Pizza Blog from pizzatherapy.com

Tony G. knows pizza. He knows how to make pizza. Incredible pizza. And as the Team Captain of the World Pizza Champions , he is a Nine-time World Champion. . He is not only a legendary pizzaiolo, he also a genuine, all around, good person. Tony is the entire pizza package. Most recently he and his pizza team members have been featured in a brand new book. Tony and the Pizza Champions: This is a wonderful book to get pizza fans of all ages excited about eating pizza and making pizza. Here is the review from Chronicle Books : "Tony and the Pizza Champions -- From the eight-time world pizza-tossing champion, this dynamic picture book invites readers to join in the dough-flying fun as Tony and his team of talented pizza-tossers travel to Italy to compete in an international competition." Not only are pizza tossing tips included, but you get Tony's incredible pizza recipe. You can learn Tony's step by step pizza tossing technique here: Thanks s...

The Big Green Pizza Truck Imagine not having to go out for pizza. I don't mean just having pizza delivered, I mean having entire pizzeria come to your door. I kept hearing stories, about the big green pizza truck, a mobile pizzeria, with a full on, wood fired pizza oven, in the back. I knew I had to track down the truck. I finally found Douglas Coffin , the owner and operator. He not only agreed to do the interview but he was very forthcoming about the Pizza Business and his pizza truck. The interview follows: Albert : Hi Douglas. How did you get started with the pizza truck: What came first the pizza or the truck? What is your pizza background and how did you get interested in pizza? Because I feel, to make you pizza, you need to have a passion for it. Douglas : I am sorry to disappoint the pizza fanatics - I am not a pizza nut. I am a caterer and the truck grew out of my catering background, not a passion for pizza. For many years I have felt that the best food is that which is ...

The entire pizza community is saddened. A legendary New York, pizzeria, caught fire, and sustained major damage. Totonno's , located on Coney Island is one of the few pizza establishments that makes it's pizza in a coal fired oven. Unfortunately, the fire may have started in the oven. Ed Levine , noted pizza expert, was right on this story. Read Ed's post. According to the New York Daily News: the "blaze at Totonno's - which some foodies say serves the best pies in the city - broke out at 9:30 a.m. and spread to the roof, causing extensive damage, officials and witnesses said. No one was injured, but fans bemoaned the temporary loss of a culinary institution." Read the enitre story on this page: http://tiny.cc/Xoz4t Totonno's has been in continuous operation since 1924, making it one of the oldest pizzerias in the country. The pizza at Totonno's is incredible. Legend of pizza, Evelyn Sloman , learned to make pizza there. She credits T...

Lance's Pizza Over the years, I have given away thousands of copies of The Pizza Therapy Pizza Dough Recipe. No exaggeration. Thousands. You can get your own copy for free right here. I don't pretend that it is the best, but it is a good solid recipe to get you started making pizza. I'm honored to give it away. I'm more honored when people use it to make pizza. Here's why...My mission is to celebrate pizza. And, I celebrate everyone who celebrates pizza. For every pizza dough recipe I give I away, I send an email asking how the dough turned out. I have gotten lots of positive responses. Each one of those emails I get from pizza fans, makes me smile. I recently received the following from Lance in Connecticut: "Hi Albert or is it Aloha?, I'm in Connecticut - currently it's... now don't be jealous, 9° F. The crust was great. Simple and I love the organic honey instead of sugar. I made it in the bread machine and then let it rise for fifteen minutes....

Discover the greatest Pizza Movies of All Time right here. I nominate Pizza, the movie by Micheal Dorian as a true standout. This movie covers all types of pizza, including New Haven, New York, Chicago and California Pizza. Dorian leaves no pizza box unopened as he tries to reveal the truth about america's favoirte food. Another nomination is the quirky, Driver's Wanted. This is a very funny look at the life and times of Pizza Delivery Drivers. A great film. I also give an honorable mention to Mystic Pizza. Enjoy... You can check out Mystic Pizza, here: Pizza and Popcorn on earth, Albert Grande Director-in-Training

