Pizza Blog from pizzatherapy.com

                             Steve Lieber is an incredible pizziolo. He is a member of the World Pizza Champions . He has an incredible story to tell. In the following interview he tells his pizza story. He explains how he got into the pizza business. He learned how to make pizza. He worked in a number of restaurants and decided he wanted to become a master pizziolo. According to his bio: Over the years, Lieber established himself working in high volume restaurants that posed many challenges and soon found great success…A self-described “pizza fanatic,” Steve regularly travels the globe to attend conventions and further his knowledge of the industry to perfect techniques and capitalize on the latest in pizza trends. In the following interview, he explains how he: •learned to make pizza •how his passion for pizza led him to try to ...

Rebecca Woodland is an unusual person. She loves to cook and she loves sharing her food with others. But that is not what makes Rebecca unusual. Rebecca Woodland is a survivor. She battled cancer and won. With victory in hand she decided to share her favorite recipes with her new cookbook, The Blond Vegetarian.. She discovered that a big part of her recovery was proper eating. Her cookbook is more than just a collection of recipes. Rebecca puts her heart and soul into her cooking. She dicovered a secret: make the foods that you are supposed to eat taste really good. All of her recipes (over 200) can be made with local ingredients including local vegetables, fruits and herbs. Most of the recipes are vey low in cholesterol and very low fat. The recipes contained are easy to prepare, delicious as well as beautiful. The tastes appeal to children as well as those who may not be fans of vegetarian cooking. You can see my interview, here: You can claim your own copy of Rebe...

This pizza was the result of having the right kind of ingredients. It truly just made itself. Simple, yet oh so tasty! You can ramp up the taste, if you use buffalo mozzarella. If not available, any whole milk or regular mozzarella will do. Ingredients: Dough for 1 pizza (Dough recipe will make 2 regular sized pizzas or 4 thin Neapolitan pizzas) 4-6 oz. of buffalo mozzarella (whole milk mozzarella is fine) 2-3 cloves of garlic minced 2-4 oz . of parmesan cheese 1 16 oz. can of stewed tomatoes or pizza sauce (One can is enough for 2 pizzas) 4-6 slices of cappicolla (thinly sliced Italian ham) ¼ cup fresh basil or more (if available) olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste Directions: Roll out dough to desired size. Drizzle olive oil on dough. Spread evenly. Drain and crush tomatoes with a fork and then spread evenly on pizza Mince garlic and spread on tomatoes or sauce Slice mozzarella and spread over dough Spread the parmesan on the pizza Cover pizza with th...

I never doubted it for a second! Our own Gail J. Churinetz, a long time member of the Pizza Therapy Ohana  won the The Ultimate Recipe Challenge on The Food Network . A huge congratulations goes out to Gail and her family. Gail has been a dedicated foodie and pizza fanatic for many years. As a matter of fact I still have a bunch of her recipes on a CD she made for me a number of years ago. As an aside, Gail is such a pizza purist, she has all of the water she uses for he pizzas, imported straight from New Haven ! And as I understand it, The Water for her award winning pizza, came right from the tap at Sally's Apizza on Wooster Street . The award winning pizza: a Crawfish and Andouille Sausage Pizza . Gail's recipe was up against some very stiff competition. In the end, her recipe won over the judges. While, I do not have permission to share her pizza recipe, you can get copy of the recipe at this link . Also, here is the link for Gail's Award Winni...

An Original: The B, S and T (Bacon, Spinach and Tomato Pizza!) I am always trying to come up with new tastes for my guests. This was a recipe that evolved out of having some friends bring different ingredients for pizza. The result was a real crowd pleaser and a wonderful marriage of different tastes. Ingredients: • Dough for 1 pizza • 1/4 to 1/2 lb. of bacon, cooked • 1 cup of fresh spinach, washed and drained • 1/2 to one whole tomato thinly sliced • 4-6 oz. of mozzarella cheese • 2-4 oz. of parmesan or provolone cheese • 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced • basil, oregano, salt and pepper to taste • olive oil Directions: 1. Wash and rinse spinach. Drain and set aside. 2. Cook bacon, and drain on paper towel. 3. Roll out dough to desired size. 4. Drizzle olive oil on dough. Spread evenly. 5. Spread remaining minced garlic on dough. 6. Evenly spread spinach on dough. Add desired spices. Reserve a pinch or two. 7. Sprinkle mozzarella and parmesan chees...

