Elizabeth Minchilli's Blog, page 5
January 12, 2022
Radicchio + Pear Salad
Since I travel so much for most of the year, I truly appreciate these days in January and February when I basically only leave the house to take a walk or go to the market. I get so much work done in my office, without any distractions. I also love my solitary lunches where I get to eat exactly what I feel like. And most days it’s a salad. Fennel and Orange is on constant repeat. But when I’m craving something leafier and slightly bitter, I turn to Radicchio and Pear salad.
This is barely a recipe, but since so many people were intrigued by my lunch the other day, which I posted on Instagram, I thought it was worth laying out the basic guidelines here. Because I can’t in full honesty call this a ‘recipe.’
Some things to keep in mind when making this salad:Use the long leafed radicchio, called Treviso. Yes, it’s usually more expensive, but that’s because it’s slightly sweeter and a lot more tender than those hard balls of Radicchio di ChioggiaI always add fruit of some kind. Pear is great, but apple or even oranges work too.I usually add some sort of dried fruit or nuts as well, since they pair so nicely with the bitter leaves. This time around I used dates, but I often use raisins and chopped hazelnuts, or walnutsThe other day I added a handful of grated ricotta salata which I had never done before. The reason was that I was really hungry, and thought the salad needed more heft. It turned out to be quite a delicious heft. Other cheeses that work perfectly here are gorgonzola or crumbly goat cheese.
A few words about dressing. If you’re the kind of person who wants a true recipe for salad dressing you can see this post for Balsamic Honey Dressing.. But if you want to wing it, like I always do, here is some advice. When making radicchio salad this is one of the few times I used balsamico. I use Aceto Balsamico di Modena, which is not the super expenive version (here is my podcast which talks about that). But I do use a high quality one. This bottle happened to be from Massimo Bottura and was excellent. I also used a wonderful sweet honey vinegar that I picked up at my farmer’s market. Feel free to play around with the vinegars. I used extra virgin olive oil, but not the extra special just pressed one, since that would have been overwhelmed by the balsamic. Just your ordinary every day one will do fine. Then salt and pepper of course.
Let me know if you make some version of this salad. Take a picture of your radicchio salad and tag me @eminchilli on Instagram and I’ll share it!
Yield 1
Ingredients1 small head Radicchio di Treviso1 pear, peeled and cut into chunks4 dates, pitted and chopped1/2 cup grated ricotta salataAceto Balsamico di ModenaHoney VinegarExtra virgin olive oilSalt and PepperInstructionsCut the radicchio into ribbons and let soak in cold water for about 5-10 minutes. This helps tame the bitterness. Spin dry and put in salad bowl
Add the rest of the ingredients and then toss to mix. Adjust for seasoning to your liking.
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January 5, 2022
June in Umbria with Evan Kleiman
I’m so happy to announce that I’ve organized a new Week in Umbria Tour this June with my good friend Evan Kleiman! I’m sure you already know her, but just in case, she is one of the most well known experts on Italian cooking and not only the author of 7 best selling cookbooks (I’m sure you own at least one), but also the host of KCRW’s award winning radio show Good Food. If you live in LA then there is also a good chance you ate at one of her restaurants including the much-loved Angeli, which closed a few years ago.
And if you follow along here then you also know she is one of my dearest friends and has been visiting us in Italy, at our homes in both Rome and Umbria, for the last 20 years. I am proud to lay claim to the fact that we are her Italian family. We’ve also worked together, doing tours in Rome, Abruzzo and Umbria.
Evan is coming to visit this June and I’d love it if you could join us too. I’ve developed a special week in Umbria that focuses not only on the culture of food, but also on vibrant craft traditions. Both Evan and I share a passion for time honored crafts that define this region like ceramics and textiles. Join us as we visit and explore off the beaten track and private, little known places we’ve discovered over the years.
I’m super excited that the trip takes place in June, since the weather is perfect. The days will be sunny and warm, but not too hot. And the evenings are warm enough to eat outside.
DetailsWhen: June 12-18, 2022
Where: We’ll be based in Todi, the hill top village in Umbria. You will have your own private room in a family un 4 star hotel
Who: Space is limited to 10 people
What: The days will be full, with trips in our private bus all over Umbria. But don’t worry, you will also have some down time in Todi too, to explore on your own.
