"Good" Pizza Day at the Willy C!

Freshman year!

Eleven years ago, I was an ambitious, energetic college freshman at SUNY Fredonia.  Majoring in pre-law, I truly believed that the world was my oyster and that I had a bright, lucrative future ahead of me.  This was at the tail end of Clinton-era prosperity, before the 2000 election and the Florida recount, before 9/11, before I transferred to Northeastern University, before the wars, before the market crash, and before it dawned on me that life isn't going to be an endless string of bonus checks and fashionable parties, but rather a daily grind of putting the new cover sheets on my TPS reports.
 

Yours truly, at a good,
old-fashioned kegger...


Ahh, the year 2000.  After "surviving" Y2K, the days ahead seemed celebratory, and celebrate we did!  We shook our bon-bons.  We let the dogs out.  We let Sisqo see that thong-tha-thong-thong-thong.  Britney hadn't yet flashed her naughty bits, Facebook didn't exist, and Bostonians still groaned about The Curse of the Bambino. 

Kinda surreal.

I made some great friends at SUNY, a few of whom I still talk to regularly and am willing to get felt up by TSA to visit.  When I reminisce with these friends, one of the things we still talk about fondly from that era is the "good" pizza from the Willy C (or to all you non-Fredonians, The Williams Center, which is the hub of non-alcoholic student activity).

The "good" pizza was nothing more than thin-crust pizza margherita with a kick of garlic, but compared to Willy C's other pizza offerings, which featured doughy crust, cheap, greasy pepperoni, rubbery cheese (often burnt), metallic, bitter black olives, and absolutely tragic-looking bits of green pepper, the "good" pizza was reason to run to the nearest computer, log on to AOL Instant Messenger, and let everyone on your buddy list know that the Willy C was serving the "good" pizza! 

Two nights ago, I dreamed about the "good" pizza, and I wouldn't rest until I had it.  My options were limited - I could make some phone calls to SUNY's dining services office to see if it still existed, and if so, when they'd be serving it next, then hop on a plane, rent a car, drive to campus, and wait until the "good" pizza came out of the oven, or I could try to duplicate it.  I chose the latter.

If you went to SUNY Fredonia for more than 5 minutes and you want a trip down memory lane that doesn't involve Scummy's, Coyle's, Brigham Road, or high times at the Chinese buffet with the suspiciously large 'chicken' wings, try this recipe at home sometime! 

The "Good" Pizza

1-2 roma tomatoes, sliced into 1/4" thick rings
1/2 lb. pizza dough
cornmeal
2-3 T. peppery olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, pressed or sliced paper-thin
1 t. pesto, or 1 T. shredded basil leaves
a few grinds black pepper
1 cup shredded mozzarella

Preheat the oven to 465.  Lay the tomato slices on paper towels to remove excess moisture.  In the meantime, sprinkle cornmeal on your pizza tray or cookie sheet and stretch the pizza dough so that a very thin crust is formed.  Place the dough on the cornmeal - this is the best way to prevent it from sticking. 

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, pesto or basil, and pepper.  Mix well, then brush over the pizza crust, leaving 1/2" uncoated around the edge.  Top with an even layer of shredded mozzarella, then place the tomato slices on top of the mozzarella. 

Bake for 13-15 minutes, then remove from oven, let the pizza cool for a few minutes, and slice and serve. 

$80 wine + $8 pitchers = One Happy Blogger!

Last night was one of the most perfect Thursdays of my life.  Accompanied by a foodie friend, I attended a Barolo tasting, followed by dinner at small pizza joint in the neighborhood.  Not a glamorous evening, but neither of us could have been more pleased.  Great food and wine, topped off with a slight chill in the air and a clear sky offering great views of the city and all its lights, and I was in heaven! 

First, we attended The Wine Bottega’s Barolo Abbondanza, where we tasted 13 wines (only 4 of which I could afford to buy on a regular basis), and two liquers,  including Cardamaro, an Italian cordial distilled from cardoons and infused into wine.  Can’t even put my finger on the flavors, but it tastes like winter.  It also tastes like it should be splashed into a dirty gin martini.  My friend suggested pairing it with something containing rosemary or tarragon – tarragon seemed like a great choice, as it would complement the spiciness of the liqueur.  A splash of Cardamaro in a spicy ginger beer would also be a tasty treat. 

Onto the wine – I’ve never had the pleasure of tasting Barolo before, not for lack of interest, but lack of funds – it’s one of Italy's pricier varieties.  As explained at the tasting, the Nebbiolo grape is difficult to grow and it doesn’t adapt well to the winemaking process.  I’m certainly glad those Piemontese showed some persistence!  The wine is very rich, spicy, and fragrant – I jotted down some notes on the pamphlet the store distributes listing the featured wines, and at first, the most notable scents I picked up in were cinnamon and eucalyptus, until I noticed that one of the older bottles – 2003 Brovia Barolo “Villero” – gave off an aroma that I could not immediately identify, but I later figured out – brand-new ballet shoes.  Shoes?!?  Yes, shoes – ballet shoes, to be exact.  Ballet shoes are made from the softest of soft leather, and they hug your feet and accentuate your arches.  The leather clings so tightly to your toes that your instructor will take notice when you aren’t pointing your feet to their full capability.  Barolo has a hint of that kind of leather, not Payless leather.  Barolo and ballerinas actually do have a lot in common – after all, a good ballerina has to possess an unimaginable amount of strength and go through years of rigorous training in order to move so fluidly on two toes that each step looks effortless, almost as if she is floating.  Making such a smooth wine from a difficult grape doesn’t seem so different. 