Can you really make egg plant parmigiana in 30 seconds? No, you can't. But check out this 30 second video: Eggplant Parmigiana Recipe A wonderful dish that tastes better the second time around! Ingredients 1 medium egg plant 1/2 cup bread crumb 1-2 beaten eggs 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese 1/3 cup Mozzarella cheese (shredded) Olive oil Basic Red Sauce (Link will take you to recipe and video) Directions Peel egg plant. Slice the eggplant. Dip egg plant in egg mixture and then in bread crumbs covering both sides. Heat olive oil in pan, and fry egg plant until lightly browned. (Before cooking the eggplant, my mom and grandmother would put a clove or two of garlic in the oil, let it turn brown and then discard. "This is to flavor the olive oil," they would say.) Drain on paper towel. (After frying a few pieces of eggplant, you can continue to the next step.) Ladle a small amount of sauce into a baking dish or baking pan. Place a single layer of egg plant, cheese and sauce. Repeat ...

Cappicolla and Buffalo Mozzarella Pizza (Cappicolla and Mozzarella di Buffala) This pizza was the result of having the right kind of ingredients. It truly just made itself. Simple, yet oh so tasty! The texture of this pizza is superb 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 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 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. Mince garlic and spread on dough. Slice mozzarella and spread over dough Spread the parmesan on the pizza Cover pizza with the cappicolla Bake at 500+ F degrees for 8 to 10 minutes (preferably on a preheated Pizza Stone . Stone should be preheated for 1 hou...

Without a doubt there are some incredible pizza makers who are totally dedicated to their craft. One of the most dedicated is Anthony Mangieri. Anthony Magieri is an amazing and legendary pizzaiolo. No question about that fact. He makes pizza because he has a love of making pizza. He has passion. He is a pizzaiolo's pizzaiolo. Chris Bianco , one of the most celebrated pizzaiolos in the country had this to say about Anthony : "I think Anthony does a great job...he is someone who is incredibly dedicated...I respect him immensely...he is doing something really important as far as a pizzaiolo... He really understands technique and old methods...." Chris Bianco in an interview for Albert Grande's Legends of Pizza Series ® Here's what Jeff Ruby and Penny Pollack Authors of Everybody Loves Pizza said: "Anthony W. Mangieri makes... pizzas:—and when the dough runs out, he’s done for the night. This guy is serious, he’s focused, and he makes the best pizza in the ...

Discover the gentle taste of clams married with pasta... Without a doubt, fresh clams are the best! Use every bit of clam juice for a fantastic taste! My dad's biggest adventure was going after mushrooms! But the mushroom season is short. You can go clamming almost anytime... Espo, my brothers and I love to go clamming! There is nothing in the world that compares to the taste of a fresh, raw "cherry stones" plucked out of the ocean! The smaller "cherry stones" are eaten raw, right out of the shell. (Add some lemon and cocktail sauce, and you are in heaven!) The bigger clams (quahogs) are used for making clam fritters, baked stuffed clams or my favorite: Clams and Liguini Ingredients 1 lb. of cooked linguini (or your favorite pasta) 2-3 Tablespoons of olive oil 2-3 cloves of garlic minced (or more) 10-12 fresh shucked, clams (quahogs), or 1-2 cans of canned minced clams and "juice" (the liquid from the can). 1/2 Cup of white wine 1 Tablespoon fresh bas...

The San Valentino Pizza has a gold leaf border. World famous pizzaiolo, Chef Domenico Crolla has broken his own world record of creating the world's most expensive pizza. His latest creation The San Valentino pizza , which contained gold leaf, edible pearls, Russian Beluga Caviar and other priceless ingredients, recently sold on ebay UK for 2,505 British Pounds. (Approximately $3,633.) Chef Domenico Crolla displays his San Valentino's Pizza Chef Crolla in an exclusive email with The Pizza Blog explains: "After my record in ’06 with PizzaRoyale007 selling on Ebay for a record £2,150.00 Love proved stronger than the credit crunch with my San Valentino pizza selling for a new record of £2,505.00. It was sold on Ebay.co.uk with proceeds going to OXFAM ." Our warmest congratulations to Chef Crolla for another incredible pizza. A close up of the San Valentino Pizza Thank you so much for sharing, Chef Domenico. Here is the location of the Chef's restaurnant: Bella Nap...

