Authentic Neapolitan Pizza-Making

This December, we were thrilled to host a series of pizza-making events led by Michele Iuliano, master pizzaiolo and owner of three of our favorite Italian eateries in NYC: Luzzo's, Da Mikele and Ovest.

Michele, son of an artisanal bread-maker in Napoli, took the group through the art and traditions of Neapolitan pizza, first made famous in the 19th century during a visit to the city by Queen Margherita. To impress the queen, a local man prepared a special kind of pizza with mozarella, tomato and basil, representing the colors of the Italian flag. Thus the beginnings of the pizza margherita and some of Italy's most mouth-watering pizza creations.

Here's a look back at the cooking demonstration, and Michele's top Neapolitan pizza-making tips...

It All Starts with the Dough.

Begin mixing all the ingredients--Italian flour, yeast, salt and sugar (to bring out the color). Pound the dough repeatedly to form a ball. When almost ready, add a a dash of EVOO to get it crispy and flavorful when baked. Keep pounding, and when you can cut the dough open with a knife and see a hole inside, it's ready. Michele recommends you refrigerate the dough for 2-3 days before cooking, so the pizza comes out nice and light.


Use Only the Best Neapolitan Ingredients.

1. San Marzano tomatoes, grown in the volcanic ash of Mt. Vesuvius. Squash and mix with salt, a little basil and EVOO and put right on the pizza. The tomato mix should NOT be cooked before you put the pizza in the oven (otherwise you end up cooking it twice and lose the flavor).
2. Fresh mozzarella di bufala, made from buffalo's milk. Slice a day or two ahead of time and leave in the refrigerator so the water from the mozzarella evaporates and doesn't make the pizza turn soggy.
3. Fresh basil. Don't chop with a knife, break the pieces off whole with your hands.

The Oven is the Key Final Step.

A different kind of oven will make a different kind of pizza. Traditional Neapolitan pizza is baked in a wood-burning oven at temperatures over 1,000 degrees, and ready in less than 2 minutes. For thin pizza that you can make in a conventional oven at home, lay it in a pan and cook for 10-12 minutes at 400-500 degrees.

Ready for the Oven...

While everyone loved Michele and the demonstration, the highlight was definitely the pizza. Hands down, some of New York's finest.

Grazie mille to all who could join us, and we can't wait to see you at our next event in 2012...

Buon appetito!

****

Tasting the Wines of Piemonte

Last week, Ciao Andiamo was excited to team up with Rosenthal Wine Merchant (a boutique wine retailer in NYC), for a tasting tour of the wonderful wines of Piemonte.

Barolo, Italy

We loved the idea of focusing on Piemonte both because of its off-the-beaten-path rustic beauty, as well as the richness of its many gastronomic delights and formidable Italian wines. Piemonte, literally meaning 'foot of the mountain', is nestled in the northwestern corner of Italy, full of picturesque hill towns, panoramic countryside and surrounding mountain ranges that include the Alps.

The event featured a stellar line-up of six wines from the region (see full wine list below), including four typical Piemonte reds, from lighter-bodied Dolcetto and Barbera to Nebbiolo grape-based Barbaresco and Barolo. Capping the tasting was a Moscato D'Asti, lightly sweet with a little sparkle, perfect for the tail end of warmer weather.

And what would be a wine tasting without some cheese and treats?...To balance the rich flavors of the Piemonte reds, we served up grissini--thin, crunchy Italian bread sticks, which you've probably seen before, but may not have known that they've been around for anywhere from 400-600 years, originating in the city of Torino (Turin) in Piemonte, and still very typical today in the region. We also featured some tasty cheeses of the north, including Casatica di Bufala, rich in flavor with a smooth, spreadable texture; Castelrosso, crumbly and complex; and Quadrello di Bufala, sweet and creamy, like a Taleggio but made from buffalo's milk.

We had a wonderful turnout, with a packed house and the event going strong right up until the last pour, so grazie mille to all who could attend!...

And many thanks to Will at Rosenthal for the excellent line-up of Piemonte wines and expert commentary. Here's the night's full tasting recap (my personal favorite was the Barbera. Medium-bodied with some nice flavor and not too hard on the wallet)...

White
Erbaluce di Caluso "La Torrazza" (Ferrando) 2009

Reds
Dolcetto d'Alba (De Forville) 2010
Barbera d'Asti "Cascina Buc" (DeForville) 2008

Reds-Nebbiolo Based
Barbaresco (DeForville) 2007
Barolo "Garblet Sué" (Brovia) 2007

Con Dolci (sweeter dessert wine)
Moscato d'Asti "Cascina Buc" (De Forville) 2010