Pizza Rules: Our Local Favorites and Tips on Making Your Own from the Chefs
Artisanal pies are so hot right now. Chow down on our favorite picks — then make your own using local chefs’ top tips.
Pizza Rules
Authenticity is Essential Ingredient at II Pizzaiolo
Ron Molinaro’s fascination for the freshest, finest Italian ingredients originated some 25 years ago. To this day, the owner, chef, and head pizza-maker at Il Pizzaiolo has maintained his commitment to authenticity by importing many of the ingredients for his Neapolitan-style pies directly from Italy. Every Thursday, he receives shipments of fresh mozzarella di bufala (buffalo), burrata (a cream-filled mozzarella variety), and provolone.
In fact, there isn’t one product in Molinaro’s pizzeria that isn’t sourced carefully. The San Marzano tomatoes, for example, are grown in the Sarno Valley, near Naples, in soil fertilized by Mount Vesuvius and the Sarno River. “We’re probably one of 12 restaurants in America that use tomatoes of this quality. They’re so delicate, we actually have to hand-crush them, as opposed to using a machine,” he says, adding that many of the ingredients kept in stock are “so special, it’s a privilege to even keep them in the building.” In combination with Molinaro’s 1,000ºF, Italian-made, wood-fired oven, those specialty items allow for some dangerously delicious pizzas — and a fervently passionate fanbase to boot. This spring, he’ll pay a visit to Naples, in the hopes of returning home with a fresh batch of edible inspiration.
WHAT TO ORDER
Although Molinaro’s Italian cheeses arrive promptly in-house once a week, he notes that they’re usually scarce within a few days. If you’re lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the imports, do not sleep on the buffalo mozzarella. It’s found in myriad pies on the menu, including the Classic Margherita DOC, shown here.
PRO TIPS FOR AT-HOME PIZZA
- “Make sure the source of your recipe is reliable. Don’t always trust the cookbook, or the Internet. To take all that time and have something turn out poorly...it’s a frustrating thing.”
- “Always work with the freshest ingredients available to you.”
- “Be patient.”
INTEGRAL INGREDIENT
“Casa Barone cherry tomatoes. They’re grown on the foothills of Mount Vesuvius. Most Americans have never eaten something like this. The flavor is so bold and delicious — it’s extraordinary.”
“With pizza, it’s all about minimalism. It’s about the simplest, highest-quality ingredients you can find. Every product in this restaurant...we’ve sourced it out over the past two decades. We’ve gone to the best places in the world.” — Ron Molinaro, Il Pizzaiolo
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Pizza Rules: Our Local Favorites and Tips on Making Your Own from the Chefs
Artisanal pies are so hot right now. Chow down on our favorite picks — then make your own using local chefs’ top...
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