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European Pizza & Pasta Show
European Pizza & Pasta Show: The Neapolitan style of Ciao triumphs in London 845 445 cmdo

European Pizza & Pasta Show: The Neapolitan style of Ciao triumphs in London

A new journey begins to bring the true tradition of the tomatoes from Campania region to the world. This time we will be in London, where on the 15th and 16th of November we will take part in the European Pizza & Pasta Show. Let’s discover together the beauty of this new appointment for the Made in Italy. To know the news of Ciao’s world, just come to visit us at Stand 56.

The Italian style is a must in London, as you can see by looking at the reviews of the Italian restaurants on Trip Advisor, the attention given by the major international brands to the small traditional Italian realities and the opening of so many pizzerias and places where to eat Italian in the capital city of the United Kingdom.

This is why it is important to emphasize that dishes of tradition such as the Neapolitan pizza can be called as such only if they conform to their territorial technical specifications, that is if they are prepared with traditional ingredients, such as the tomatoes from the Agro Nocerino Sarnese area.

So the real meaning of our trip to London is precisely to show the difference between the tomatoes from Mount Vesuvius and all the other tomatoes.

EPPS is the right place to do it.

But what is the European Pizza & Pasta Show?

The European Pizza & Pasta Show is a great event, but also the right place where to build networking relationships with all the players of the world of the Italian food par excellence: pizza and pasta.

Manufacturers and distributors, but also craftsmen, restaurateurs, and service and equipment providers. The whole world of Italian and European food service will converge for 2 days at Olympia London to share information about the key points of the Italian gastronomic style and industry news.

The event will also host the final stage of the European Pizza Championship… a contest in which that of the Neapolitan tomato par excellence is a certain presence!

And then debates and seminars dedicated to food law, the importance of the brand, licensing and franchising.

Do you want to be part of our team?

Follow us on our Facebook fan page to find out more or visit us to discover the latest news of Ciao’s world at Stand 56.

Campionato Nazionale Pizza Doc 2017
Ciao at the Pizza DOC National Championship 845 445 cmdo

Ciao at the Pizza DOC National Championship

Ciao tomatoes are again protagonists of an event dedicated to the excellence of the Neapolitan White Art. The fourth edition of the Pizza DOC National Championship will be held on the 23rd and 24th of October in the heart of the Agro Nocerino Sarnese area.  So many are the surprises held in store. Let’s find them out together.
After the Napoli Pizza Village and the start of the international tour of the Caputo Cup 2018 – which took place a few days ago in Atlantic City – Ciao is ready to cut another starting ribbon: that of the Fourth Pizza DOC National Championship.

The new challenge

The new challenge between pizza makers hunting for the excellence in the Neapolitan-style White Art will be held in Valentino Torio, just right in the heart of the Agro Nocerino Sarnese area.
More than 300 competitors are expected at the foot of Mount Vesuvius to take part in a contest that looks set to be really fierce.
The two-day event will have many exceptional guests chosen among the pizza world protagonists. Professionals from historic Neapolitan pizzerias such as Antonio Starita and Alessandro Condurro (of Pizzeria Da Michele), winners of the Caputo Trophy as Teresa Iorio, and many master pizza makers from Sergio Miccu’s APN will fully show their gastronomic performances.

And here are the novelties of this 4th edition.

First of all, the place of origin of the pizza makers. This year, the competitors of the contest will come to San Valentino Torio not only from Italy, but also from the United States and Poland.
Then the hidden jury. Given the parterre of expected professionals, to avoid any suspicion of favoritism the votes will be given by incognito jurors who will evaluate the recipes according to 3 key parameters: taste, presentation and cooking.
And finally, the number of contest categories, that this year will be 12:
Margherita DOC
Classic Pizza – the specialty pizza presented by each competitor through which we will evaluate the innovation in the dough and in the ingredients, a pizza made with the typical products available at a certain time of the year;
Pizza ‘in pala’
Gluten free 
Largest pizza 
Free style 
‘Romana’;
Fried pizza;
‘Youth’ (14-20 year old)
Category ‘Associations’;
Pizza by “TWO”.