Portobello Mushrooms are in my opinion one of the most versatile of all mushrooms. They are actually mature cremini mushrooms. They are allowed to grow large before they are harvested. These mushrooms can be used in sandwiches, soups, on pizza, on burgers and of course in pasta dishes. You can view a video of how to prepare and cook the king of mushrooms, here. Albert Grande's Portobello Video When you purchase these mushrooms look for a firm, fresh looking texture. Avoid those that contain soft spots, as this will affect the taste. To clean, avoid immersing in water. Rather rub gently using a cloth or paper towel. To prepare, slice thinly and sauté in olive oil. These mushrooms, because of their meaty texture, will hold their shape with consistency. Add to any pasta dish for a unique flavor. They are a great compliment for any dish. One of the best ways to serve Portobello mushrooms is to cook them on a grill. To prepare marinate in Italian Salad dressing for one to two hours. Yo...

In the follwoing video, I discuss the ingredients you need to make pizza dough. These are simple ingredients found in any supermarket. You'll need flour, salt, water and yeast. I also use the optional ingredients of sugar and olive oil. The last two ingredients are totally optional. As a matter of fact, recently, I started to eliminate the sugar from my dough recipe. Here's everything you need to know to make pizza: You can watch me make dough with easy step by step instructions. Learn how to make Pizza dough, here . If you sign up for my newsletter Pizza News, I'll give youy a copy of my World Famous Dough Recipe. Go to this link . Check out one of the greatest pizza magazines ever created: I want to wish you the absolute best in all of your pizza adventures. pizza on the planet, Albert Grande Pizzailo-in-training Make Pizza, Be Happy...

Peter Reinhart, James Beard Award winner. The following is a review of Peter Reinhart's book: American Pie: My Search for the Perfect Pizza . "Peter Reinhart starts his incredible pizza adventures in Italy and journeys across America in search of pizza perfection. To borrow a phrase from Bill Graham: “This book is not the best at what it does; it is the only book that does what it does!” Not only do we go on a quest to discover incredible pizzas, but we learn how to make them.! The first section of American Pie is the quest for pizza perfection. The subtitle should be “my search for the perfect “pizzaiolo” (pizza master), as Peter meets with a host of pizzaiolos who share ideas and philosophy about pizza. According to this book, there is more to pizza, than just throwing together flour, yeast oil, tomato sauce, cheese along with other toppings! The fact of the matter is that you must bake part of your heart into each pizza, to reach brilliance! (Albert's sidebar: "I ...

My friend, Chef Domenico Crolla has done it again. Chef Crolla has already created the World's Most Expensive Pizza . (Read the story in Pizza News March 2008 , See #4) But Chef Domenico is not one to dwell on past accomplishments. (He was recently recognized as having the best pizza in the U.K.!) He is always moving forward into new areas. The Scottish Master Pizzaiolo is making pizza history by creating a St. Valentine's Pizza (San Valentino) Not any St. Valentine's pizza. This pizza is encrusted with gold leaf, edible pearls, Russian Beluga Caviar and much more. The truly amazing thing about this pizza is that he is doing it for charity. All proceeds from this pizza will go to support Oxfam G.B. . The San Valentino Pizza (St. Valentine's) pizza is being autioned on ebay U.K . Chef Domenico explains: "The pizza will be created and served at Domenico’s multi award-winning Glasgow-based restaurant, Bella Napoli , on 14th February. However, being a true romantic...

This recipe comes from Bean ,a very active member of our Pizza and Pasta Forum . (Of course, she gave me permission to share it.) And I will say this: it tastes as good as it looks. Here is the recipe: This was excellent! I used eggplants from my garden, made a red wine pizza sauce and a old pizza dough recipe. Topped it with red jalapenos and purple basil from my AreoGarden. This is very filling, I could only eat one piece. This is going to be a new favorite here. Eggplant Parmesan Pizza 2 thin eggplants, peeled and sliced thin 2 egg whites, lightly beaten with 2 T. olive oil 1 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs 1 recipe for homemade dough (your choice) 1 cup pasta sauce 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated *Olive oil & garlic powder mixed for brushing the pizza dough before baking (if desired). Preheat oven to 375º. Line a large baking sheet with foil and spray with Pam. Dip eggplant slices into egg white/olive oil mixture, then breadcrumbs. Place on prep...

