Tag Archives: pepe’s pizza

How to Make A Clam Pizza At Frank Pepe’s Pizzeria

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Frank Pepe's Pizzeria Napoletana

Frank Pepe’s Pizzeria Napoletana

Witness an actual demonstration of how to make a clam Pizza at Frank Pepe’s Pizzeria Napoletana.

The dough is stretched to the correct shape which is actually an oval shape rather than a round shape.
This is the signature dish at Pepe’s. While many other pizzaiolo and chefs will try to duplicate the Calm Pie, there really is only one clam pizza.
The clam pizza starts with fresh clams and their clam juice. One of the reasons for the success of Pepe’s clam pizza may be the local seafood that is used. These are actual New England fresh clams. Many parts of the country are unable to get the actual clams used. These are native clams of the East Coast.

Slice of Bacon Pizza and a slice of clam

Slice of Bacon Pizza and a slice of clam

The clam pizza is cooked with almost no cheese. There will be a sprinkling of Parmesan, but no mozzarella is used (pronounced mootz in New Haven).

 

Pepe's Clam Pizza

Pepe’s Clam Pizza

 

Also take note of the huge amount of clams that are put on each pizza. They do not skimp on clams at Pepe’s. The Clam Pizza is a white pizza, you will not find any tomato sauce here. Then there is an amount of Parmesan Cheese put on the pizza. Spices and a sprinkle of olive oil finish off the pizza. Another feature that adds to the taste of Pepe’s pizza is coal fired oven used to cook the pizza. The oven can get up to 900 degrees F. The pizza is cooked quickly and completely.

Pepe's Clam Pizza

Pepe’s Clam Pizza

You can see the actual way to make a Pepe’s Clam pizza in the following video:

Once the pizza is finished it comes out of the coal fired oven and then put on a serving try where the pizza is cut inot slices. These serving trays are placed on your table and really make a unique holder for the pizza.

I was able to interview Gary Bimonte, grandson of Frank Pepe on the history of the clam Pizza. Gary explains that the clam pizza was actually an accident. Gary states that the clam pizza was invented right on Wooster street.

The Frank Pepe Pizza Box

The Frank Pepe Pizza Box

 

2014: The Daily Meal 101 Best Pizza in America

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Daily Meal 101 Best Pizzas in the USA

Daily Meal 101 Best Pizzas in the USA

 

With permission from our friends at The Daily Meal, we are pleased to present their list of the Best Pizza in america for 2014.

We were so excited about this list, we created a video about it. The list is from #50 to #1.

Watch the video and please comment. The entire list is below:

 

You can see the list here, here at the Daily Meal.

#50 Zuppardi’s, New Haven, Conn. (Special: Mozzarella, Mushroom, Sausage, Marinara)

#51 Santillo’s Brick Oven Pizza, Elizabeth, N.J. (Sicilian: Pepperoni, Mozzarella, Pizza Sauce)

#50 Pizzaiolo, Oakland, Calif. (Margherita)

#49 Franny’s, Brooklyn, N.Y. (Clam Pizza)

#48 The Cheese Board, Berkeley, Calif. (Changes Daily)

#47 2Amys, Washington, D.C. (2Amys: Tomato Sauce and Mozzarella)

#46 Don Antonio by Starita, Atlanta, Ga. (Montanara Stari ta: Lightly-Fried Dough, Starita Tomato Sauce, Smoked Buffalo Mozzarella)

#45 Antico Pizza Napoletana, Atlanta, Ga. (Pepperoni)

#44 Prince Street Pizza, New York City (Prince Perfection: “Our Signature Square”: Fresh Mozzarella and “Our Secret Sauce”)

#43 Spacca Napoli, Chicago (Diavola: Blended San Marzano Tomatoes, Mozzarella di Bufala, Spicy Salami, Basil, Calabrian Chili Powder, Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

#42 Nellcôte, Chicago Ill. (Sunnyside-Up Organic Egg: D.O.P. Fontina)

#41 Juliana’s Pizza, Brooklyn N.Y. (Margherita)

#40 Little Vincent’s, Huntington, N.Y. (Cheese)

#39 Pequod’s, Chicago Ill. (Deep Dish with Sausage and Pepperoni)

#38 Best Pizza, Brooklyn, N.Y. (White Pizza)

#37 Star Tavern Pizzeria, Orange, N.J. (Thin Crust)

#36 Colony Pizza, Stamford, Conn. (Sausage Pie)

#35 Pizzeria Delfina, San Francisco (Salsiccia Pizza)