A few of the things we’ll be doing:-Welcome drinks and dinner at the best restaurant in town on panoramic terrace
-Visit to the medieval craft workshops of Bevagana
-Lunch at an olive oil mill, with guided tasting
-Private visit to our favorite ceramic workshop and Museum
-Shopping for Cashmere at our secret outlet
-Truffle Hunting and cooking lesson
-Full day at an exclusive private estate with cooking class with local nonna
-Visit to medieval Orvieto and lunch at a winery in the vineyard
-Farewell feast at my home, Pergolaccio, home prepared by Evan
Would you like more information? Just send me an email for details.
Evan picking olives at our home in Umbria
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December 17, 2021
roast cabbage
Don’t get all excited : this is a somewhat embarrassing excuse for a recipe. It definitely falls under the category of ‘no-recipe’ recipe. But whenever I post these slabs of roast cabbage on Instagram I get so many questions on how to do it that I thought it was worth a blog post.
As I’ve mentioned already, both here and in my newsletter, I’m a bit burnt out in the kitchen. It has a lot to do with all that cooking I did over the last year and a half. But it also has to do with all the over eating I’ve been doing over the last few months. Our tours have started up again and I feel like I’ve been pretty much eating (and drinking) non-stop since September. I’ve eaten my way through Abruzzo, Umbria, Puglia and Sicily. And the prosciutto-parmigiano-tortellini fueled week in Parma was the kicker. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy every minute and every bite. But while my guests get to experience this for a week, then go home to a more normal eating routine, I was on the Minchilli Feeding Schedule for about 8 weeks straight.
Which means I need something a bit more vegetable forward at the moment. Which is where this non-recipe for roast cabbage comes in.
I don’t know about you, but at this time of year I always have a few back up cabbages in my fridge. They keep forever, and are always available to provide a salad, soup, or pasta for a last minute oh-my-god-I-didn’t-plan-dinner dinner.
But this version, where I simply slice the cabbage into slabs and roast them, has got to be my favorite because it works perfectly with my nightly routine.
Come downstairs from my office to the kitchen at about 7pm.Realize Domenico will be home in about 10 minutes and also that I have nothing planned for dinner.Remember I have 4 emergency cabbages in the fridge. ( I actually have a back up fridge that holds this kind of stuff. Just in case).Preheat oven, prepare cabbage and place in oven.Domenico comes homeI make martinis and we go sit on the pink chairs in the living room.By the time we finish our drinks dinner is done.
Perfetto!
The cabbage is definitely the main star of the dinner, but don’t worry there is always something else to round it out. Sometimes just some bread that Domenico picks up on his way home. Often I make rice. Sometimes a fried egg goes on top. Or maybe some crispy fried prosicutto. Some nights it’s all of the above. The possibilities are endless. And since the oven is on already, I often roast some other vegetables as well.
The one trick I’ve learned in my ever evolving roast cabbage journey is to season the cabbage well and please make sure you don’t skimp on the olive oil. And you can also be creative when it comes to the salt. I have recently become addicted to Georgian salt. It’s called Svanetian salt and is a mixture of salt, coriander, fenugreek, marigold, garlic, red pepper and caraway seed. It’s hauntingly complex and makes everything – especially roast cabbage and other vegetables – taste amazing. My other seasoning salt of choice is Dario Cecchini’s Profumo di Chianti. Made by the famous butcher in Tuscany to season meat, I find it works wonders on veggies too.
Prep 5 mins
Cook 25 mins
Total 30 mins
Yield 2-3
I usually use one medium cabbage to feed two, but then always have a bit leftover which is perfect for lunch the next day. I usually use green Savoy cabbage, but you can also do this with red, which may take a bit longer to cook
Ingredients1 medium cabbageOlive oilSalt of choicePepperInstructionsPreheat oven to 180C/350F
Line a baking sheet with parchment and generously oil with olive oil
Hold the cabbage with the root side on your cutting board. Using a sharp carving knife, cut 1 inch slices of cabbage starting at one side. Try not to let the end slices fall apart, as they tend to do since they don’t have the core holding them together.
As you cut, transfer the slices onto the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, rubbing it all over. Season with salt and pepper.
Place in oven and cook until tender and the edges start to brown. This usually takes about 25 minutes. Time enough to finish your martini.
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December 16, 2021
Holiday Cakes + Cookies
I am the first to admit that I’m not someone who bakes a lot. I am pretty great at crostatas (it’s beyond easy) , and I got very addicted to this ricotta strawberry cake (as did many of you). But as for real baking? I’m much more likely to head out to the pastry shop to buy something delicious when it comes to holiday cakes and cookies. I am in eternal awe of people who make cookies like these.
