Pellone (93, Via Nazionale, 081-553-8614).

Located just a few blocks from the Central Train Station, the restaurant was on neither one of our extensive lists. And considering how great it was, it's a shame that it has not received more recognition (on the interwebs, at least).

The 120-seat restaurant was filled with mostly locals when we arrived. Even during the more touristy season, I'd imagine most out-of-towners flock to more well known spots like Da Michele and Di Matteo. Consider Pizzeria Pellone a hidden gem that's not really hidden. Our party of five grabbed a table in the back by the kitchen. I was excited to be eating with a large group, as it had generally been difficult to try more than two pies when it was just Scott and I dining together.

We decided to order four pies: Marghertia, Marinara, Primavera (fior di latte, arugola, speck, and shaved parmesan) and Salsicce E Friarielli (sausage, smoked mozzarella, and Friarielli).

The Marghertia and Marinara were as good as they get. Soft and chewy... oozy and gooey... each and every bite melted in my mouth. The crust was charred perfectly and it was easy to work through the pie without it falling completely apart. The Marinara had a bit of a kick to it which was lacking at some other places. It's nice when a Marinra pie contains some colors other than red, which this one certainly did.

Despite the deliciousness of the first two pizzas, my favorite pie was the Primavera -- the arugula and shaved parmesan were so flavorful. It was as tasty as any pizza I had during my trip and it makes me wonder if I would have found comparable pies at other places if I'd had the opportunity to delve deeper into their menus.

And finally, the Salsicce E Friarielli. You might be wondering what Friarielli translates to in English. It is actually a green vegetable that is found only in the Campangna region. I hadn't heard of it until it appeared on the menu here, but if you're looking to try a food that's unique to the area... this is it! I can't pinpoint any unique properties it had, but with a spinach-like texture and flavor, it was a nice complement to the sausage.

When I made my way back to the kitchen at Pizzeria Pellone to take some photos of the pizza makers at work, I was once again moved by the sense of pride that each exhibited. I'd spent time in nearly a dozen kitchens throughout my trip and the love and craftsmanship that goes into each and every pie is evident in the body language of the hard working folks behind the scenes. They often don't speak English. But when they sense that we both share a similar interest and passion for pizza, they're excited to welcome me into their kitchens, as if they were inviting me into their homes.

As I snapped photos of what would be the final kitchen I visited on my trip to Italy, I thought about the thousands and thousands of pizzas that are made throughout the country each day. Many of the pizzerias I visited have survived world wars, economic crises, and social conflicts. But rain or shine... summer or winter... their ovens will be burning well into the night. There is no telling what the future may bring, but pizza in Italy appears to be as popular as ever -- its inextricable power in full force. Although I was 4,000 miles from New York, as I sat back down to finish my final Neapolitan pizza, I couldn't have felt more at home.

The above piece is the 13th article in a 13-part series about my pizza adventures in Italy (January 2011 - February 2011). You can access the other parts of the series here:

Introduction (Part 1)
Da Michele - Naples (Part 2)
Pizzeria Brandi - Naples (Part 3)
Caputo Flour Mill - Naples - (Part 4)
Salvo - Naples (Part 5)
Pizzeria Starita - Naples (Part 6)
Buffalo Mozzarella Tour - Caserta (Part 7)
Di Matteo - Naples (Part 8)
Sorbillo - Naples (Part 9)
Dar Poeta - Rome (Part 10)
Forno Marco Roscioli - Rome (Part 11)
00100 Pizza - Rome (Part 12)
Pizzeria Pellone - Naples (Part 13)

NY Pizza Confessions: The Trailer

If you live in New York, chances are you have a strong opinion about pizza. Last fall, I was contact by a Dutch filmmaker -- Finbarr Wilbrink -- who was looking to make a film about pizza and NYC. The movie, NY Pizza Confessions, is complete and you can watch the trailer below (with a cameo by yours truly). It came out better than I could have ever imagined, and I can't wait to see the full-length film.

Follow I Dream Of Pizza on Twitter or Facebook to stay in the loop about a possible upcoming screening of the film.

