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
French toast has been a favorite since childhood—probably one of the first things I could make on my own. Pancakes were my grandmother Muz’s domain, but French toast was all mine. King’s Hawaiian Bread is always a solid choice, but if you can find a bakery that makes fresh brioche or sweet sourdough, grab it. Never been shy about my love for apples, especially Honey Crisp and Fuji. Apple pie’s always been my go-to, but this recipe takes the best part of apple pie and turns it into breakfast.
This crust has been the base for countless savory pies over the years. The key is keeping the butter ice-cold and giving the dough enough time to rest in the refrigerator. For a little twist, add 1 tablespoon of freshly cracked black pepper or 2 tablespoons of finely chopped chives to the flour mixture.
I love quiche. To me, it’s great for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. In the morning, it’s perfect with fresh fruit. At lunch or dinner, it pairs well with a light salad.
Never use the pre-shredded cheese in plastic bags from the dairy case. It's dusted with cellulose, which messes with the texture and flavor. Always grate cheese from a block. It’s an extra step but it will save money and taste so much better.