But every so often I do some baking and it’s usually for some occasion when people are coming over. Also, I tend to have a bit more time to spend in the kitchen over the holidays. I’m still hoping that I’ll make some sort of Christmas cookies before, well, Christmas. There’s always hope!
But in the meantime, here are a few holiday cakes and cookies that you might feel like cooking over the next few weeks. None are that complicated and all are ‘wintery’.
And if you don’t feel like baking? You can always buy a panettone or pandoro. That’s what I have planned, whether I bake or not.
Pistacchio Plum Cake Great for brunch or tea time
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December 13, 2021
New Tours: Puglia & Umbria 2022
It’s been a full few months since Italy opened up to tourism again. Sophie and I have been all over the place eating, drinking and cooking. At the same time we’ve also been keeping up with the new regulations regarding travel restrictions. Things that have changed? We now leave a pack of masks in everyone’s room along with the other goodies like wine, taralli and biscotti. We’ve also gotten very good at arranging to have tests done at local pharmacies if needed for your return trip. A whole new skill set for sure!
As I’ve said in the past, everyone has their own level of comfort and risk they are balancing when traveling these days. What seems clear is that the current situation is going to be here for a while – in one form or another. But at the same time people do want to travel. It is certainly a different situation than it was a year ago and we have many more ways to mitigate the risk: vaccines, tests, travel insurance and masks just for starters. Also, traveling to places that aren’t so crowded seems to be a no-brainer.
But our own biggest take away from the last three months has been that our week long explorations into the culture that surrounds food in Italy are still the same. Despite things like masks, vaccines and ever-changing rules and forms to fill out, our tours were as fun – and delicious – as ever.
We’ve also seen a huge increase in the number of people who would like to join us in the out-of-the-way places we go to. And in fact, all of our previously scheduled tours for 2022 and 2023 were already booked by last month. With this in mind Sophie and I have decided to start offering some tours on our own, so that we can fit in a few more weeks next year. Sophie is offering a week in Puglia (without me) and I am offering a two weeks in Umbria, (without her). A few more trips will be posted in the next weeks, but for now, here they are. I hope you can join us on one of our new tours in Umbria and Puglia!
PLEASE NOTE: Since the tours tend to sell out quite quickly, I let the Premium Subscribers to my newsletter know first. I then post a notice to our free monthly newsletter subscribers. And finally, I post them publicly here on this website. This is why some of the tours are full or have limited spaces already. I am, however, more than happy to add you to the wait list!
May 22-28, 2022:Spring in Umbria with Elizabeth & Robin
A twist on our regular Umbria tour, I partner with my sister, Robin, who founded her own travel company in New York. She knows Umbria well, having spent part of each summer there for the last 30 years. We pair up to show you around Umbria at this perfect time of year: countryside and gardens are full of flowers; dining mostly outside and I’ve also added some special visits to private homes!
June 12-18, 2022:Summer Cooking & Crafts with Evan Kleiman & Elizabeth in Umbria
I’ve known radio host and cookbook author Evan Kleiman for too many years to count. We spent a glorious week in Abruzzo this past September, and have lead other food tours together in Umbria and Rome. Join us as we explore the food and craft traditions of Umbria. The summer dates mean that we’ll also be able to have most of our meals outside, and there may be a few dips in pools.
October 23-29, 2022:Week in Puglia with Sophie & Angelo
Sophie partners with her friend and colleague Angelo to offer this six-day feast through Puglia. You’ll be based in Lecce and Monopoli and visit some of their favorite towns (Ostuni, Cisternino and Fontana Francavilla) to explore the food, wine and history of southern and central Puglia.
FIND OUT MOREI’m not posting these tours on the website until next week, since as a subscribers to this newsletter are the first to know about them. I’m happy to email you a brochure:
If you’d like to receive all three brochures, just send me an email.
I hope you can join us!!
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November 11, 2021
Winter Squash Recipe Roundup
It’s that time of year again! If you’re anything like me then you’ve probably been seduced by all sorts of gourds, winter squashes and pumpkins over the last few weeks. It’s hard to pass them up in the markets this time of year. I buy my fair share of those bumpy decorative gourds, but I’m also a sucker for the big edible ones. Which, eventually, have to be eaten.
Over the years I’ve managed to get really creative with my stash of winter squash. As we head into Thanksgiving countdown I thought it might be useful to have them all in one place.