TMNT Fight Over Pizza

CollegeHumor.com recently posted this video of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fighting over pizza. The video cleverly dubs voices over the characters in an early version of a TMNT video game. You can check out the clip here or below:

Pizza Adventures In Italy (Part 12): 00100 Pizza In Rome

Although I had some great food while eating my way through Rome, pizza was not one of the highlights of the 36 hours I spent there. I was underwhelmed with the pizza at Dar Poeta and an impromptu stop at Forno Marco Roscioli didn't fare well either. If I'd had the opportunity to truly explore Rome's pizza scene, I know I would have found some gems.

Before taking off, however, I was able to squeeze in just one more place, and I decided to venture outside of Rome's tourist area to a new and innovative pizza shop in the Testaccio neighborhood called 00100 Pizzeria (88, Via Giovanni Branca, 39-06-4341-9624). It's located less than a 10 minute walk from the Piramide metro station -- easily accessible, but away from the hustle and bustle of the city center.

I was particularly interested in trying 00100 Pizza because it was featured in a recent New York Times article (36 Hours in Rome)... and since I'd eaten so much traditional pizza during the course of my trip, I was looking for something a little daring. The place served the most unique and creative pizza I had in Italy. And although I have no authority to crown it Rome's best pizza place, it was certainly the best pizza that I had there.

The spot itself is tiny. Inside you'll find a couple of bar stools, but most people just order their slices to go. There are two benches outside and a park down the block where you can enjoy your pizza. So as long as the weather holds up, your best bet is to take a stroll.

When we arrived at the pizza place, the man behind the counter began speaking to us not about the pizza, but rather about another food item which 00100 Pizza specializes in: the Trapizzino. The shop claims to have invented this food (any mention of it on their website is followed by an ®) which is a combination of the words "tramezzino" (sandwich) and pizza. In reality, it doesn't resemble pizza. It's more like a triangular bread pocket with a filling. We were handed one with meatballs.

 

The Trapizzino was tasty, but I didn't want to overindulge -- as my focus was on the pizza. But if you're hungry it's definitely worth trying. They come in two sizes: a small is €3.00 (about $4.00) and a large is €5.00 (about $6.50). If you just want to try the bread you can get them "vuoti" or "empty" for €0.50 and €1.00, respectively. That might not be a bad way to go as the emphasis at 00100 Pizza is on their bread. It's soft, thick, and chewy, and serves as a strong base for their creative pizza pies.

They had five different pies on the menu when I was there. Although whole pies can be made to order, their square slices are reheated. I decided to order Margherita slices and Greenwhich slices. The latter contained Stilton cheese (a blue English cheese) and mozzarella. After coming out of the oven, a port wine sauce was drizzled on top. It was flavorful and delicious. I can't recall having ever tried a similar pizza, especially given the perfect crust which the cheese adorned. It was the highlight of my trip to 00100 Pizza. A full pie will run you a whopping €25.00 (about $34.00), but it's sizable and filling, as you can see below. Our slices -- which were priced by weight -- came out to €3.85 (about $5.50).

The Margerita pizza was also quite good, although that was in large part due, once again, to the great crust. It almost tasted like a Sicilian pie baked on a bread with focaccia-like properties. As you can see below, the cheese took precedence over the sauce. An entire Margherita pie costs €16.00 (about $22.00) and our slices were €3.30 (about $4.00).

Another pie on the menu that looked appetizing contained potatoes and pancetta. But perhaps the most outrageous one was a pie called In Bocca. The man working there claimed that it consisted of ham, cheese, and salvia. Yes, salvia. You probably know salvia as a psychoactive plant that can, as Wikipedia puts it, "induce dissociative effects and is a potent producer of hallucinatory experiences." From what I can tell (and I'm no scientist), salvia's active constituent (salvinorin A) becomes deactivated when orally ingested. You'd probably have better luck getting high off of poppy seeds.

On my way out, I noticed something that every pizza place in Italy is lacking -- a solid beer selection. Although it's common to pair pizza and beer together in Italy, it is rare for pizza places to offer quality beer. Peroni is the extent of many beer lists I came across. Had it not been noon, I would have grabbed a beer to go. But every trip to 00100 should include not only their cutting edge pizza, but a carefully selected bottle of the best beer you'll come across in Rome.

