Seven...Enzo Coccia, Pizzeria La Notizia (Na)

One two three four five six...and seven.   Seven pizzas.  Seven pizza margheritas. Seven twists on a classic pizza, which according to Maestro pizza maker Enzo Coccia, is a combination of tomatoes and formaggio filante...stringy cheese such as mozzarella, fior di latte or provola..

Enzo Coccia

Ci divertiamo...Ci giochiamo, Enzo announced to a full house at his Pizzeria La Notizia last week. Let's have some fun...let's play around...
Let's go...

Pizza number one...

piennolo tomatoes and bufala mozzarella cheese

Pizza number two...

corbarino tomatoes and provola di bufala cheese

Pizza number three...

daterino tomatoes and fior di latte

Pizza number four...

grilled cherry tomatoes with provola (made from cows milk)

Pizza number five...

dried san marzano tomatoes with scarmozetta di agerola cheese

Pizza number six...

pachino tomatoes with stracciata di andria

and last but not least...pizza number seven...

peeled san marzano dop tomatoes with fior di latte (made from latte nobile)

I tried them all with the almost impossible task of picking a 'favorite'.  The provola on number 2?  What about the addition of chopped basil, parsley and garlic added to pizza number 4? Or the premiere of fir di latte made with sweet rich latte nobile in pizza number 7? On some pizzas, Coccia sprinkled pecorino cheese, on other parmeggiano reggiano...others nothing at all.

One two thre four five six ...and seven.  Coccia wanted to play...and we did just that.

Bruno Gambacorta's Eat Parade

Pizzeria La Notizia in Naples was not only the place to be for Enzo Coccia's famous pizzas.  Monday night it was the ticket as journalist Bruno Gambacorta presented his new book Eat Parade.  Eat parade is a collection of 35 stories spanning 14 years of Gambacorta's television program which focuses on food and wine in Italy.  Antonio Tubelli, Luciano Di Meo, and Beradino Lombardo who are featured in the book were also on hand to share their stories as well as their gastronomic specialties including arancini, salamis and cheeses...
It was basically a  parade of ...eats.

Super Soups - Zuppa di Cicerchia La Sibilla Style

It's the season for soup...super soups.  And I couldn't think of one better to start with than one of my favorites prepared by mia amica Restituta Somma of La Sibilla.  It is always a big hit during visits to her family's winery.

The recipe is made with cicerchia, a legume that even the ancient Romans used.  The Campi Flegrei version has a small, angular shape and is anywhere from grey to a dark brown color.  If not for families like the Di Meos and Slow Food Campi Flegrei, this delicious bean may have slipped into oblivion.  

Directions:

Soak the beans overnight.  Past generations would add ashes from the fireplace to help soften up the beans.  Today the Di Meos use baking soda.  The next day, rinse well and cook in an abundant amount of water until they are cooked well, but not too soft. Cooking times vary depending on the season, soaking time, and pot used.

Prepare the soup by sautèing diced guanciale di maile (pork cheek), celery, carrots, onions, garlic, and red pepper flakes in olive oil.  Add the cooked cicerchia and a few tomatoes.  Let cook for about an hour.

Serve with toasted cubes of day old bread, caserccia style.  And of course serve with a  glass of Piedirosso or Rosè from Campi Flegrei!

Dinner da Enzo Coccia, Pizzaria La Notizia...Reloaded

A promise is a promise.  And I promised my son David that I would take him to the new Pizzaria La Notizia, back to Enzo Coccia, after the inaguration...after things calmed down, well, calmed down a little.

So, Sunday evening (1930 is the perfect time for families) we pulled up to Via Michelangelo da Caravaggio 94/A and walked in.  Before the usual crowd...that did arrive later.  Before the beautiful organized Neapolitan chaos...that did show up, David and I had a chance to chat with Enzo...Chat about how he's been, what he has been up to, what he has in store next.  But David reminded me that we came for pizza.  David wanted the Enzo...a pizza with fresh tomato slices, mozarella and rucula.  I opted for one with fresh funghi porcini mushrooms...

