Ristorante Pizzeria Da Ciccio, Forio, Ischia (Na)

- July 07, 2017

During my latest trip to Ischia, my amico and personal enogastronomical tour guide Ivano Veccia was unable to pick me up at the port as he has done several times before. Let's just say that on that particular afternoon Veccia was busy doing what he loves best - making pizza! Veccia alongside Nello Casile (ex owner of Il Limonetto) have started a new adventure a quick walk from the Forio port. A new adventure under an old name - taking over Ristorante Pizzeria Da Ciccio.

Ivano Veccia

I was curious and somewhat excited about sitting down in a pizzeria and finally getting a chance to try one of Veccia's pizzas for the first time. So a little more than a month after the black and white wood burning oven had been lit, I ordered a beer, sat down at a table on the terrace, and began a mini pizza tasting.

The first pizza wasn't a pizza exactly. It was a panouzzo, a sandwich made in a wood burning pizza oven. This one Veccia calls his Panouzo Cucuzziel 'Cas' e Ov' with zucchini, onions, fior di latte, eggs, caciocavallo podolico cheese and basil.

Veccia's inspiration? His mom, of course, who would prepare a similar version for him as he was growing up.

Next up, another memory from home. Lasagna Povera - a poor man's lasagna. Povera/poor due to the absence of ricotta and meatballs. But what may be missing in the number of ingredients, eccia made up for in aroma and flavors.

A creamy Grana Padano cheese sauce topped with San Marzano DOP tomatoes, oregano and basil. An added bonus can be found on the pizza crust. That's where Veccia sprinkles grated Grana Padano cheese - aged 12 months.

Pizza number three is actually Pizza Number 1.

Yes, named Number 1 since it is a classic Nello Calise recipe dating back nearly 15 years - when Calise ran the now closed Il Limonetto. Ingredients include pork carpaccio (prepared in salt), rucola, and lemon zest.