The above piece is the 12th article in a 13-part series about my pizza adventures in Italy (January 2011 - February 2011). You can access the other parts of the series here:


Introduction (Part 1)
Da Michele - Naples (Part 2)
Pizzeria Brandi - Naples (Part 3)
Caputo Flour Mill - Naples - (Part 4)
Salvo - Naples (Part 5)
Pizzeria Starita - Naples (Part 6)
Buffalo Mozzarella Tour - Caserta (Part 7)
Di Matteo - Naples (Part 8)
Sorbillo - Naples (Part 9)
Dar Poeta - Rome (Part 10)
Forno Marco Roscioli - Rome (Part 11)
00100 Pizza - Rome (Part 12)
Pizzeria Pellone - Naples (Part 13)

Shaved Asparagus Pizza From Smitten Kitchen

Asparagus has recently been creeping up on my list of favorite vegetables. I have yet, however, to try putting it on a pizza. But, a recent recipe posted on Smitten Kitchen makes me want to run to the farmer's market right now so I can get this green on a pie ASAP.

Click here to view the recipe -- along with all of the mouth watering photos!

photo via smitten kitchen

Healthy Pizza Comes To NYC Charter School

A recent piece on the New York Times City Room Blog profiled new food options in the cafeteria at the Family Life Academy Charter School (Bronx Charter Makes Eating Well Part of Its Philosophy). Among the healthier options being served? Pizza! It's nice that the school found a way to keep this staple on the menu while giving it a bit of health upgrade:

Mamoudou, 10, says he misses a few things, including pancakes, hamburgers and bacon. But he loves the pizza, made with homemade sauce and fresh mozzarella. “I would marry pizza if I could,” he says, flashing a toothy grin. 

You can read the full article here.

via NYTimes.com

Pizza Adventures In Italy (Part 11): Forno Marco Roscioli In Rome

After an underwhelming introduction to pizza in Rome at Dar Poeta, I set out to find a place that was worth recommending. As I've previously mentioned, I did a lot of research prior to my trip and knew I'd only be able to make a small dent in the long list of places I wanted to hit up in both Naples and Rome. Nevertheless, I wanted to try at least one completely random place that was off my pizza radar. In other words, I hoped to wander into a spot with no prior knowledge about the pizza there. There were so many places I passed throughout my trip that were serving pizza which looked appetizing, but I often had to restrain myself from going inside, as I was generally full or on my way to eat pizza elsewhere!

On Monday afternoon, however, I was strolling down an alleyway near the center of Rome when I came across Forno Marco Roscioli (34, Via Dei Chiavari, 066-864-045). It was about 4PM and I figured I could use a light snack between lunch and dinner.

What looked particularly appealing about the shop was that they specialize in bread. I assumed that a bread store that serves pizza would put a special emphasis on creating a great crust (like Sullivan Street Bakery!).

Unlike at many pizza shops in the United States -- where you can order individual slices from a round pie -- it is common to serve pizza by its weight in Italy. In other words, you choose what type of pizza you want and about how much of it you'd like. The person behind the counter will then cut off a portion, weigh it, and charge you based on its weight. These type of pies are generally rectangular. Although this might seem odd to a tourist from the United States, it actually make a lot of sense to me. There's nothing worse that ordering a slice and ending up with the smallest one in the pie. The system in Italy ensures that you pay for what you order. A pizza with toppings obviously weighs more and, in turn, is more expensive.

There was an nice serving of a standard cheese slice remaining on the counter so I decided to order that. It was thrown into the oven to be reheated and then folded in half and handed to me, as if it were a pizza sandwich. Below, you'll notice, I unfolded the slice so you can see what it looks like. Indeed, it was very greasy! The crust was crunchy and slightly charred. Of all of the pizza I ate throughout my trip, it most closely resembled a standard New York style slice. It came out to €2.30 (about $3.00) -- just about what you'd pay for a similar size slice in New York City. My only complaint is that it wasn't reheated well enough, so essentially I was eating a lukewarm pizza sandwich.

