NEW YORK (July 26, 2010) – Award winning Pizzaiolo Giulio Adriani will serve authentic Neapolitan pizza (18 in all), along with a limited, traditional Italian menu, with cocktails by Dusan Zaric of Employees Only.
Giulio learned the art of making traditional Neapolitan pizza from two of the greatest pizza masters in Italy, Gaetano Fazio and Antonio Starita. He is double certified as an authentic Neapolitan Pizza Maker by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana and the Associazione Pizzaiuoli Napoletani (organizations otherwise known as the “pizza police”, that certify pizzerias as being authentically Neapolitan). Raised in Naples, Adriani has opened three successful pizzerias in Italy. Seeing the recent appreciation that New Yorkers seem to have for Neapolitan pizza, Adriani decided to bring his unique style of pizza to the city. Adriani believes that the art of making a traditional pizza is in the dough. Different pizzaiolos have different “dough points” – when the kneading is finished and the pizza is ready to be made, Adriani reaches his dough point earlier than others, working it as little as possible to create the very lightest pizzas, making it more digestible.
Great dough must contain the right amount of flour, salt and yeast, and each of these ingredients have to be of top quality to procure the best taste and consistency. Adriani uses Caputo flour from Italy. Highlights on the pizza menu are the classic Neapolitan Margherita containing San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil ($12), the exact recipe that won Adriani the gold medal at 2010 The World Pizza Championship in Salsomaggiore, Italy. The Amalfitana features fresh mozzarella, arugula, lemon slices and parmesan ($16), the Campagnola with imported burrata, parma ham, arugula and parmesan ($21). Olio will use another top Italian import to finish its 18 pizzas – olive oil. OliO’s olive oil is full of flavor, and is made by Giulio’s own family in Rome. For those that cannot get enough of the rich, fruity and fresh pressed flavor, they will be able to purchase a bottle at the restaurant to take home. While pizza is the draw at OliO, the title “e Più” assures that there are simple, classic Italian dishes on the menu. Signature dishes include Gnocchi ai Frutti di mare (homemade gnocchi with shrimp, calamari, baby clams, asparagus) and Spigola all’ Acquapazza (branzino in a light tomato broth). The cocktail menu has been created by mixologist Dusan Zaric, of Employees Only. Highlights from the cocktail list are: Vesuvio (muddled red grapes, Bar Sol Pisco, Chardonnay, fresh squeezed lemon juice and simple syrup), Bellini (white peach purée, Crème de Peche and Prosecco) and Levate Tutti (Partida Reposado, aperol, fresh squeezed lemon juice, simple syrup, strawberry purée and a splashof Prosecco).