Medals and supplies of typical products are ready to be won by the competing pizza makers.

This year, too, a special mention will be given through a Ciao Prize, which will evaluate the bond between the presentations and their territory.
Good luck to all the participants!

Michele D'Amelio
Tu vuò fa l’americano: the story of Michele D’Amelio, Ambassador for Ciao in the USA 845 445 cmdo

Tu vuò fa l’americano: the story of Michele D’Amelio, Ambassador for Ciao in the USA

Neapolitan pizza is the most imitated dish in the world, so it is up to us to defend its values of authenticity and its original recipe. Ciao, and many great players of the Made in Italy have been following this commitment very seriously since generations. Here we tell you the story of  Michele D’Amelio, ambassador of the goodness of our tomatoes in the USA.

“Tu vuò fa l’americano ma si nato in Italy”… you want to be like an American, but you were born in Italy… so Renato Carosone sang in one of his most celebrated hits, but it wasn’t like that for Michele.

He decided to be like an American to explain in the new continent what distinguishes the Neapolitan pizza from the stars and stripes pizza.

A life of travel, hands in the dough, fairs, seminars, master classes, and of his own pizzeria: Chest’è Pizza, in Lioni, Province of Avellino, taken over in 2010 to leave a piece of heart in Italy, though part of his family now lives in New York.
Michele’s days pass flying from one country to another around the United States.

Here is what he tells us between a takeoff and landing during #viaggidipizza.

How long have you been using Ciao tomatoes?
I knew Ciao tomatoes when I opened my pizzeria in the province of Avellino. And it was love at first taste. Then, after a couple of years, I decided to start my American adventure together with APN and there I could deepen the uniqueness of the products from South Italy.

Why so much passion for our tomato?

My job is to tell the Neapolitan cuisine to the American insiders. I show how to prepare a good Neapolitan pizza, a good ragu, or a good Italian pasta dish and choosing the right ingredients let me spare a lot of effort.

What distinguishes the Neapolitan pizza from the American one?
First of all the ingredients: flour, tomato, mozzarella, there is no comparison with those from Campania region. While our ingredients do not require additives to achieve the excellence of taste, I cannot say the same for so many products made in USA.

And the future? How do you see it?
I do not rule out the possibility of opening a pizzeria here, too. Opportunity never stops knocking in America, but I miss the simple things I cannot find here: a coffee at the bar, a walk to the square. The difference in the White Art is a mirror of the difference between lifestyles, and the Italian lifestyle is envied worldwide in this case, too!

Simone Fortunato lo sprint della pizza napoletana
The secrets of the fastest pizza maker of the world for a sprint pizza for the summer! 845 445 cmdo

The secrets of the fastest pizza maker of the world for a sprint pizza for the summer!

Speed is ​​important for a pizza maker? We asked this question to Simone Fortunato of Pizzeria Diaz – 3 times world champion for the fast pizza category of the Caputo Trophy – and he told us his secrets for a sprint pizza for the summer, or, as we say, for a pizza sciué sciué (in Neapolitan dialect, sciué sciué means “hurry, hurry”, relating to something done on the run, quick, but of good quality).

Knead and working in just a few seconds on multiple symmetrical pasta disks is really not for everyone, but that is what is required for one of the most fast-paced contest of the Caputo Trophy – the fast pizza category.

During the 2017 World Pizza Maker Championship which has just ended, Simone Fortunato needed only 39.16 seconds to make it, winning for the 3rd time the title of fastest pizza maker in the world.

Here are some secrets that came out from the chat with our multiple award-winning champion.

What does it mean for a pizza maker to be the fastest in the world?

Speed is a value in our job because it trains you directly on the field, working day by day in pizzeria and answering to customers’ requests. That’s why the Fast Pizza Trophy is an award that is slowly gaining more and more interest from the industry, and not just among the acrobatic pizza experts.

What is the difference between a fast pizza contest and the everyday work in pizzeria?