Between bites of our pizza, we watched Enzo back in action preparing his specialties like rotolo con ricotta e pezzente (rolled pizza with ricotta and ham from Caserta), pizza al bianco, and pizza with prosciutto cotto.

It was great to be back and smell the aromas from the oven...
It was great to be back and hear the laughter of Enzo's patrons...
It was great to be back...punto.

Pizzaria La Notizia
Via Michelangelo da Caravaggio 94/A
081 19531937
Reservartions are highly reccomended.
Open only for dinner.  Closed on Mondays

Congratulations Coccia!!! A Sneak Peek at the New Pizzaria La Notizia...

A couple of weeks ago I received an invitation to what was probably ‘the invite’ of the Neapolitan fall season. An invitation to the inauguration of Enzo Coccia’s new Pizzaria La Notizia…October 11, 2010.

A quick call to Enzo to confirm the address-Via Michelangelo da Caravaggio 94/A…Vieni…ci aspettiamo….

Making my way down the street, I couldn’t help but think back to a dinner da Enzo. A visit to a pizzeria where I became part of the Notizia family. A place where whether you’ve been once or one thousand times, Enzo and his staff treated you as one of their own.

As I parked the car, I wondered if I would feel that same love and sense of belonging in a brand new location with trendy interior design. A menu with artisan beer and an expanded wine list to include my Campania favorites.

I parked, approached, and was instantly relieved, instantly comforted.

La Notizia friends know that at Enzo Coccia’s place, besides a great pizza made with top class products, you’ll get that special ingredient…that special Neapolitan ingredient…love.

Love that he has for his friends…not clients…friends. Love demonstrated over and over again as he greeted everyone ..as he made his way through the crowd of well wishers that included fellow pizzaiolos, chefs, restaurateurs, sommeliers, winery owners, journalists and bloggers.

Smiles all around…genuine smiles. We smiled as we treasured his pizza; 2 types of margherita, marinara, and al bianco. We smiled as we tasted an excellent prosciutto cotto carved on the spot from Caserta, drank beer, ate ice cream…

Minutes turned to hours…hours passed enjoying each other’s company…taking pictures, laughing, joking, chatting, gossiping.

And here is where Enzo, our Maestro Piazzaiolo, succeeded.
Succeeded in keeping us entertained.
Succeeded in making us feel part of his extended family.

And after an evening at the new La Notizia, I am convinced that that love…that sense of belonging, will not only continue in this new location, but thrive.

Pizzaria La Notizia opens its doors officially on the 13th of October.

Pizzaria La Notizia
Via Michelangelo da Caravaggio 94/A
Naples Italy
081 195 31937
info@pizzaconsulting.it


Congratulations Coccia---In Bocca al Lupo!!!

Una Bella Notizia! Maestro Pizzaiolo Enzo Coccia presents his New Pizzaria La Notizia

On Wednesday, October 13,  a new Pizzaria La Notizia will open to the public on via Caravaggio 94 in Naples. Pizzaria La Notizia has been known for some time as a true gourmet temple. The elegance and comfort of the new club will stand up to the high quality Enzo Coccia sets for his pizzas. Pizzas that have been known and appreciated in the ‘States’ for some time now.  The work, under the careful supervision of the architect Renata Di Martino, took over a year to complete. Di Martino, an architect almost "obsessive" in every detail: from the oven made by master artisan Stefano Ferrara to the cold storage at different temperatures and humidity.

If you’ve never been before, it is definitely a place to try once, twice or several dozen times...

If you’ve been to La Notizia before...you can surely expect your favorites with a few surprises...stay tuned.

And I’ll see you at La Notizia!

PizzAria La Notizia

Via Michelangelo da Caravaggio 94/A

80126 Napoli