I am actually kind of shocked how many recipes I’ve made and published over the years. Last week was my ‘blog birthday’ and I think it says something that the very first post I ever wrote, 12 years ago, was about pumpkins. I know you all think of my ‘thing’ as being artichokes, but maybe I should rethink that?
When I first moved to Rome pumpkins, and any other sort of squash, were hard to come by. Happily this has changed. The markets are now full of huge and ‘exotic’ winter squash from the north of Italy. And we’ve also started growing them ourselves. In fact, this year I was able to grow Acorn squash, a first! Granted, the plant only produced 2, but that’s a start.
As for the type of winter squash you use in any of the recipes? Go ahead and use what you have. Butternut is always great, and my sister has been telling me about a new variety, Honeynut, which sounds fantastic. Maybe I should try growing that next year?
Pumpkin RisottoPumpkin LasagnaPumpkin & Pancetta PastaPumpkin & BeansMashed PumpkinButternut Squash and Farro SoupButternut Squash Gnudi with Sage and PancettaRoasted Butternut Squash with Sage PestoButternut & Coconut SoupRoasted Squash PastaWinter Squash SoupRicotta Ravioli with Butternut Squash
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November 5, 2021
Where to Eat in Lecce
During our Week in Puglia tour we spend three nights in the baroque town of Lecce. Located in the heart of Salento (the southern part of Puglia) the town is sometimes called the Florence of the south. It is easy to get to by both train and plane and makes a perfect base from which to explore both the south and central parts of Puglia.
The town itself is gorgeous, with most of the buildings in the center dating from the last baroque period and crafted out of a honey colored local stone.
Since our guests often arrive ahead of our tour, and also have at least one night free to eat out on their own, we’ve prepared a list of some of our favorite places.
We are always happy to hear your suggestions too! Leave them in the comments below. Thanks!
Zio Pesce – Fish (closed Monday)
Via Piero Gobetti 19, Lecce, 0832 316857
Great fish restaurant about a 15 minute walk from the center.
L’Ostrica Ubriaca – Fish
Viale della Liberta’ 99, Lecce 0832 091986
Casual fish restaurant located just outside the walls of the historic center. Great seafood.
Nonna Tetti
Piazzetta Regina Maria 17, Lecce 0831.246.036
We head here with our group to order mixed antipasti. Very casual, simple great food.
Da Angiulinu Closed Sunday
Via Principi di Savoia 24 0832.245.146
Very old fashioned, traditional restaurant. Like eating in someone’s home.
Le Zie Trattoria (closed Monday)
Via Costadura 19 0832.245.178
Very old fashioned, like eating in someone’s home.
La Cucina di Mamma Elvira (closed Tuesday)
Via Ludovico Maremonti 33 331.579.5127
Historic trattoria in Lecce. Everyone loves it.
Mamma Elvira Enoteca
Via Umberto 19 0832.196.2011
Wine bar opened by the owners of Mamma Elvira. Not a real restaurant, but they do serve food. And of course wine!
Corte dei Pandolfi
Corte dei Pandolfi 3, 336.141.2692
Historic fish restaurant in the center of Lecce. Has been taken over by the owners of Mamma Elvira. I haven’t tried it yet, but it’s located on an adorable small piazza.
Tabisca
Via Dietro Ospedale dei Pellegrini 29 380.634.4345
Known for steak. But they also have great cured meats, cheeses, salads. Recommended by our friend Silvestro who runs a great cooking school.
Quanto Basta – Cocktails
Via Marco Basseo 29
Lecce’s most famous cocktail place. Sophie loves it.
Cafe Alvino
Piazza Sant’Oronzo 30
This is the most famous coffee bar in Lecce, located in the main square. Great any time of day, from coffee to spritz. Known for its savory pastry called Rustico Leccese.
Crianza
Via Principi di Savoia, 64
Mostly bruschetta, and other wine bar food, with a great wine list
Pizza & Co
Via Giuseppe Libertini, 39
If you’re feeling like pizza.
400 Gradi
Viale Porta d’Europa, 65,
Neapolitan style pizza
Tentazioni
Piazza Sant’Oranzo 49
A big bar located in the main piazza. Great gelato.
Green
Via Francesco Rubichi 27
Just around the corner from the main piazza, they specialize in big made to order salads. Not very Italian, but maybe you feel like a salad? Sophie and I usually do
Dolciumi Stella
Via Ernesto Alvino , Lecce
Small candy store that has amazing local specialities like candied almonds.