You use the same dough, and there is no need to modify its elasticity like you do for the free style contest, because here you win by working just like you do in your pizzeria, with the same adrenaline and the same desire to do well. What changes is the use of the stopwatch, which remains a transparency indicator: it gives a fact, not an opinion, to testify which is the best. What changes is also, surely, how you define the work; to be a pizza maker requires not only knowing how to work the dough, but also know how to dress a pizza to make it a quality product!

As a speed expert, what do you suggest for a pizza “sciué sciué”, a fast pizza, suitable for summer?

For a quick and practical product, easy to eat even in the hot of the summer, I suggest to use a few simple ingredients, better if seasonal as arugula, “straccetti di bufala” cheese and, of course, the tomato: a valuable ally, especially when chosen aiming to quality!

Pizzeria Pummarò
Ciao and the specialties of Pummarò at Napoli Pizza Village 2017 845 445 cmdo

Ciao and the specialties of Pummarò at Napoli Pizza Village 2017

Attilio Albachiara is a pizza enfant prodige, like so many young Neapolitans who are hungry for life and find alternating themselves between homework and dough lessons. Following the family tradition, Attilio started to work with his father in his pizzeria when he was only 12 years old.
His motto today is: “Quality is our strength; making pizzas is our vocation”, and with the same wisdom he tells us about the next Napoli Pizza Village.

– What specialties are you going to show on the Lungomare Caracciolo waterfront?
My special pizza is a red one and it is the ‘Parmigiana’, which is a Margherita pizza dressed with eggplant parmesan.
 
– Which tomato you will use for your pizza?
For the Parmigiana I use the tomato puree.

– Why did you choose this pizza to represent you at NPV?
The eggplants are one of the jewels of my menu. Pummarò’s customers go crazy for them in every possible way and they can eat up to 15-20 kg of eggplants per week.
 
– What do you expect from the Caputo Napoli Pizza Village 2017?
This is the third time that I take part to the event and I hope that the friends who come to visit us will notice the quality and passion of our workmanship, because there is nothing that makes me happier than seeing the satisfaction of those sitting at my table.

Pizzeria Da Gennaro
Ciao and the specialties of Pizzeria Da Gennaro at Napoli Pizza Village 2017. 845 445 cmdo

Ciao and the specialties of Pizzeria Da Gennaro at Napoli Pizza Village 2017.

A grandfather who fried pizzas on the street and then decided to move to Bagnoli, already a tourist destination in the far 1956: This is how begins the story of Pizzeria Da Gennaro, a story about pizza since four generations.
For Fabio Cristiano – the founder’s grandson – pizza is home as it is the White Art village on the waterfront.
Here’s what he told us about his Napoli Pizza Village.

– What specialties are you going to show on the Lungomare Caracciolo waterfront?
For this edition of the Napoli Pizza Village, I chose to sum up the philosophy of Pizzeria da Gennaro with a specialty with pesto and cherry tomatoes. The matching with basil pesto exalts the whole summer flavor.

– Which tomato will you use for your pizza with pesto?
The cherry tomatoes from Mount Vesuvius.

– Why did you choose this pizza to represent Pizzeria Da Gennaro at NPV?
Basil and cherry tomatoes are two fresh and seasonal products suitable for these first hot days. The culinary philosophy of our pizzeria favors a great deal of attention to the ingredients – just consider that all the semifinished products used in our pizzeria is prepared in our kitchens: even our basil pesto!

– What do you expect from the Caputo Napoli Pizza Village 2017?
The Naples Pizza Village is above all a great party. I expect so much positive energy – an energy we all need, even our Naples!

Pizzeria 'O Sarracino
Ciao and the specialties of Pizzeria ‘O Saracino at Napoli Pizza Village 2017 845 445 cmdo

Ciao and the specialties of Pizzeria ‘O Saracino at Napoli Pizza Village 2017

Maybe not everyone knows that just over 10 years ago the Neapolitan pizza tradition was almost unknown in the Agro Nocerino Sarnese area, in the Province of Salerno. The only news that you could heard about came directly from Naples. This situation ended with the birth of Pizzeria ‘O Sarracino, which brought to Nocera Inferiore the first example of pizza patterned after the lessons of the Neapolitan school. The credit of “spreading the good word” goes all to the Tramontano brothers, owners of the pizzeria, and that will be at the Napoli Pizza Village 2017.