#34 Lombardi’s, New York City (Pepperoni)

#33 Patsy’s, East Harlem, N.Y. (Cheese)

#32 Joe & Pat’s Pizzeria, Staten Island, N.Y. (Vodka)

#31 De Lorenzo’s Tomato Pies, Robbinsville, N.J. (Tomato Pie)

#30 Al Forno, Providence, R.I. (Margarita)

#29 Regina Pizzeria, Boston (Melanzane)

#28 Grimaldi’s, Brooklyn, N.Y. (Margherita)

#27 John’s of Bleecker, New York City (Bruschetta)

#26 Louie and Ernie’s, Bronx, N.Y. (Sausage Pie)

#25 Varasano’s, Atlanta, Ga. (Nana: San Marzano Tomatoes, Mozzarella, Herbs and Spices)

#24 Bru Room at Bar, New Haven, Conn. (Mashed Potato and Bacon)

#23 Nick’s Pizza, Forest Hills, Queens, N.Y. (Mushroom and Sausage)

#22 Kesté, New York City (Kesté)

#21 Gjelina, Los Angeles (Lamb Sausage)

#20 Co., New York City (Popeye)

#19 Apizza Scholls, Portland, Ore. (Apizza Amore)

#18 Lucali, Brooklyn, N.Y. (Pepperoni)

#17 New Park Pizza, Howard Beach, Queens, N.Y. (Cheese, “Well-Done”)

#16 Rubirosa Ristorante, New York City (Vodka: Vodka Sauce and Mozzarella)

#15 Santarpio’s, Boston, Mass. (Mozzarella, Sausage, and Garlic)

#14 Motorino, New York City (Brussels Sprouts)

#13 Joe’s, New York City (Cheese)

#12 Modern Apizza, New Haven, Conn. (Italian Bomb)

#11 Una Pizza Napoletana, San Francisco (Margherita)

#10 Tony’s Pizza Napoletana, San Francisco (Margherita)

#9 Paulie Gee’s, Brooklyn, N.Y. (Regina)

#8 Totonno’s, Brooklyn, N.Y. (Margherita)

#7 Flour + Water, San Francisco, Calif. Margherita)

#6 Pizzeria Mozza, Los Angeles Calif. (Squash blossoms, Tomato, Burrata Mozzarella, Tomato Sauce)

#5 Sally’s Apizza, New Haven Conn. (Tomato Pie: Tomato Sauce, No Cheese)

#4 Roberta’s, Brooklyn N.Y. (Margherita)

#3 Pizzeria Bianco, Phoenix, AZ (Margherita: Tomato Sauce, Fresh Mozzarella, Basil)

#2 Di Fara, Brooklyn, N.Y. (Classic Round Pie: Mozzarella, Parmesan, Plum Tomato Sauce, Basil, Olive Oil, Sausage, Peppers, Mushroom, Onion)

#1 Frank Pepe, New Haven, Conn. (White Clam: Clams, Grated Parmesan, Olive Oil, Garlic, Oregano)

 

Pepe's Clam Pie

Pepe’s Clam Pie

 

The Pizza Therapy Pizza Book

 

 

The Pizza Therapy Pizza Book

The Pizza Therapy Pizza Book

Product Review

Albert Grande Of Pizzatherapy.com Shows You To Make Pizza

Claim your copy below:

The Pizza Therapy Pizza Book: Unlock the Secret of Making Pizza

How the Internet Changed Pizza History

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How the Internet Changed Pizza History

Pizza has always been America’s favorite food. It’s been the subject of movies, books, and songs. Pizza is not only a food of sustenance, but for some has become an obsessive delight. And for many Pizza Fans, pizza is a sheer and utter passion. Pizza debate brings on an endless thirst for argument that cannot be easily quenched with just a slice or two.

People discuss their favorite pizzerias with the same emotionally charged energy as they would discuss politics or their favorite sports team. Pizza has become so entrenched into the culture that it is easy to forget, pizza was once simply peasant food. Pizza was for many years, enjoyed by the lower echelons of society, who could afford little else.
For most of Pizza’s long and romantic history, pizza was a regional dish. The great pizza in New York stayed in New York.

The inside secrets of the best New York pizza remained in the boroughs and neighborhoods where it was created. There would be an occasional newspaper or magazine article. Television and radio reporters would sporadically discuss pizza on regional and local venues. However, unless you visited New York, these inside pizza secrets remained mysteries to the rest of the country.