If you’re curious about Puglia and it’s food, see my books Eating My Way Through Italy and The Italian Table
And if you’d like to join us in Puglia for a week, we’d love to have you!
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October 21, 2021
Fall Antipasti from Il Ghiottone Umbro
If you follow me along on Instagram then you’ve probably already drooled over the meals we’ve enjoyed at our friends Lisbeth and Thomas. Most people ask me if we’ve left the country since the setting and the food always looks so different from what I usually post. When I respond that no, we are not in Denmark, but in Umbria, the next questions is: can we eat at this restaurant too?
No, sorry, it’s not a restaurant. But it is a darling B&B and yes, you can stay there. And if you stay then THEN you can eat there (sorry, only open to guests). You can also take advantage of the fabulous food tours and cooking classes they organize. (again, for guests only).
A bit of background: Lisbeth and Thomas (both Danes) owned an Italian restaurant in Copenhagen for 12 years. When they’d had enough of that, they picked up and moved to Todi, opening the chicest place in town (and maybe Umbria) while bringing their own brand of Italian cooking with them.
Can’t get to Umbria to cook/eat with them? No problem. You can subscribe to their quarterly Kitchen Notes here. And to get you started, here are two of my favorite recipes from last Fall’s edition. Like many of their recipes they are beyond simple, easy to pull together, and use seasonal ingredients in new and surprising ways. For instance, both of these recipes pull seasonal fruit into savory dishes in a way that a traditional Italian never would.
Yield 2
The easiest antipasto ever. Just get some good quality itlaian style sausage, and some sourdough bread. Add your own favorite spices and herbs to the meat.
Ingredients2 fresh pork sausages 3 sprigs of rosemary, leaves onlyfresh red chili to taste sea salt and black pepper 2 slices of sourdough, cut in halfextra virgin olive oil 1 apple lemon juiceInstructionsPreheat your oven to 180c degrees. Remove the skin from the sausages and crumble the meat into a bowl. Add most of the rosemary, some chopped chili and season with salt and pepper. Be careful with the seasoning, as the sausages are already seasoned. Mix well. Place bread on an oven tray lined with baking paper. Drizzle with a little olive oil.Divide the sausage meat among the crostini, press lightly into the bread and drizzle with olive oil. Cook in preheated oven for around 15 minutes until the meat is cooked and have some color. In the meantime core the apple and cut into smaller wedges. Place in a bowl and dress with the rest of the rosemary, olive oil, salt, pepper and lemon juice. Once the crostini are ready, place on plates and top with the marinated apples. Scamorza in Carozza with Pear1 large ripe pear 2 slices of smoked scamorza, about 1cmfine sea salt and black pepperflour for coating1 eggfresh bread crumbs small handful of sage leavessunflower oil for fryingCut the pear on each side of the stem, leaving you with 2 halves. Cut each half into 2 slices, discarding the end. Remove any seeds.Now sandwich a slice of scamorza between 2 slices of pear. Season with salt and pepper. Trim the cheese, so it gets the same shape as the pear – please do snack on the trimmings….Prepare your breading station. Place some flour in a plate and season. Crack the egg into a second plate and whisk together. Place the bread crumbs in a third plate. Chop most of the sage, but save a few leaves. Add chopped sage to the bread crumbs.Now take your “sandwich” and coat in the flour, then dip into the egg. Make sure it’s well coated. Then coat in the bread crumbs making sure it’s coated all over with bread crumbs. It might be a good idea to double coat the edges. Leave to set for 15 minutes.Preheat oven to 220c degrees.Shallow fry the sandwiches until golden and crisp, then place on a baking tray and finish in the oven for 8-10 minutes, so the cheese melts. In the meantime fry the last sage leaves until crisp. Serve right away as a snack or as an antipasto with some bitter leaves.
For more delicious seasonal recipe inspiration you can subscribe to Kitchen Notes from Il Ghiottone Umbro.
And if you are coming to Italy, their B&B is a perfect place to stay to discover Umbria from. They also lead cooking classes and food tours.
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Eating Pizza in Naples
So you want to eat pizza in Naples?
I know that people have a thing about Naples. And for the most part I’m talking about people who have never been there. They are scared. Scared of the chaos they’ve heard about. Scared of the crime they’ve read about. Scared of a place that appears to be a culture that seems completely apart from anything they think they know about Italy yet at the same time everything you think you know about Italy concentrated.