Pizzeria ‘O Sarracino is very young, but encompasses centuries of tradition. What is its secret?

‘O Sarracino was born in 2007, from an idea of ​​me, Angelo Tramontano, and of my brother Giuseppe. At that time, the true Neapolitan pizza was not known in the Agro Nocerino Sarnese area as it is today. ‘O Sarracino had the instinct of studying it and bringing it to Nocera, bearing in mind what I think is the perfect model, that of Michele ai Tribunali.

What parameters did you follow?

We specialized ourselves in the classic pizzas. Bearing in mind Michele’s model, we tried to reproduce the Magherita and the Marinara pizzas – the two great classics which are the pizzas par excellence – according to the rules prescribed by the TGS specifications. Until then, pizzas in Nocera were made with a long cooking – longer than a minute and a half – and had a diameter of 35 cm, while our Margherita and Marinara pizzas follow the lesson of the great masters, with a leavening of at least 8 hours, and a 60-second baking in oven. Following this method we brought the true Neapolitan pizza to our area.

You teach us that making pizzas is a pure science, but what is the secret to make this science an artwork? How will you dress your doughs?

You are absolutely right! The pizza maker can never let his guard down and must keep himself constantly up to date. For my pizzas I always choose a classic: the peeled tomatoes from Ciao Pomodori. For ten years I’ve been using this brand, a choice that I confirm for the Pizza Village, too.

And about the Pizza Village, what vibrations do you have for this edition?

This is the fifth time that I take part to the Pizza Village. I remember when we were only 20 pizzerias at the Mostra d’Oltremare exhibition center. Now this number has more than doubled and we are about 50, creating a rich contest that offers a great opportunity to compete. And numbers over the years are an indication of how these events have become of exponential importance. Each edition has been difficult for us, because we “foreigners” had to prove to be up to the level of the great Neapolitan masters. And each year, it has always been an unexpected success, and I really hope to succeed again this year, too.

Which great novelties ‘O Sarracino’ has set aside for NPV?

This year we propose a new pizza: we looked for to capture the summer flavor. I called it ‘Sorrento in your mouth’. Its characteristic is that it is seasoned with tomatoes of Sorrento that I personally make in pulp, to which we add buffalo ricotta and the very special mozzarella cheese ‘zizzona di Battipaglia’.

Michele Leo
The recipe for pizza from a World Champion by Michele Leo 845 445 cmdo

The recipe for pizza from a World Champion by Michele Leo

The Caputo Trophy has a brand-new Pizza Champion: Michele Leo from Pizzeria Il Brigante in Venosa. 1st classified for the TSG pizza category – thanks also to Ciao’s tomatoes – he is the best pizza maker to which ask the secrets of a podium pizza.

52 years old, with an entire life spent for its trade, working his way up the ladder as a pizza maker after emigrating in Germany, and so much passion for pushing out ever further. This is Michele Leo. Pizza maker with 33 years of experience in searching for excellence. Attempt after attempt, his search has led him to the White Art’s highest peak.

But what are the tricks to make the best pizza in the world? Here’s Michele Leo’s recipe.

“The first ingredient to put into the dough is the heart, the passion that drives you to seek the utmost both from yourself and from the raw materials you choose” – we are told by the ‘Brigante’ (Brigand) of Venosa.

Leo knows that very well, as he has opened his pizzeria only 9 years ago, after going far and wide through Italy, hunting for work experiences to put himself to test.

“The second step in this ideal recipe is the search for quality, especially in the choice of ingredients, but also in the whole production process” – continues the new Caputo Trophy’s champion – “I always look for excellence products”.

Besides, our Michele is a practical man, of the old school, who demanded from his son, Rocco, to learn the pizza maker’s trade, but at the same time to continue also to study, so to evolve personally and find his way.