The pizza in New Haven stayed in New Haven. Frank Pepe began making pizza in 1925. Sally’s founded by Franks, nephew, Salvatore Consiglio, came into being a decade later. Modern Apizza, also in New Haven developed their own brick oven masterpieces. Up the road in Derby, Connecticut, Roseland Apizza had created their own brand of incredible pizza, independently of anyone else.

Most people outside of New Haven were clueless to the pizza being created there. This was true for most of the residents of the entire state. Most Connecticut residents had never thought of traveling to New Haven to eat pizza. And why would they? They had their own great pizza, or so they thought.

And so it had been across the country. State by state, region by region. From the East Coast to the Heartland. From the Deep South to the West Coast. From Chicago to Los Angeles. From Portland to Louisiana. Pizza made in that region stayed in that region. There was no cross over. No sharing of pizza ideas.

The only way you discovered regional pizza was by knowing someone who lived there or by traveling yourself to a particular area and searching it out. Other than that, pizza was regionalized remained hidden and undiscovered.
This was true not only of the United States but across the entire planet. Pizzerias in Italy, all of Europe and other continents hid their pizza secrets to all but the fortunate residents and random traveler.

However, things were about to change. Enter the great game changer. The Big Kahuna of Information was about to turn regionalized pizza into a global point of argument and dialogue.

The floodgates of the great pizza symposium were opened. The Internet was the single biggest catalyst to educate, inform and open the debate of how to make pizza and where to find great pizza. The earth had truly become a global village of pizza. Now various countries, regions cities and towns were able to showcase their own marvel of pizza.
Slowly at first, websites were created. Here and there pizza was discussed. Pizza making secrets were shared. People became aware of pizza in other areas. Pizza Forums and blogs picked up the banner. And today you will find hundreds and hundreds of pizza related websites, blogs and discussion forums. All of these information portals share insights and knowledge about pizza.

Finally pizza lovers across the globe had a common voice. Pizza was given a common arena of deliberation and examination.

And we are just getting started. More pizza blogs and websites are created daily. All with their own unique pizza perspective, individual recommendations, pizza picks and pans. The pizza debate continues.
I don’t want to discount the many books on pizza, which assisted in the process of promoting the joys of pizza. Certainly, Peter Reinhart’s American Pie: My Search for the Perfect Pizza
fueled the fire of pizza information. Ed Levine created a master piece with Pizza: A Slice of Heaven: The Ultimate Pizza Guide and Companion
. Penny Pollack and Jeff Ruby with their pizza tribute Everybody Loves Pizza: The Deep Dish on America’s Favorite Food
made a huge statement.

(Shameless plug: to purchase these books and a video review, go to: http://pizzatherapy.com/pizzabooks.htm ) Pizza Books

However, even the Internet assisted with the promotion of these books and allowed for more seasoned debate about pizza. Now you did not have to go out to purchase a book. If you found a pizza book you liked, you could just order it online and have delivered right to your door.

As much as the Internet did to create knowledge about countless unknown pizzerias, it became a way to show people how to make pizza. For the first time pizza fans could learn recipes and techniques from home. They could discuss and even ask questions. And if that weren’t enough the advent of video allowed pizza fans to learn pizza making by seeing it demonstrated in front of their eyes. And if they missed something the first time around, they could watch it again and again.

Some of the pizza information was free, while others (myself included I created: The Pizza Therapy Pizza Book ) created their own pizza e-books for sale.
There were a number of pizza fans who decided to take pizza making to the next level by opening their own pizzeria. I have been shocked and surprised at the number of world class pizzaioli who revealed to me, they first learned pizza making from the Internet.

This has happened to me on a number of occasions. I arrived at a pizza restaurant, looking forward to a classic pizza. I had the pizza, I loved the pizza, and when I asked the owner where they learned to make pizza, they proudly declared: they learned all about pizza making directly from the Internet.

And so that’s how the Internet changed Pizza History. That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it!

The Pizza Therapy Pizza Book on Kindle:

 

 

New Insight on the $25,000 Pizza Recipe

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Our friend Gail won $25,000 from the Food Network, with her special pizza recipe. I have written about it before. I started thinking…sure the $25,000 pizza recipe was important, but in the Big picture of life, there is a more important lesson to be learned.
 
Here’s the story:
 
This is a true pizza story with a happy ending. An amazing pizza story!
 
Our friend Gail, decided to enter her pizza in a contest sponsored by the Food Network.
 
But let me give you a little background first.
 