It's always great to be a winner. It's better when you recognize the winner before anyone else does. And that is the case, here. I 'm very proud to announce our own Gail Churinetz , a winner of the Pizza Therapy Recipe Contest , is now being featured on The Food Network . Gail has been a long time supporter of Pizza Therapy , and she is like a member of the family. Gail writes: Hello Albert.... Just wanted to keep you posted regarding my Pizza making.....I am the one that won your competition several years back...I am going to be on Food Network "Ultimate Recipe Showdown", airing March 14th , I made the finals and my recipe..... "Crawfish & Andouille Sausage Pizza"....thought you would love to watch this video. ( Albert's side bar: You can see Gail as she engages with host, Guy Fieri, at this link. ) I can't tell you who won the competition, but if possible, try not to miss the show.... Hope all is well with you and keep up the...

I love people who celebrate pizza. They are the one's who spread the truth about pizza. They are the true lovers of pizza. And Theresa and Drew are those kind of people. They love making pizzza. They love eating pizza. And they love showing others how to make pizza. How cool is that? That is the essence of pizza. Pizza brings people together. When you make pizza, you make magic happen. Eating pizza is an event that should be celebrated with others. Making pizza is a good time. Here is a video of Theresa and Drew's finished product. You can visit their blog to discover other how to videos, recipes, commentaries and mores. Here is the link: Italian Cooking with Theresa and Drew So go visit. Learn, discover and celebrate. Tell them that Pizza Therapy sent you. They might even offer you a slice.... pizza on earth, albert grande The Pizza Promoter The Pizza Forum What You Think Becomes Reality And if you want to make pizza you do need the right tools....

This recipe is an original from the Pizzameister: Coye Jones . Our friend Bean shares the following about this recipe: Bean writes: This was a hit and will be made again and again. The olive mix needed a couple more T. of olive oil and I used the entire mixed on the pizza (didn’t mix in the tomato, but put it on top instead). I also added hot pepper rings. Muffuletta Pizza by Coye Jones (Used with permission) Ingredients: 1/2 cup celery, finely chopped 1/3 cup pimento-stuffed green olives, chopped 1/4 cup black olives, chopped 1/4 cup pepperoncini, chopped 1/4 cup cocktail onions, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 1 Roma tomato, chopped 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 2 tsp. dry Italian salad dressing mix 2 oz. Prosciutto or thin-sliced deli ham 2 oz. Genoa or hard salami, thin sliced 4 oz. shredded provolone 2 oz. shredded mozzarella 1 13" uncooked dough crust Preparation: Mix first 9 ingredients for marinated olive salad and chill overnight. (Prepare...

I always get excited when I’m trying out a new product for the first time. I’ve usually done my homework. I know how the product works and what to expect. Over the years, I’ve reviewed dozens of pizza related products. I eagerly anticipated using the The Grilled Pizza Stone by Red Sky Grilling Products. According to the website: “By taking advantage of your grill’s high heat and ability to control natural wood smoke, in combination with the Grilled Pizza Stone’s unique shape and material, anyone is able to make great-tasting, wood-smoked, thin-crust pizzas at home.” I had done all of my prep work for the pizza. I had invited select friends and family to the pizza party. As a matter of fact (true story), I had a lawyer and a doctor doing all of my prep work, as well as helping with the clean up. They worked for less than minimum wage. They were “paid” with slices of pizza. I used a commercial gas grill and I pre-heated the stone to the highest possible temperature for almo...

Using A Pizza Stone If you are going to make great pizza you need the right tools. Most of the tools for making pizza will be found in any kitchen. There are a few tools that you will need if you want to make exceptional home made pizza. Mixing bowls, measuring spoons and a pizza pan or cookie sheet are essential. But if you want to take your pizza making to an expert level, you need a pizza stone. With a pizza stone you will be able to make gourmet pizza. A pizza stone , (also known as a baking stone), and a pizza peel are essential to make great pizza. The best pizza is made in a stone or brick oven. A pizza stone attempts to recreate a brick oven in your home. The notion behind this is that the pizza stone will absorb the heat in an oven. A pizza stone will cook your pizza quickly and evenly. One of the most important trick to using a pizza stone is to per-heat your stone for an hour or more. The biggest mistake made by home pizza chefs is not allowing the stone to heat u...

