L’Archibugio Ristorante is located in the middle of a medieval village at the top of a hill in Barbarino Val D’elsa. The following is what you need to know about this pizza joint: It’s small, it’s cramped, the service is slow, it’s named for a muzzle-loading rifle, and it has the absolute best pizza on the planet. Period.
Trust me. I have eaten a lot of pizza in 50 years. This is the best I have ever eaten.
L’Archibugio, according to my friend, David Trigiani, “It’s the best pizza I have ever eaten in Italy.” This, coming from a dual-citizen lover of all things Italian, a man who travels to the boot several times a year, a man who knows food, a man who has been to Naples and eaten in the birthplace of the pie.
The crust is the thinnest pizza crust I have tasted. The toppings are minimal. It is the exact opposite of what we Americans accept as pizza, and it is wonderful.
All pizzas in this book hope to live up to L’Archibugio Ristorante
Ingredients
1 each Portion of pizza dough (see recipe)
2 Tbl Marinara (see recipe)
2 slices Fresh buffalo mozzarella, sliced ¼ inch thick
2 Tbl Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
2 Tbl Parmigianino Reggiano, grated
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper as needed
Flour as needed
Cornmeal as needed
Instructions
Preheat a pizza stone at 450 in the oven.
On a floured surface, roll out pizza dough very thin and stretch into a rectangle about 6 inches by 8 inches. Transfer to a pizza peel.
Spread the marinara across the dough. Tear the slices of mozzarella into roughly 1 inch sized pieces and sprinkle over pizza dough along with the grated Romano cheese.
Sprinkle the preheated pizza stone with cornmeal, slide the pizza off of the peel and bake for 8-10 minutes until the edges of the dough begin to brown and the cheese begins to bubble.
Finish with grated Parmigianino Reggiano.
Season with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper as needed
Growing up, elaborate mac & cheese wasn’t something that made its way to our dinner table. That’s not some sort of elitist statement. We grew up in a very modest way. It’s just that macaroni and cheese was something my mom never purchased at the store and therefore never served. This recipe is rich and indulgent with a blend of cheeses that create a creamy, savory masterpiece.
Adding crispy fried shallots or crumbled bacon to the breadcrumb topping gives it a savory, satisfying crunch. The blend of cheeses—Velveeta for creaminess, Gruyere for nuttiness, Cheddar for sharpness, and Colby Jack for that buttery melt—makes all the difference.
There's nothing like a well-roasted turkey to anchor a holiday table, and no one made it quite like my grandmother. She didn't wait until Thanksgiving to serve it. She'd roast a turkey once a month throughout the year, never mind the occasion. It was a staple at her table.
My mother, on the other hand, always made a formal Christmas Eve dinner, complete with turkey, dressing, and gravy. As kids, the excitement of Christmas Eve was almost too much to bear. Those big dinners felt like the beginning of Christmas itself. It’s a memory that comes to mind every time I cook a turkey or make gravy. And a good gravy can make or break the meal. Making sure the roux browns just right and finishing the gravy with a touch of lemon juice or fresh herbs are tricks worth remembering. A little extra attention to the gravy goes a long way.
I can lay waste to a block of cream cheese with pepper jelly and crackers in a matter of minutes. It’s a weakness. No matter how hard I try to exercise self-control, I always find myself standing over the plate at a cocktail party, making it disappear without even thinking. This spread hits the same notes, but with a smoky, savory punch that’s hard to beat. It’s become a go-to for Christmas parties, and if you’re smart, you’ll double the recipe because it’ll be gone before you know it. It’s best when made a day in advance—giving all the flavors time to mingle.