While they may be right about the confusion, mess and crime, anyone who has ever visited knows the complete and utter charm of the unique and utterly seductive chaos that is Naples.
I have to admit, that it took me a while to build a relationship with Naples. For years it had to do mostly with logistics. Naples was not fun to get to. Up until about 15 years ago the trains that ran to Naples (and frankly most of southern Italy) were decidedly on the shabby and slow side. And driving there? For years the stretch of 2-lane autostrada between Rome and Naples was a nightmare filled with Napolitani (who don’t follow rules) and Romani (who think the rules are made only for their benifit) vying with trucks for full domination.
But these days not only is the highway a spiffy and wide 3 lanes, the train has not only upgraded the cars but also the tracks so that a day trip to the city from Rome takes just over an hour. Barely time to read the paper. But plenty of time for a day trip from Rome.
One thing I’ve begun doing is heading to Naples for lunch. While I’ve actually sat down at one restaurant and had a full meal, what I really like to do is make it more of a moveable feast. Especially when I’ve got a friend in who’s never seen the city.
Of course, for me, the main event for any trip to Naples is pizza. Or Pizza. I feel that in Naples it deserves that capital P. Because it is Naples that gave birth to what we today know as pizza. Yes, I know there is a world class archeological museum to be seen, as well as new modern museums and infinite art-filled churches. But. Pizza. Right?
And I fully believe that pizza is the entry drug to a full on addiction to Naples.
You may think you know pizza, but the pizza you will get in Naples is almost certainly much much different than the pizza you are used to eating back home. Or even, for that matter, pizza you may have had anywhere else in Italy. So specific is the typology of Neapolitan pizza that the entire process has been recognized, certified and defined by the stringent pizza police (A.k.a. Associazone Verace Pizza Napoletana) . Among the rules that determine whether or not you are certified as a true Neapolitan Pizzaiolo are:
-type of yeast (organic yeast with a low acidity)
-the dough, when stretched out, must be no thicker than .4 centimeters
-Cheese: must be D.O. P. buffalo mozzarella
-Tomatoes: must be either San Marzano, Corbarino or Piennolo (all D.O.P.)
-The dough has to rise at least 12 hours, but usually longer
So far, so familiar. Dough, tomatoes and cheese. But how it’s all put together and then baked? That results in something that may, at first glance, be completely surprising.
Pizzas in Naples are on the small side, each one is meant to be eaten by one individual. They are baked in extremely hot dome-shaped ovens. Like 900F hot or even hotter. This means that the pizza is cooked extremely fast. Often usually anywhere from 60 to 90 seconds.
This fast cooking means that the crust around the edges puffs up right away, cooking quickly, as does the bottom of the pie, which is often speckled with what pizza experts refer to as leopard-spotting. These dark spot, almost burnt, are what gives Neopolitan pizza its distinctive smoky and almost bitter flavor.
This way of cooking also means that the center of the pizza, where the tomatoes, olive oil and the cheese hang out, is wet and almost soupy. It is definitely not what you would get in a Roman style pizza, but it is (trust me on this) one of the best things about going to Naples.
A Word about ToppingsToppings in Naples are a minimal thing of beauty. There are usually few of them (that is why the standards are so stringently regulated) and even when those few are applied, they are done with a light touch.
There are two classic types of pizza you’ll see at every pizzeria you step into:
Pizza Marinara: This is pizza at its purest. Tomatoes, garlic, oregano and olive oil.
Pizza Margherita: Named after a queen, this is the queen of pizzas with tomatoes, olive oil, fresh buffalo milk mozzarella and fresh basil leaves.
There are many pizzerie that get fancy and creative with there toppings (and we’ll get to that later) but even then, the amount is never overwhelming. It’s all about the balance, and the toppings never ever overwhelm the crust. It’s a partnership.
Where to Eat Pizza in NaplesHere is my list of favorites. I think it’s a pretty good list, which will give you a good over view of the different types of pizza. Can you do it all in one day? You can if you want to. I did. Best to go with a friend, and a pretty empty stomach.