Originally from Connecticut, Gail now lives in Tennessee.
 
Gail is a long time supporter of Pizza Therapy and she is like a member of the family.
 
A few years back, we had a pizza contest at Pizza Therapy and she won top prize.
 
It is a great recipe. The key ingredient, according to Gail, was the water. New Haven water.
 
The same water used by Pepe’s, Sally’s and Modern Apizza. These pizzerias are legendary pizzerias in New Haven.
 
Gail was tired of the pizza in Tennessee and created her own pizza recipes. And whenever she traveled up to New Haven, she would return with a suitcase full of water.
 
She decided her pizza was good enough to enter in a Pizza Showdown on the Food Network.
 
She was right. Out of 10,000 hungry applicants: she made the finals…
 
Wait, there’s more!
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This site created, sponsored, and maintained by Pizza Therapy!
 
End of ad….On with the show!
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The kicker is that during the filming of her Food Network pizza show, she traveled to New Haven, and went to Sally’s Apizza. She immediately went into the ladies room and filled a bottle of water. She used the water to make her award winning pizza!
 
(OK first she asked Flo Consiglio if it was OK. Flo said yes!)
 
And she won first prize. She won $25,000 for hep pizza recipe! Plus other prizes.
 
I recorded a great interview with Gail describing, how she entered the contest and how she was able to win.
 
You can listen to the entire interview (and download it if you wish) at this link:
 
 
If you wish, you can also listen at Pizza Therapy at this link:
 
 
I know you are going to love this interview. It is a great pizza tale full of adventure and as I said, a happy ending.
 
But here is the real nugget of gold from Gail’s story: we all have it in us to succeed at whatever we do.
 
We need to have faith and believe in ourselves. That is the real point to this interview!
 
For Gail it was a pizza recipe, for you it is whatever your dreams and hopes are.
 
So dream big my friends! I know you will accomplish whatever it is you set out to do!
 
I know all of your dreams and hopes will come true.
 
And Gail’s dream started out with a simple pizza recipe. She believed and she won.Big time.
 
So not only dream, but dream BIG!
Follow your dreams, follow your heart, follow your beliefs.
 
And never, ever, never, give up! Keep the faith, Yo!
 
Have passion, then take action.
 
I want to wish you all the best.
 
Enjoy this interview. Here are the links again:
 
You can listen to the entire interview (and download it if you wish) at this link:
 
 
If you wish, you can also listen at Pizza Therapy at this link:
 
 
I wish you the best in all that you do!
 
pizza on earth, good will to all,
 
albert
The Pizza Promoter
Pizza Therapy
 
P.S. If you get a chance, check out our digital store.
 
Here is the link:
 
Digital products, secret tutorials, priceless e-books, software at your finger tips.
 


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Special Values from the Food Newwork Store

 

On Spiritual Pizza Making

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In my car, I have a battered copy of The Magic Of Believing
by Claude Bristol I have read this book many times and I always seem to get something new out of it. If I know I need to wait in a line, such as at a bank or food shopping, I will take the book along to read. This seems to make the line move faster.

Simply put, The Magic of Believing states, the energy of the subconscious mind can help individuals achieve any goal. If you believe it, it will happen. This book contains countless examples of the hidden power of the subconscious mind and how it can influence our lives.

Bristol speaks about two people cooking an item using the same ingredients, and the same recipe. One item turns out to be a failure while the other is a successful culinary achievement.

The successful cook, saw the finished product in their mind’s eye. This successful cook, baked their heart and soul in to the finished dish. They created a spiritual link with the food.

Making pizza, is no different. You must put your spirit into each pizza you create. The great pizzaiolos such as Gennaro Lombardi (Lombardi’s), Frank Pepe (Pepe’s) and Salvatore Consiglio (Sally’s Apizza), knew this, and made pizza for the body as well as the soul. They were masters of Spiritual Pizza.

Spiritual pizza is made when you connect with your pizza on a higher level. You put a part of yourself into each pizza.

Make all of your pizza, Spiritual Pizza. Your pizza will taste better. Your pizza will be better.

Robert writes:

In your article on spiritual pizza making you say:” Spiritual pizza is made when you connect with your
pizza on a higher level. You put a part of yourself into each pizza.
Make all of your pizza, Spiritual Pizza. Your pizza will taste better. Your pizza will be better.”

That really hit home with me, you wouldn’t believe what I put into my pizza making and it really shows in
the pizza. If I’m making a pizza for company and really want it to be its best I will turn on the oven
light and keep looking in at it to make sure it is just right, my wife laughs at me but the pizza is
always great.