Here is a wonderful video about pizza in America, that needs to be shared. Amercia's Stories visited Frak Pepe's and had a long conversation with Gary Bimonte, grandson of Frank Pepe on Wooster Street in New Haven, Connecticut. Lou Abate of Abate's Pizza was also interviewed. Gary goes into detail about the history of Frank Pepe as he explains how Frank started selling pizza slice by slice. The story of Frank Pepe is America's story. Frank came off the boat with no money. He was able to get a job at a bakery. He sold pizza on the side. After saving his money his was able to open his own pizzeria. He was a good man, a generous man. And he was a pizza master who taught many others to make pizza. One of those was Lou Abate's father. The magic rubbed off and now Lou makes his own pizza down the street from Pepe's. He claims at times to make more pizza than Sally's and Pepe's combined. This is a wonderful film. My only issue with thi...

The following is from the Pizza Therapy Pizza Crawl in Honolulu: J.J. Dolan's will tell you right up front: "An Irish Pub, With New York pizza, from two guys in Chinatown". Now it doesn't get any plainer than that. And that explains J.J. Dolan's pizza. The pizza here is rock solid good. you will find a great version of a New york pie. The pizzas are thin crust with plenty of taste in their dough and toppings. The pizza was generously big. Large pizza allows the true tast of the pizza to explode in your mouth. They are not particularly fancy. That is not to say that some of the pizzas were not unusual. There was a great variety. This is blue collar pizza. Aand that was the charm of this pizzeria. You kind of felt you were back in your old neighborhood, rubbing elbows with your best friends as you indulge in your favorite past time: eating pizza. The Pizza Therapy Pizza crew was impressed. Several of their specialty pizzas were sampled. We gave J.J....

The following video interview is part of the archives for The Pizza Therapy East Coast Pizza Tour 2009 . Noted pizzaiolo Jon F. takes us into his kitchen to discuss, Grandmother's Pizza from Pawcatuck, Connecticut. This is a different type of pizza. A little thicker, with just a tomato sauce topping. The Pizza Promoter, on the East Coast Pizza Therapy Pizza Tour, stopped in on Jon F. Jon shared Grandmother's Pizza from Pawcatuck, Connecticut. Pizza was made by the Pizza Lady. She's been making pizza for over 50 years. This is a totally different kind of pizza. The pizza was good... pizza all over Pawcatuck, Albert Grande The Pizza Promoter Have a Custom Video created for your business... I learn something about pizza, everytime I read Ed Levine's book :

The following interview was first published in Pizza News . I was very apprehensive when I received my copy of pizza by Diane Morgan and Tony Gemignani . "Oh no" I thought "not another pizza book." I tore the book out of the package and immediately read the back cover. There on the back, was an endorsement from my friend Peter Reinhart , author of American Pie. ( http://www.pizzatherapy.com/ameripie.htm ) Well I thought, Peter Reinhart, does know pizza, this book can't be that bad. As I read through the book and recipes, it was quite evident, that Diane Morgan and Tony Gemignani know pizza, too. I love this book. It contains many great recipes and exclusive pizza techniques. I asked Diane if I could interview her for Pizza News . Luckily for me, she said yes. Albert : Hi Diane, thanks for agreeing to do an interview for Pizza News . First of all I want to congratulate you on your fantastic pizza book! Your book pizza was co-authored with Pizza Toss...

We had the family over for New Year's and made some great pizza... This was some of the most outstanding pizzas I ever created... We had Anchovy and Tomato, Baby Clam Pizza, Pork Adobo, Braised Beef, Alaskan King Crab Pizza, The Atilla, Four Cheese Pizza and more. Everyone had a great time. You can see some of the pizza in the following video: This is a wonderful pizza book:

Jon F. Noted pizzaiolo, installed a Sky Light to get a higher toss... I was pleased to interview noted pizzaiolo, Jon F. Here is what Shelley said: "This is GREAT. Thanks so much!". Jon gives his take on Pepe's Pizza , and Sally's Pizza . Jon gives his take on why the pizza on Wooster Street is so special. Jon also traveled to Italy and explains the difference between American Pizza and Italian Pizza. He is on a quest to find extraordianry pizza. He traveled to Portland to discover some of the greatest pizzas avialable in that city. He got a first hand look at Brian Spangler as he made pizza at Apizza Scholls . He noted that Brian has his hand on every pizza that is served. Jon also reveals another great up and coming legendary pizzeria, called Tastebuds. He finishes up this interview by giving some incredible advice for the home pizza maker. He explains the most important thing is not the toppings. Use all of the high quality toppings you have, ...