I wish I could tell you that I discovered a new hidden gem along Rome's cobblestone alleyways. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. I was, however, impressed with the pizza. I always tell people that you can walk into any slice joint in New York City and the pizza you're served will generally be as good as -- if not better-- than what is considered quality pizza in other parts of the country. It's my inclination that the same theory holds true for Rome. Although there are standout pizza places throughout the city (none of which I made it to), you should be able to satisfy your pizza craving by walking into any random pizza place and ordering whatever looks good. After all, it's difficult to go wrong when you're walking through the ancient streets of Rome.

The above piece is the 11th article in a 13-part series about my pizza adventures in Italy (January 2011 - February 2011). You can access the other parts of the series here:


Introduction (Part 1)
Da Michele - Naples (Part 2)
Pizzeria Brandi - Naples (Part 3)
Caputo Flour Mill - Naples - (Part 4)
Salvo - Naples (Part 5)
Pizzeria Starita - Naples (Part 6)
Buffalo Mozzarella Tour - Caserta (Part 7)
Di Matteo - Naples (Part 8)
Sorbillo - Naples (Part 9)
Dar Poeta - Rome (Part 10)
Forno Marco Roscioli - Rome (Part 11)
00100 Pizza - Rome (Part 12)
Pizzeria Pellone - Naples (Part 13)

The 2011 NYC Pizza Run: Details & Tickets!

I'm excited to announce that the second annual NYC Pizza Run will be taking place in Tompkins Square Park on Saturday, June 11th. Participants will once again aim to complete a 2.25 mile run while stopping to eat three slices of pizza at checkpoints throughout the course.

Tickets are on sale now! Last year, the event sold out in one week, and I expect tickets to sell even more quickly this year, as space is extremely limited. Click here to reserve your spot now!

Your registration fee includes: an official NYC Pizza Run t-shirt, race bib, three slices of pizza (from Pizza By Cer Té) to be consumed during the race, a pizza gift bag to be distributed following the race, and a free drink at the afterparty (at Common Ground) following the race. We also have some great prizes lined up (including passes to Scott's Pizza Tours)! Follow @nycpizzarun on Twitter to stay in the loop about more NYC Pizza Run news.

A portion of the proceeds will once again benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International (JDRF).

I hope to see you there!

Tomorrow: Free Pizza At Campo 'de Fiori In Park Slope

Park Slope's Campo 'de Fiori (187 5th Avenue) will be giving away free pizza tomorrow from 5PM-11PM. The event will be promoting the restaurant's new $25 Roma prefix menu that includes a sampling of seven different pizza creations and a quartino of white wine. Expect sample of their Burrata pie (mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, mixed greens, basil and olive oil) and Lussuria pie (mozzarella, tomotoes, mushrooms, white truffle and olive oil).

Pizza Adventures In Italy (Part 10): Dar Poeta In Rome

After spending four days in Naples, primarily eating pizza, I made my way up to Rome. I only had about 36 hours to spend there before flying out to Barcelona and while I intended to try some pizza, it was not the primary purpose of the trip. In fact, I had a long list of non-pizza restaurants I wanted to try in Rome. Although the best meals I had there did not involve pizza.... like this duck in an orange sauce from Trattoria Monti...

 ... or this poached egg with asparagus mousse and black truffle from Antico Arco...

... I will write only about the pizza I ate in Rome. Since I just made it to three places, it is difficult for me to make generalizations about the pizza in Rome or draw any conclusions based on my experiences. I can, however, make some suggestions about places to go (and avoid).

The first place you should avoid is Dar Poeta (45 Vicolo Del Bologna, 39-06-6830-7769) which is located in the funky and hip Trastevere neighborhood on the west bank of the Tiber, south of Vatican City. The place had gotten mixed reviews online, but I decided to go there for two reasons: (a) I wanted to check out Trastevere and (b) I was there on a Sunday when many places are closed or have odd hours. I knew it was open, in a cool area, and at least some people who'd eaten there raved about it.

