Southerners love their black-eyed peas and turnip greens. They’re pretty fond of pizza, too. But a pizza topped with black-eyed peas and turnip greens—well, that dog, as folks down South like to say, won’t hunt. Or so you might assume, until you try the Soul Pie at Slice Pizza & … More
Chef Santo Bruno
Deep-Fried Cauliflower
Hello, my readers! I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! I started thinking about this recipe for deep-fried cauliflower in December because it happens to be a very popular dish around the holidays for Italians and for some pizza shops. The holidays have passed now, but it’s delicious any time … More
Dough Information Center
The Perils of Mexican Flour
QUESTION: I recently experimented with some flour that was imported from Mexico, but I soon realized something was dreadfully wrong. When we brought the dough out of the cooler after only 18 hours, it was very wet and almost soupy. Assuming we’d made a scaling error, we tried again, but … More
Food & Ingredients
Pizza of the Month: Sausage
Ingredients: 14” rustic pizza crust 3 oz. pizza sauce 3 oz. mild salsa 1.5 oz. bacon bits 4 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded 0.5 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded 6 oz. chorizo sausage chunks 1 oz. banana peppers, sliced 1 oz. black olives, sliced 2 tbsp. tomatoes, diced 1 tsp. green onions … More
Food & Ingredients
Extending Mozzarella's Shelf Life
QUESTION: Can you offer any suggestions for prolonging the shelf life of fresh mozzarella cheese? ANSWER: In an earlier column, we explored several different options for storing fresh mozzarella, but there are some tricks for making it last longer, too. For starters, you should not reach into the liquid packing … More
Chef Santo Bruno
Zucchini Romano
Everybody loves zucchini. A type of summer squash, it’s a special brand of produce that’s sold all over the world. It can be grilled, stuffed, steamed, boiled, baked, fried or even served raw, or you can simply cook it lightly with some butter or olive oil and herbs. It’s low … More
Food & Ingredients
Create a custom blend of cheeses that will make your pizzas unique and unforgettable
There are nearly 70,000 pizzerias in the United States, so it can be an ongoing task to set yours apart from the one down the street. Amidst the flurry of social media, email marketing, signage and promotions, did you ever consider what your cheese can do to help your business … More
Chef Santo Bruno
Spasso Pizzeria: A Family Tradition
When Joe Bono’s grandfather, Giovanni, came to the United States from Sicily in 1955, he brought nothing with him but a pocketful of old-world recipes and a dream of success in America. He used the former—plus a lot of hard work—to achieve the latter, and a family tradition that persists … More
Food & Ingredients
Move over, pizza, and make room for moneymaking Italian entrees
Expand your menu by offering popular Italian dishes using the same ingredients you’ve already got in stock.
Food & Ingredients
Top chefs and operators share 5 tips for a more flavorful crust
Perhaps it’s impossible to explain the hows and whys behind individual tastes in food—and that definitely holds true for pizza. Some people swear by hefty deep-dish or doughy pan styles, while others crave cracker-thin, Neapolitan, New York-style, or something off the beaten pizza path. But whatever results you desire, there … More
Chef Santo Bruno
Italian Pizza, Egyptian-Style
There are few things more Italian than watching as a fresh-baked pizza emerges from a wood-fired oven, but Italy is now facing a shortage of pizza makers. Despite a long recession and high unemployment, Italians avoid the job because of the long hours and modest pay. And yet, with a … More
Food & Ingredients
Offering a signature sausage can set your pizzeria apart and make sales soar
Whether you create it in-house or buy it from a supplier, the right sausage can make your pizzeria a true destination.