Da Matteo
via dei Tribunali 94,
This pizzeria opens at 8:00am. This means that you can have pizza for breakfast. Although it’s worth stopping by Da Matteo for a sit down pizza in their restaurant, this is where I get my pizza to go. The window that faces the street is where pizza becomes portable. The method for this is specifically Neapolitan and called pizza al portifolio, (wallet).’ or libretto (small book). When you go up to the window you will see anywhere from 3 to 20 small pizzas laid out on a metal tray. Don’t be deceived. These are not pizzas that have been sitting there for very long. The pizzaiolo knows, from experience, how many pizzas he will sell at different times of the day. These are freshly made, and piping hot.
Pay for your pizza (only 1 Euro!) and the pizzaiolo with place it on a sheet of parchment, then fold it in half, and then fold it in half again, with the paper forming a separation between the two halves, and a cone at the bottom. Ir’s a bit tricky to eat, since your first few mouthfuls are mostly crust, but then you get down to business and at the end you are treated to a last bit that has absorbed all the juices of the tomato, mozzarella and olive oil. At least the part that hasn’t dripped down your chin, onto your hands and hopefully not onto your shirt.
Figlio di Presidente
Via Duomo 181
This is where I first experienced the wonder to man that is known as pizza fritta. And it still remains my favorite. Pizza Fritta is a bit of a misnomer, since it’s actually more of a Calzone Fritta. It is a moon shaped piece of dough, stuffed with just enough tomato and mozzarella to moisten and counter act the slightly sweet dough with savory. Because the dough is a bit on the sweet side, at least here. It’s not a donut sweet, but the fact that it’s fried definitely brings donuts to my mind. But maybe that is just my excuse to also including this treat in my Naples breakfast itinerary. Or second breakfast, since they open at 10am. Again, they have a stand out front which means that this pizza fritta is always to go.
Da Michele
Via Cesare Sersale 1
If your idea of pizza in Naples was formed by watching Julia Roberts play Elizabeth Gilbert in Eat, Pray, Love then you are already familiar with Da Michele. I actually remember when Liz (yup, I knew her when….) went down to Naples for the weekend and she really was completely blown away by the pizza here. As was I the first time I went. As are most people. But all this attention means that the long lines have gotten even longer. My advice: get there at least 20 or 30 minutes before they are scheduled to open. Since they open at 11:00 this may actually make it your third pizza breakfast of the day. ( I told you this was not for the faint of stomach) If you are there by 10:30 you have a pretty good chance of being seated right when the oven starts spitting out pizzas at a furious pace at 11. Otherwise it’s a long wait in line.
Da Michele is a true old fashioned sit down pizzeria. And by old fashioned I mean they serve only 2 types of pizza: Marinara and Margherita. The Marinara comes in 3 sizes (normale, media and maxi) and the Margherita comes in 2 (normale and media) with the option of getting doppia mozzzarella. Believe me when I say the normale, for 4 euros, is plenty big. Although it’s not on the menu, the last time I was there I saw a local order a pizza with doppio mozzarella and NO tomatoes.
This is the place where you really understand that pizza is all about the dough. Think of the toppings as more of a type of condiment, that compliments the dough. And the aim of the dough, which Da Michele slam dunks, is an incredible lightness. And in fact I would suggest you order the Marinara, which it’s incredibly intense tomatoeyness with just enough oil, oregano and garlic. Yes, it’s big, but when you start eating it, you’ll understand what I mean about the lightness.
Pizzeria da Attilio
Via Pignasecca 17
In a city full of pizzerias you can imagine there is a lot of competition with each place trying to distinguish themselves from the rest. And since I’m as much of a sucker for novelty pizza as the next person, I usually make time for Attilio. Besides being well known as one of the better pizzerias, their speciality is for their pizzas with ricotta-stuffed crusts. The last time I was there I had Sole nel Piatto (sun on a plate). The main part of the pizza was mozzarella, mushrooms and porcini, with the crust formed into little points (a.k.a. sun shaped) that were twisted by Attilio (the grandson of the original Attilio) into perfect little pocket around dollops of ricotta. It may sound like overkill, but it was anything but.
Starita
Via Materdei 27
In case you can’t decide if you’d like your pizza traditionally cooked in the oven or deep fried, you can head to Starita and order a Montanara. This may be one of my favorite things in a city of favorite things. The pizza dough is first fried, then topped with a tomato basil sauce, and just a bit of parmigiano and fior di latte before being finished briefly in the pizza oven. It almost floats off the plate and into your mouth, it is so incredibly light and full of air.
Pizza in Naples used to be a food for the masses, made with whatever was on hand. Flour, water, yeast and toppings. There was no talk about where any of those ingredients came from. Both Gino Sorbillo and Enzo Coccia have been primarily responsible for not only the rise in quality of pizza, but for the extreme attention to specific ingredients used in making those pizzas.
