I recently received an email from a reader. The reader explained that he's lived in Chicago and New York and loves both styles of pizza but after a recent trip to Italy he really appreciates a good authentic Italian pizza. As you may have noticed, there are not many authentic pizzerias here in Denver so I was excited to check this place out!
Meet Marino. He's the Italian man tossing a pizza in the picture. He's been in the US for about 9 years. He has an amazing Italian accent and can make an amazing pizza. He decided to follow his dreams by starting this pizzeria just a few short months ago.
You know each dish is made with pure love because he himself made the brick oven and makes each pizza with attention to detail. He starts by using 00 flour from Italy. He tosses his dough by hand which is necessary for it to be authentic. If you order a Le Pomodorine (also known as a pizza with tomato sauce) he uses San Marzano tomatoes. The ingredients are what make Marino's pizza exceptional. He only uses the finest.
He offered to make us a pizza he had just created! It was a white pizza (using olive oil rather than a tomato sauce) topped with brie, olives, thin sliced potato and a sprinkling of rosemary. While this pizza wasn't my favorite of the two, I am so glad we tried it. The flavors worked well together and it was truly unique. I admire his creativity and ability to create something new.
Marino suggested the Salvatore which is a pizza with San Marzano tomato sauce, mozzarella and sausage. We love sausage so we knew this was a good choice. It was awesome! I could instantly see that the sauce was made with quality ingredients. The simplicity of the sauce, the sweet yet savory sausage and the mozzarella made for the perfect pizza.
One of the things I am always afraid of when eating an authentic brick oven fired pizza is the crust. It's a delicate balance between burnt and crispy and being fully cooked. Marino cooks his pizza to perfection.
I urge you to go on an adventure and go try this place! It's in an odd location. We thought we were lost in the middle of a subdivision when we finally found it but I'm telling you, it's worth it! I have high hopes for Marino and his new pizzeria. I wish him the best and hope he finds success in following his dream.
Oh, and even if you aren't a pizza fan... you're sure to love the Pizzotelle (or pizza balls) that are just pizza dough topped with Nutella and powdered sugar. They also serve wings, calzones and salads.