We left the tasting happy, impressed, inspired, but empty-handed.  The shop was crowded and we were both very hungry, so we moved on to the next spot – a small pizza joint called “Ernesto’s” that received many favorable reviews on Yelp.  We cut across Prince Street and made our way over to Salem Street, glancing at each doorway trying to find 69 Salem.  I knew the general vicinity, but we still had to search.  I wondered if it had closed?  We walked a little further until finally, we saw a small sign over a narrow doorway – we found it! 

The entire restaurant (if you can really call it a restaurant, it’s more of a take-out joint with tables) isn’t much bigger than my computer screen, but that is fine by me.  We weren’t looking for a great scene; we came for pizza, beer, and each other’s company.  Don't go to Ernesto’s for ambiance.  Don't go if you’re looking for extensive beer and wine selections.  Don't go if you're looking for gourmet, wood-fired pizzas made from 100% organic semolina dough and topped with house-made mozzarella di bufala and special DOGC pepperoni imported from the northwest corner of Italy's Emilia-Romagna region made from beef and pork sourced from a producer who only feeds his animals champagne and sustainably-produced caviar. Go to Ernesto’s when you want bright lights, a perfectly greasy slice or two, and pitchers of cheap beer.  Ernesto's is my 2nd favorite discovery, second only to single-malt scotch.

Ernesto's meat lovers' pizza is phenomenal - loaded with pepperoni, sausage, ground beef, and plenty of cheese.  Add some hot pepper flakes, and you're good to go.  Only thing that could have made it better would be crumbled bacon, but it was still pretty mind-blowing, especially when washed down with Budweiser (what is it about pizza and cheap beer that is just so fantastic?!?).  Whatever my friend had was equally delicious – tomatoes, ranch, plenty of gooey cheese, and I don't remember what else.  I'm making it my mission in life to try each variety that they offer.  A slice is a quarter pie.  They have a few bottled beers, but keep it real and go with a pitcher of Budweiser, for which they'll give you plastic cups.  Not plastic pint glasses, disposable plastic cups.  Sheer perfection!  The photos and artwork on the walls sparked a great discussion regarding Godfather I vs. II, the merits of the book, and what a waste of film III turned out to be ("III?  I'd use it as a coaster!" he said).  I am head-over-heels in love with Ernesto's, and I may have to stop in again this weekend. 

So there you have it – my idea of an absolutely perfect weeknight, centered around great drink, great food, great friends, and a great city neighborhood.  Cheers! 

When the Moon Hits Your Eye Like A Big Pizza Pie, That's A Dinner...

Pizza Night!  I perfected last weekend's dismal yet edible ranch pizza, and I also decided to make a 2nd pie topped with figs, shredded prosciutto, and smoked mozzarella.  Yes, I made two trips to the store, and yes, both were worth it! 

I do have my mom's recipe for pizza dough, but when you're in a hurry and haven't planned in advance, Whole Foods sells pre-made dough.  Each 1lb. package will make two 12-inch pies.  You can buy it fresh or frozen, but honestly, if you're going to wait for frozen you might as well make your own.  You can cook the pizzas on a cookie sheet, or you can buy a pizza pan with holes in the bottom, which will help you achieve a more evenly cooked crust. 

Ranch Pizza
1/2lb. pizza dough
cornmeal
2-4T. ranch dressing
1-2c. shredded mozzarella
4-6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
6 thin slices fresh tomato

Preheat oven to 465.  Stretch the dough out so that it forms a thin circle.  Sprinkle cornmeal on the bottom of the baking dish, then place the dough on the cornmeal, stretching it thin to create an approximately 12" diameter crust.  Brush the uncooked crust with the ranch dressing, then top with the shredded mozzarella, bacon crumbles, and tomato slices.

Bake the pizza for 14-16 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden.  When it is done, remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes, then slice into six slices so that each slice contains one tomato.  Enjoy! 

Fig, Prosciutto, and Smoked Mozzarella Pizza
1/2lb. pizza dough
cornmeal
olive oil
1c. smoked mozzarella
4 slices prosciutto, shredded or sliced into 1/4" strips
3 fresh figs, each cut lengthwise into four slices, as shown

Prepare the pizza dough as directed in the Ranch Pizza recipe.  Brush the uncooked crust with a thin coat of olive oil, then top with the smoked mozzarella and shredded prosciutto.  Next, arrange the fig slices in a decorative pattern, either as shown in picture, or create your own.  It should look like an edible kaleidoscope.




Bake the pizza as directed above, and once it is cooked, slice into 6 pieces so that each slice contains two figs. 

When making pizzas, the possibilities are endless.  If you have leftover roasted garlic, combine it with some olive oil to form a paste and top with a mixture of Italian cheeses.  Roasted red peppers would go well with  mozzarella, mild Italian sausage crumbles and chopped parsley.  Try olive oil, gorgonzola crumbles, thinly sliced ham, and fresh sage leaves. 

What do you put on your pizzas?  Contact me at baconbutterbooze@gmail.com and share some of your favorite toppings and combinations!