“The third and final step is commitment. No award has to be enough to extinguish the urge to push beyond the achieved results.”

As a proof of his stubbornness, to those who asks him how his life will no change, Michele Leo only answers with a laconic: “We will see”.

Pizzeria Da Gigino Università della Pizza
Ciao and the specialties of Gigino Pizza a Metro at NPV 2017 845 445 cmdo

Ciao and the specialties of Gigino Pizza a Metro at NPV 2017

Da Gigino Università della Pizzza is a sheer reference point for Campania region in terms of pizza in its more material sense, the one in which the dough disc does not change only depending on the dressing, but also according to the “length of the hunger”. Indeed, the pizza by the meter is not round, and you choose its length. This preparation method was even patented in the 1960s. Giovanni De Simone defends the colors of what is now a true University of Pizza, both for the skill of its pizza makers and for the courses dedicated to the White Art that are regularly held in this pizzeria of Vico Equense.
We could not miss the chance to have a chat about the Napoli Pizza Village  2017 with such an ancient pizza institution.

– What specialties are you going to show on the Lungomare Caracciolo waterfront?
At the Napoli Pizza Village I will introduce a pizza by the meter with provola cheese and lemon rind, together with the great classic of “Gigino Pizza a metro”: the Margherita pizza by the meter.

– Which tomato will you use for your pizza?
The rules for dressing a pizza by the meter are the same for the classic pizzas and the ingredients are the same prescribed by the TGS pizza specification for the Margherita pizza. For the Margherita by the meter, then, we use the classic peeled tomatoes of Mount Vesuvius.
 
– Why did you choose this pizza to represent you at NPV?
Because it is our strong suit. It is for this pizza that our customers have given us the honorary title of University of Pizza: you have to taste to understand the differences.

– What do you expect from the Caputo Napoli Pizza Village 2017?
The Napoli Pizza Village 2017 is a special edition: an affirmed format, but with a renewed timeline. 10 days to taste our pizza by the meter both at lunch and dinner seems to us to be a wonderful showcase to make known even more all over the world the goodness of this specialty.

Pizzeria Lucignolo
Ciao and the specialties of Lucignolo at Napoli Pizza Village 2017 845 445 cmdo

Ciao and the specialties of Lucignolo at Napoli Pizza Village 2017

Pino Celio of Pizzeria Lucignolo comes from a family of pizza makers. In Celio’s home, you breathe the scent of fried pizza emerging from hot oil from the time of his grandmother, which herself was a pizza maker for passion, too.
This young artisan has already gone a long way and he can already boast a remarkable award at the Caputo Trophy, having won the first place for the ‘Pizza in Pala’ category during the 2016 edition of the Napoli Pizza Village.
And just like Lucignolo, Pinocchio’s friend who enjoys life in Toyland, Pino Celio summarizes his successes made of tradition and innovation with a motto that says it all: “Amaze, and always amaze”.
After the black pizza that made a splash during the NPV 2015 and the oven-fried pizza with Neapolitan meatballs of the 2016 edition, here is how Lucignolo tells us about his NPV 2017.
– What specialties are you going to show on the Lungomare Caracciolo waterfront?
My red proposal is a pizza marinara with Cetara anchovies and anchovy sauce.
 
– Which tomato you will use for your pizza marinara?
The classic peeled tomato with tomatoes from Mount Vesuvius, as prescribed by the TSG (Traditional Specialty Guaranteed) pizza specifications.

– Why did you choose this pizza to represent you at NPV?
The pizza marinara with Cetara anchovies brings together Naples and the Amalfi Coast, the places I have chosen for my two pizzerias, as I have a second pizzeria in the province of Salerno. Additionally, combining a classic recipe with anchovy sauce is part of the mix of tradition and innovation that has always been my work philosophy.
 
– What do you expect from the Caputo Napoli Pizza Village 2017?
This is the most important pizza festival in the world, and I hope that it will help us to make known the research and the passion behind our work as pizza makers. I hope also to win more awards, as I will compete for the Caputo Trophy.