Pizza: Recipes, Stories, History, Places, People, Love

Brothers and London restaurateurs Thom and James Elliott charm in this quirky and amusing culinary “pizza magnum opus.” Intent on learning everything they could about pizza, in 2011 the brothers traveled across Italy in a funny-looking three-wheeled van, working in pizzerias, tasting, and soaking up knowledge. Their quest took them from Naples, where they got to “the heart of making pizza dough,” to Rome, where they encounter the gregarious pizzaiolo Gabriele Bonci working out of a tiny shop near the Vatican (“he could hardly fit behind the counter and had the kind of firm, round belly that is only earned through hard work and dedication”), and later to Paris, London, and New York. Their immersion in the pizza world resulted in the discovery of some surprising concoctions, such as a pie topped with sliced hot dogs and fries named the Americano, as well as their own invention: pizza soup. Other notable recipes are the carbonara, the roasted mushroom with truffle pie, and the fiorentina pizza, with a luscious runny egg yolk in the center. A lively discussion of divisive toppings such as pasta, pineapple, and anchovies is a high point, and those thinking of embarking on their own pizza pilgrimage will benefit from the city guides that identify top-notch options. Any pizza-phile will find this unconventional guide to be a real treat. (Nov.)