OK, Here we go..... I think it only fair to start with this photo as this trip to Tokyo, and the inspiration of these two guys with me in the photo, really kicked off my interest in exploring food, photographing said eats, and sharing/explaining my impressions of my experiences. So, to you David Chang and Anthony Bourdain, Cheers, and thanks. As I begin I think it only fair to explain a bit of what my purpose with this blog is. As you know, I do not participate in Facebook, and I wont go into why here, but I NEEDED a vehicle to communicate and connect with those in my life, both near and far. As the name implies, this will primarily be a blog about pizza. However, as this is mine, I will feel free to do and say as I damn well please, as it pleases me. So I hope to not offend or tiptoe too far over the line of appropriateness, but if I do, that's just too fucken bad. Enjoy. Pizza, food, life experiences, thoughts, feelings, rants, and more food. This is what you will find here. Please feel free to share and pass along to anyone you think might have an interest, as I hope you will as well. Sincerely yours, DVA

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

DVA Pizzeria - South Park - San Diego

Yo Tom!  This one's for you...

This episode is entitled "My Pie My Mouth"

I love to eat pizza, obviously.  I also obviously like to write about it.  I love to photograph it, smell it, look at it, and I also like to make it.  Now, I'm not claiming that mine is the best, it's not even my favorite.  But the process is completely a pleasure.

The inspiration for this came from the fantastically amazing Ottoboni family.  Dear friends of mine from Switzerland (they are Italians, NOT Swiss!) who were living in San Diego for a few years.  They would have Hannah and I over for dinner occasionally and the first meal was their homemade pizza.  Dough, sauce, everything from scratch.  It was wonderful.  Not just the pizza but the whole experience.  The smell of the food, the taste of the wine, the children running around yelling at each other in Italian.  And these kids, there were only 3 at the time and they were young, like 1, 4, 6 maybe???  Now there is a fourth and they are all super cute.  Great kids, great parents.  Most of my visits to Switzerland include a dinner at the Ottoboni's, and I'm always snapping photos of the food, they are amazing cooks.  I promise that on my next visit I'll fully document the occasion and let you all have a peek.  

My point with all of that was Luigi, the dude, and Letizia, the Mrs. dude, inspired me to make my own pizza.  They showed me the process, in and out, and sent me on my way.

Here is my pie.

It starts with the dough


Yes, I made it.  The problem I have with this batch is that there isn't much pull to it.  And the error lies in the fact that I normall substitue about a 1/2 cup of the 5 cups of all purpose Bob's RedMill flour with a high gluten flour, and this time I was out.  The development of the guten is what gives you the pull.  But, too much and it will be too tight and won't relax so that you can stretch it and flatten it into a pizza.

Cornmeal, love it


Sauce

No, I didn't make this one, but it's fairly simple.  Tomatoes and salt.



2 types of cheese.  Mozzarella and parmesan.

If this was a Neapolitan pie  I'd use fresh Mozzarella, but I find that the fresh makes the top kinda soupy, which I really don't like.


Drizzle of Red Pepper Olive Oil




And into the oven and onto the pizza stone

500 degrees or more


A couple of minutes later, out comes my pie...


My friendly helper


Bada-boom


Bada-bing


Just cheese



Yummm


Nice and crispy on the bottom and warm and soft on the inside.  



Pie.  

Go find one and eat it.

DVA





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