Pepe, the ultimate pizza

It was host Lidia Bastianich who opened the 7th edition of Identità New York in the usual location: the Scuola at Eataly Flatiron (this year it’s necessary to point out the location as in the meantime Eataly opened a new store in the Big Apple, Eataly Downtown at Ground Zero).

«It’s the first time for a pizzaiolo», debuts Paolo Marchi right after her, introducing Franco Pepe of Pepe in Grani from Caiazzo (Caserta), the man capable of channelling pizza to the contemporary world it deserves, marked by «scent, taste and lightness», a trio expressed in the initial video, which ended with an important chiasm: «Just like our dough is fed with my land, so the land today can be fed thanks to the dough we have created».

The rule of reciprocity also applies to fine dining, which is why Pepe, together with young pizzaioli Sasà and Giorgia and Lidia, an exceptional interpreter, says: «It’s time for us to confront ourselves with chefs». The goal is to reach the same total quality which in Caiazzo coincides with an equally substantial quantity: «The other day», he reveals, «we served 800 pizzas in 4 hours and a half». A record. Reached by applying a noble principle: «Avoid waste, like the small hummingbird trying to put out a fire with a drop of water. Yet this is its contribution: small but decisive». It’s the leitmotiv of Identità’s trip between Chicago and New York.

In the meantime, Pepe’s now famous madia arrives on the counter in New York, together with the archetypal dough ball, the embryo of two pizzas we’re about to taste. The first is Granai d’autunno, a pizza with a cream of Grana Padano matured 12 months and crispy Grana Padano matured 24 months, cream of porcini, buffalo milk mozzarella and aromatic herbs (paired with Birra Moretti La Rossa – Friuli Venezia Giulia and Barolo di Fontanafredda).

The audience is very curious about the technical use of Pepe’s philosophy: the composition of the flour and the texture of the dough, the characteristics of the perfect oven and the speed of service. In exchange they receive non-banal tips: «Never cook all the ingredients for the same amount of time», «It’s important to look for contrasting textures even in pizza, as with the softness of the Grana Padano 12 months cream, and the crispiness of the 24 months one».

All these wise ideas characterise laborious preparations, for every pizza. As with the second one offered to taste, Terra Felix: pizza with San Marzano tomatoes, buffalo milk mozzarella, Pegrino del Matese, onions from Alife, rosemary, thyme, marjoram, and chopped olives from Caiazzo (paired with Birra Moretti Lager – Friuli Venezia Giulia and Poncale del Collio Goriziano).

There’s some stale bread too, an ingredient connected with the non-waste theme of the overseas event. Because “Don’t waste the planet” is an across-the-board theme for every latitude, dish and standard of cuisine.

On Friday night, Franco Pepe and Riccardo Orfino will be holding an event at Osteria della Pace at Eataly Downtown with a super-delicious focus on fried pizza.