I’ve spent years now trying to perfect the crust, after all it’s the crust that makes the pizza, everything else
is just toppings, right?. A couple of very important things I have learned along the way.

If you are going to experiment away from a recipe,
WRITE DOWN THE CHANGES YOU MAKE! Otherwise who can
remember what they did the next time.

I’ve found that “Hotel and Restaurant” flour seems to provide the most “Pizzeria” taste and consistency I
believe it is the extra Gluten.

More yeast and sugar (or honey) in the mix than is
usually called for seems to work well for me as far as a nice light dough that tastes great.

Let the pizza rise! at least once but even better twice and at least an hour each time, then roll it out
at least half an hour before you put a topping on it of any sort and cover it with plastic wrap so it can
rise a bit before you squash it with toppings.
5. And finally, make sure you preheat the oven and get it as hot as you can for the amount of toppings you
have on it. More toppings, less temperature so it can have a chance to cook all the way through, raw dough
is nasty. the reason for the hot oven is that the dough does an initial rise just after it
is exposed to the heat and that makes for a much better crust I think than you get with lower temps.

Yipes, and I don’t even do this for a living! but if you look in my pantry and fridge and freezer you would swear I did.

Anyway yep, pizza is a spiritual experience for me and everyone that tastes it begs me to open a pizza
parlor.

Pizza on Earth and Good Will to All!
Robert Cotterill

My Response:

Thanks so very much for sharing your great advice, Robert.

I received many wonderful comments about Spiritual Pizza. I feel to do anything worthwhile, we must put our heart and soul into it. We will then connect with a higher spiritual power.

We must realize there is a greater power that we can connect with. Thanks everyone for your wonderful positive energy.

You should check out The Magic Of Believing
This is an incredible life changing book.

Abate’s Pizza on Wooster Street Interview by Pizza Therapy

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Wooster Street in New Haven Connecticut is an Italain food paradise. You will find great Italain food, but especially great pizza. Home of Sally’s Apizza and Pepe’s, Wooster Street boasts extraordinary pizza. But these two well known pizzerias are not the only great places to have pizza on Wooster Street.

Abate’s makes great pizza on Wooster Street, also.

When you are in the shadows of two pizza heavy weights, like Pepe’s and Sally’s, you definitely try harder.

In the following interview, Louis Abate explains what makes his pizzeria special. He shares his pizza secrets. He has been on Wooster Street for over 20 years, so he is no fly by night. Louis is here for the long haul…

You can visit Abate’s yourself.

Abate Apizza and Seafood Restaurant129 Wooster St
New Haven, CT 06511
(203) 776-4334

Here is one of my favorite books:


pizza

Jon F. Noted Pizzaiolo Tells His Secrets

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Jon F. on the state of Pizza in New Haven, Italy and beyond!

 
 
Jon F.'s amazing pizza from pizzatherapy.com
 

 

Jon F. has been around pizza his entire life. As a matter of fact member’s of his family owned an Italain Restaurant. It was not until he went away to college did his entire perspective of pizza change.  One of his friends took him to Pepe’s Pizza in New Haven and this event transformed his notion of pizza.

The first thing he noticed was the enourmous coal fired oven. “What manner of beast is this?” he wondered. As soon as he had his first taste of New Haven pizza, he realized, his total idea of pizza had changed, forever. He ended up going back again and again.

This taste of Pepe’s inspired him to go on a quest to discover incredible pizza. He started making his own pizza based on some of the pizza he tasted in his travels. He would eventually go to the West Coast of the United States and sample pizzas created by Brian Spangler of Apizza Scholls. He was drawn to Italy to find some of the best pizza that country had to offer.  This is his story a story of pizza discovery.

I’m pleased to present to you a wonderful pizza interview. Noted pizza expert Jon F. shares all of his secrets including:

  • His take on what makes Pepe’s Pizza so special.
  • Inside information about  Sally’s Apizza on Wooster Street 
  • The real secret to Pepe’s Pizza and Sally’s Apizza
  • Jon’s thoughts on Italian Pizza
  • The difference between Italian pizza and American Pizza
  • The Pizza of Portland
  • Apizza Scholls
  • Taste Bud
  • The most important thing you can do when you cook your own pizza.
  • more pizza tips and tricks.

Jon’s interview is informative, lively and interesting.

He is a pizza expert and he reveals many tips and tricks.

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This interview is sponsored by The Pizza Therapy Pizza Book.