Sorbillo
Via dei Tribunale 31
Lievito Madre al Mare
Via Partenope 1
If Neapolitan pizza is enjoying its place in the press at the moment, much of that has to do with the media savy Gino Sorbillo. He took what was arguably one of the best and well known of the old fashioned pizzerias in Naples and turned it into a phenomena. It was basically Gino who changed the view that a pizza was some sort of third rate street food and taken it to be regarded as high level cuisine.
The family pizzeria is located along Via dei Tribunali and today attracts hoards of would be pizza eaters to a neighborhood that, thanks to him, is enjoying a rebirth. Even in the face of a fire (said to have been caused by his refusing to pay the local organized crime bribes) he has not only kept going, but kept getting bigger.
Although he serves the basic Marinara and Margherita, the menu changes a few times a year to include new and creative creations. Most of the pizzas are named for his extended family, and are variations on the classics, swapping in various cheeses, cured meats and even types of tomatoes. All of the ingredients are carefully sourced, with the producers receiving credit on pizza descriptions. Sorbillo has recently launched Lievito Madre al Mare, located along the seafront. Neither restaurant accepts reservations, so just plan on waiting.
Pizzaria La Notizie
Enzo Coccia is often called the Professor of pizza. It is Enzo, and his tireless inquiries into the mechanics of pizza that has lead a new revolution in Naples in the exploration of new types of flour, toppings and ways of cooking. It is well worth the hike up the hill to one of his three places:
La Notizia 53, Via Carravaggio 94 (a bit fancier, and more experimental)
Via Michelangelo da Caravaggio 53A (the old fashioned traditonal pizzeria)
O Sfizio da’ ‘a Notizia. Via del Caravaggio, 49/51. Napoli. Tel. +39 081 7148325 (His newest place is dedicated to fried pizza and incredible sandwiches)
50 Kalo’
Pizzaiolo Ciro Salvo is all about the crust. And his heavenly light dough is considered, but many, to be the best in Naples of the new breed of pizzerias.
Piazza Sannazaro 201B
+39 08119204667
Before I get back on the train for Rome, there are two stops I make near the train station:
Sfogliatelle Attanasio
I always leave enough time to wait in line at this small bakery near the station. They do one thing and one thing only: sfogliatelle. Those are the crispy cruncy ricotta filled pastries that Naples is known for.
Sfogiatelle Attanasio
Vico Ferrovia 1-4
Naples Closed Mondays.
Mexico
Naples has the best coffee in Italy. It’s not just me that says so, it’s just true. It may be the water, it may be the machines. For whatever reason, it’s just the best. And in a city of good coffee, Mexico is considered at the top of everyone’s list. There are several locations throughout town, but the stopped-in-time location near the station is my favorite.
Bar Mexico
Piazza Giuseppe Garibaldi 72
This post is an excerpt from my book Eating My Way Through Italy.
If you’d like to join us for a food-focused trip to Italy, see this page for our full list of week-long tours.
And if you are just in Rome for the day, Sophie would love to take you for a pizza crawl.
The post Eating Pizza in Naples appeared first on Elizabeth Minchilli.
September 28, 2021
EAT ITALY APP: PDF VERSION
In 2011 I launched my app, EAT ROME. At the time, it was the first English language guide in app form to eating in Italy. I since went on to expand the series to include Florence, Venice and other regions and cities. I then decided to group them all together under one umbrella app called EAT ITALY.
Over the last ten years it’s been my extreme good pleasure to eat my way up and down Italy to be able to share my favorite places with you. It’s been an incredibly successful run, and I thank each and every one of you who bought and used my app, and gave me such great feedback.
Both my life, and the restaurant scene, has changed a lot in the last decade. While I still continue to visit LOTS of restaurants, markets and other food- and drink-focused places, I don’t think the app is the best format to share my content anymore. With this in mind I have decided to retire EAT ITALY. But don’t worry! I’ll still be sharing my new discoveries on Instagram and here on my blog.
But since so much of my app is still quite useful I’ve decided to make the content available as downloadable PDF’s for all Premium subscribers of my Newsletter. You can find my newsletter here and if you are already subscribed to the free version, just sign in to upgrade.
Thank you!!!
The post EAT ITALY APP: PDF VERSION appeared first on Elizabeth Minchilli.