To be frank, it was the worst pizza I had during my trip. I ordered a Margherita pie (€6.00, about $8.00) and it was difficult to proceed past the first bite. The cheese was perhaps the worst part -- definitely a far cry from fresh mozzarella that adorned pies in Naples. And the cracker-like crust was hard to work through. There was no basil. It's not really a place worthy of being reviewed, but as I'm recapping all of the pizza I ate in Italy, I have no choice but to dedicate a post to Dar Poeta.

If I sound harsh, here are a couple of things to consider (this is me hoping that maybe the pizza wasn't as bad as I actually thought it was): (1) I had just come from Naples, where I had some of the best pizza on the planet, so perhaps my expectations were heightened; (2) I had just eaten a delicious lunch at Trattoria Monti and was dining at Dar Poeta on a somewhat full stomach (3) I went at an off-hour (5PM) and perhaps whoever made my pie was out of sync or the oven wasn't at the proper temperature.

Although I try to avoid reading other reviews, this place baffles me. It got a pretty good write-up on Slice which noted that "this is the real deal," but the user comments below range from "easily the best pizza we had in Rome" to "the pie I had there was the weakest I had that week in Rome. I felt like I had been suckered into a tourist trap." On Chowhound, one user writes, "we went twice while we were there" and another notes that "it was a revelation" -- using words likes "amazing" and "unprecedented." But a review on Hidden Palette points out the following: "It’s not the service or the price that I have a problem with here, as they are both perfectly reasonable; it’s the Pizza... Making things worse is the quality and quantity of the toppings they use. Both pizzas I tried were barely visible underneath the abundance of tasteless cheese and the tomato was scarcely detectable." That's how I felt.

The best thing about Dar Poeta was the space itself. Checkered table cloths, wooden chairs, and brick walls, give the space a very homey Roman vibe and there is a lower level which is somewhat secluded and, I imagine, hopping during regular business hours. Even if it is a place to be seen once dinnertime roles around, it's a place where I won't been seen ever again.

The above piece is the 10th article in a 13-part series about my pizza adventures in Italy (January 2011 - February 2011). You can access the other parts of the series here:


Introduction (Part 1)
Da Michele - Naples (Part 2)
Pizzeria Brandi - Naples (Part 3)
Caputo Flour Mill - Naples - (Part 4)
Salvo - Naples (Part 5)
Pizzeria Starita - Naples (Part 6)
Buffalo Mozzarella Tour - Caserta (Part 7)
Di Matteo - Naples (Part 8)
Sorbillo - Naples (Part 9)
Dar Poeta - Rome (Part 10)
Forno Marco Roscioli - Rome (Part 11)
00100 Pizza - Rome (Part 12)
Pizzeria Pellone - Naples (Part 13)

Scenes From My Kitchen

In the latest installment of this not-so-frequent feature, I share with you some pies I made prior to Passover when I was home in Maryland. This is the second time I've made pies there and the oven there enables me to achieve a certain texture to my crusts that I am not able to achieve in my New York City apartment.

The crusts I make in Maryland are more airy and chewy, while the crusts I make up in NYC come out a bit crispier. Other than that, there are no noticeable differences between the pies I've made in both locations. Check out some photos below.

PIE 1: 

Spinach, Mozzarella, Mushrooms, 

Olive Oil, Basil, Parmesan.

PIE 2: 

Heirloom Tomatoes, Ricotta, Feta, Mozzarella,  

Parmesan, Olive Oil, Basil, Honey, Sea Salt, Pepper.

PIE 3:

Zucchini, Scallions, Jalapeno, Mozzarella, 

Sea Salt, Pepper, Basil, Parmesan, Olive Oil.

Domino's Pizza: A Social Media Case Study

You know how much I love social media (do you follow I Dream Of Pizza on Facebook and Twitter?) so I was excited when the folks from istrategyblog.com passed along an article about how Ramon DeLeon, a franchise owner of six Domino's shops in Chicago, is utilizing social media to engage customers and drive sales.

I know that many smaller pizzerias and restaurant owners are active on Facebook and Twitter, but it's great to see someone who is part of a larger corporation using social media to connect with customers. People have so many options when it comes to ordering pizza from a chain, and it's this type of effort that makes Ramon and Domino's stand out of the pack.

You can read the article here and check out Ramon in action below.