The founders of the legendary Paulie Gee’s have shared more than 100 recipes in a new cookbook titled Pizza From the Heart, now available online and at bookstores.
Paul “Paulie Gee” and Mary Ann Giannone will sign copies of their first cookbook at Paulie Gee’s Soul City Slice Shop in Philadelphia at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, April 16, and pizza slices will be available.
Click here to order the book online.
Pizza From the Heart is described as “an essential pizza book…that reveals the secrets behind their most celebrated pies, alongside heartwarming stories from their decades-long culinary adventure.”
It’s also a love story between the Giannones and the world’s greatest food.
In 2010, at the age of 56, Paulie left a career in corporate IT to turn his backyard culinary pursuit into his retirement plan. That became Paulie Gee’s, a thriving pizza business with restaurants and slice shops in cities all over the U.S., including Brooklyn, Philly, Chicago, Baltimore and Columbus, Ohio.
In their highly anticipated cookbook, Paulie and Mary Ann share secrets for making their inventive, addictive pies at home as well as the lessons they’ve learned during their 45-year marriage and 15-year restaurant partnership. (In both food and love, they say, watch the salt.)
Pizza From the Heart features more than 100 recipes for pizzas like the Hellboy (a soppressata pie topped with hot honey); the Mo Cheeks (a tomato and pecorino pie with guanciale); and the In Ricotta da Vegan (a ricotta pie made with vegan sausage and cheese).
Readers will also be privy to family recipes from the Giannones’ home kitchen, such as their vegetarian French onion soup and Paulie’s signature Penne a la Jack Daniels, plus drinks (including the restaurant’s famous limoncello) and desserts. Also included are recipes featuring collaborations with other beloved New York institutions, such as the Brisket-Five-O pizza, created with a local BBQ spot.
The pizza recipes include instructions for cooking in a conventional home oven as well as a wood-fired pizza oven.
More than just a pizza cookbook, this collection also weaves together the Giannones’ 45-year love story with hard-won restaurant wisdom, featuring both beloved menu items from Paulie Gee’s and cherished family recipes that showcase the couple’s culinary journey from backyard experimenters to celebrated restaurateurs.
Paulie Gee and Mary Ann Giannone opened their first Paulie Gee’s in Brooklyn in 2010. They have since helped others do the same across the country, all under the Paulie Gee’s name. They are members of the Culinary Council of the Food Bank for New York City.