The Fender Stratocaster Pizza Peel I recently got an email from Ron, who told me about an unusual peel he made... Ron wrote : I too am somewhat of a pizza fanatic. I use an 18" Weber kettle grill with a 16" Old Stone Oven stone and fire it with a 185,000 BTU Cajuncooker. I also made a pizza peel fashioned to look like a Fender Stratocaster guitar. { Albert's Side Bar : Musicians who have played a Fender Stratocaster include: Buddy Holly, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, Muddy Waters, Mark Knopfler, Dick Dale, Prince...} Now I have seen some unusual pizza devices, but a peel in the shape of a Fender Stratocaster guitar was a new one on me. (To see what an actual Stratocaster looks like, peek here .) I immediately had to see it! This pizza peel makes you want to Rock and Roll! As soon as I saw The Stratocaster Pizza Peel, I knew I had some questions for Ron. Albert : Are you a wood worker? Ron : I used to work construction and woodworking has always been one my fiel...

Anthony Bourdain is my hero. He travels around the world, eating the best food each country has to offer. He then comments on all he has eaten. What kind of job is that? Well it's a job that is really not a job. Until I get one of those gigs, I guess I'll keep my day job. and I'll continue to watch, Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations . Here he is in Venice, Italy. Check out the specatcular seafood! I love each and everyone of his shows. He is a character who is simply amazing...and believe me: Bourdain is quite a character. pizza on earth, albert grande Wannabe-food-critic

Fank Pepe in front of the famous Coal fired Oven Pepe's Pizza in New Haven has incredible pizza. Located on Wooster Street Pepe's is right down the street from Sally's Aipzza . Visit with Michael Stern of Roadfood as he goes to his favorite pizzeria: Pepe's Pizzeria Napolentana: New Haven residents are fanatics about their pizza. Don't even get in an argument about which pizza is better: Pepe's or Sally's. Here are some of the comments I have recieved about Pepe's: Chris explains:" Pepe's uses the freshest sauce and toppings to accent a perfect crispy dough. The restaurant itself is a great place to enjoy amazing pizza with friends or family. The best in the world." Jack Shalack remembers: "The crust is out of this world, I love the crispiness of it, and yet its not greasy like most other places. From the plain cheese to the clam sauce, its all amazing! I've been out on the west coast for13 yrs, just suffering, and I am going ba...

Tony G. knows pizza. He is an incredible pizza resource. I have been fortunate to speak with Tony on a number of occasions. He is a nine time World Pizza Champion . Tony won the Triple Crown of Pizza . In Italy no less! Tony is not one to sit back. He is always pushing the envelope of pizza. If you love pizza, you will love Tony Gemignani . Tony Gemignani presents his award winning pizza to the judges in Italy He was gracious enough to speak with me for my Legends of Pizza series. You can listen to another interview I did with Tony right now... Listen as he explains: How he had to make his dough in his hotel room during the Italian pizza competition. One of the judges was the Pope's personal pizza maker How he made it into the Guinness Book of World Records His latest project: the first ever Certified Pizza School in the U.S. His take on the New Haven Pizza (Wooster Street): Yes, he went to Modern, Pepe's and Sally's. Respectfully submitted, Albert Grande pizzaman-in-train...

A Portobello and Buffalo Mozzarella Pizza from Pizza Therapy Pizza is a universal food. Originally confined to Italian neighborhoods, pizza has now become mainstream. Travel anywhere in the world and you will be able to find some type of pizza. As noted bread baker Peter Reinhart explained to me: “Pizza is the perfect flavor delivery system.” Pizza is the ultimate comfort food. With a little practice, you can easily make your own delicious home made pizza. Here are four reasons why you should make your own pizza. 1) Making pizza is easy. With the basic tools found in any kitchen, you will be able to make pizza dough. All pizza dough follows the same basic pattern. Mix flour with yeast, water and salt. Some pizza dough recipes call for oil, however this may be omitted. (I use olive oil in my recipe, but this is a matter of preference.) There are many wonderful pizza dough recipes available to you. You need to find one that you like and will satisfy your own taste. 2) Making pizza is...