For the first stop of The Pizza Therapy Hawaiian Pizza Crawl, we stopped at V Lounge. We were there a little early and had a chance to meet Aker , master pizzaiolo and Blaine one of the owners. Aker stretching the dough. It's always great to speak with people who share your own passion for pizza. Aker and Blaine have the passion. We talked about Chris Bianco,   wood fired pizza ovens, New York pizza and also discussed Pepe's and Sally's Apizza (located on Woooster Street in New Haven , Connecticut.)   Aker explained that he was born in New Haven.   Hmm, I wonder if that had something to do with how the pizza turned out. Honestly, I was astounded at their extensive knowledge about pizza. These guys know their stuff. Aker , is a classically trained Chef who only recently started to make pizza. His last job was as a pastry chef at a famous Japanese Restaurant. As a matter of fact he never made pizza commercially until he started making pizza at V...

    Pizza Photo By Albert Grande, The Pizza Promoter     When the subject of pizza comes up, my ears perk up. As I tell everyone I meet, "Don't get me started about pizza...". If we're talking about pizza in Honolulu , now you really got my attention. Kawehi Haug , of The Honolulu Advertiser , organized an incredible event called The Pizza Crawl. A team was assembled to visit six Honolulu pizzerias in one night. These are pizzerias that are buzzworthy and at least have a reputation for making excellent pizza. The team was made up of hard core pizza lovers. Think about it: eating pizza from six different pizza restaurants in one night is no easy task. They were up to the challenge and they completed their mission. There were a few mis-steps along the way. Not by the team mind you, but by one of the restaurants. It just goes to show you buzz is not everything. Their results: 1) V Lounge (Kona Street) with the kiawe wood fired oven was a big hit. 2) J...

Tony Gemignani knows about pizza. He makes pizza and he teaches others how to create pizza. I call Tony, the Amabassador of Pizza . He travels the world giving pizza demos. Let's face it, pizza just oozes out of this guy. He recently opened a new pizzeria / pizza school in San Francisco.And he makes the best pizza in San Francisco . From all of the reports I've seen, it is surpassing all expectations. According to their website: A small pizzeria in Naples, Italy is the inspiration behind Tony Gemignani's story for Tony's Pizza Napoletana . A fullfillment in his ever growing passion for pizza drew him to self content when he first tried an authentic Neapolitan pizza. Since then he was determined to learn this art of pizza making and one day open a restaurant like no other. Growing up, Tony worked by his mother's side, learning valuable skills he would later implement in operating a successful restaurant. Tony learned the creativity involved in preparing ha...

I appreciate anyone who has a love of pizza. And two of the greatest lovers of pizza are Cary and Lillian of Passion for Pizza . These two pizza afficiandos have really made their mark in the pizza world by sharing their pizza ideas, pizza adventures, and pizza dreams. They recently made a trip to Phoenix to discover and devour the pizza made by  Chris Bianco . They were able to spend some quality time with Chris and grill him about all things pizza. I found their interview to be enlightening as well s entertaining. Chris Bianco is humble about his pizza. Here is what Chris revealed to Cary and Lillian: I always say that, for me, it's more of a human study than a restaurant. It's afforded me to watch and listen to a lot of things and meet a lot of really interesting people, to exchange ideas and be inspired and hopefully, in some cases by accident, inspire people to do their own thing, to do something that they enjoy, and take what they want from i...

Let's face it: you can't argue with incredible pizza. Without a doubt Difara's makes some of the best pizza on the planet. I came accross this video and just had to share it. (Thanks for the heads up,  Casey ) Here's what Maalock told me about Difara's: "Painstaking care and expertise by a master pizza maker. Fresh hand grated cheese, great sauce, thin crust for the regular slice and ....the Sicilian is also unbelievable!" The following video whispers the message loud and clear. Difara's Pizza is like no other.  Ian Jensen  created a video masterpiece DiFaras Pizza - Pizza on a rainy day from Ian Jensen on Vimeo . I can't imagine handling a pizza with your bare hands. Dom Demarco does this many times a day. Here's what Goaline said: "Pizza at Di Fara is so fresh and tasty. The dough is made with imported Italian flour, he uses not one but three cheeses (buffalo mozzarella, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Grana Padana, and fresh...

Betty writes: Mr. Grande, Sorry, I haven't made a pizza yet. I need to purchase a pizza peel. Can I substitute something else to use for the peel, until I purchase one? I'll definitely be trying one of your pizza recipes soon. I have never ate a pizza with stewed tomatoes as the sauce. Thank you, Betty My Response: Hi Betty, you certainly do not need a peel to make god pizza. I used a cookie sheet, and then a regular pizza pan, for years before I got a pizza peel. My pizza's all turned out great. If you do not have a peel, you could do what my friend Espo did. I do not recommend this, but he claims it worked. He used a piece of thick cardboard to slide the pizza on and off the stone. Please, don't do what Espo did! I say use a cookie sheet or pizza pan. It will work fine. Then when you want, get a peel. Though a peel is not essential to make good pizza. Please let me know how you make out. Betty you can find a great peel below: I own o...

From Slice. DiFara Pizza has gotten rave reviews over the years from  Pizza Therapy Here is what Adam said: "The sauce, the crust, the toppings: ... Dom Demarco " uses "the freshest and finest ingredients. He imports mozzarella di buffala from his hometown in Italy, makes a bright sauce daily from a mixture of fresh and canned San Marzano tomatoes, and balances ratios of crust, cheese, and sauce perfectly." You can read more , here. Chef Frank Miller recently went to DiFara's and offers the following account. At one point during the filming a pizza is taken out of the oven barehnaded. No oven mits. No pot holders. No nothing! Here's what Maalock had to say: "The only pizza parlor left in Brooklyn where one man does all the cooking, plus he is been doing it for over forty years!..." pizza on earth. albert grande Pizza Therapy Ed Levine published one of the most amazing books on pizza ever. You can read more about DiFara an...

This is one of many signature dishes served by Mama Grande during our traditional Christmas Eve dinner. (The Feast of the Seven Fishes).  The first course was always Aglio e Olio, followed by many other types of seafood. There were always several types of bacala (dried, salted, codfish), as well as clams, shrimp, calamari (squid) and eel. This was my favorite! Mama Grande's Stuffed Sole Ingredients 8 fillets of sole (flounder) 1 Cup of crab meat or baby shrimp or clams 6 Tablespoons of butter 1/4 Cup white wine 1 Cup of bread crumbs 1 Lightly beaten egg Juice of 1/2 lemon 1/4 Cup chopped onion 1/4 Cup green pepper 1/4 Cup chopped celery 2 Tablespoons of parsley Paprika Salt and Pepper Directions For stuffing: in skillet heat 2 tablespoons of butter, add onion, green pepper, and celery. Cook until vegetables are translucent. Add wine. Cook for 1 minute. Add crabmeat (or clams or shrimp). Add bread crumbs, egg, parsley, salt and pepper. Place 4 fillets i...

Every Christmas Eve, as we grew up, there was a huge meal of various seafood. This was a tradition was known in some households as the Feast of the Seven Fishes. Because we lived in New England, near the coast, fresh seafood was abundant. Wilipedia explains: "The "Feast of the Seven Fishes" is said to have come from Southern Italy, but today is a completely Italian-American celebration. A dinner on Christmas Eve is celebrated with meals of fish and seafood, but there may be seven, eight, or even nine specific fishes that are considered traditional.  The most famous dish Southern Italians are known for is Baccalà (salted cod fish). Reasons for celebrating with such a simple fish as Baccalà is attributed to the greatly impoverished regions of Southern Italy.  Fried Smelts, calamari, and other types of seafood have been incorporated into the Christmas Eve dinner over the years, and sensationalized with the American version of "The Seven Fishes."" Ou...

I am extremely please to tell you that Peter Reinhart's new book Artisan Breads Every Day is incredible for any bread baker or pizza maker. Peter starts by giving basic bread baking advice. Use top quality ingredients he explains. Employ unbleached rather than bleached flour. Use only as much yeast as needed to get the job done. Mix the dough as long as needed. Make sure you use higher hydration (water) levels for the the dough. These are just the basics, he states. Peter then goes into a further discussion of bread baking. He talks about the difference between a wet poolish or sponge for your pre-ferment. The secret is that an overnight cold ferment will get the job done. Reading this book was like having Peter looking over my shoulder as I went through the recipes. He speaks to you in such a way, bread making becomes simple. Each page shares valuable bread baking information. As you devour this book, you can understand why he is regarded as not only a great baker but a word clas...