Community Cookbook

Chef Bart Hosmer shares this month's featured recipe from the Forno Bravo Community Cookbook.

You say to-may-to, I say to-mah-to.

Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix is considered to be some of the best pizza in the country, and some would even argue it is the best. Among his many accolades, Executive Chef and Owner Chris Bianco is passionate about placing a significant emphasis on sourcing and using the highest quality ingredients. As such, he diligently works to ensure his flour, cheese and tomatoes are the very best. On his quest for the perfect tomatoes for his pizza and pastas, Chris partnered with successful California family farmer Rob DiNapoli. Together they launched Bianco DiNapoli tomatoes. Their mission is to celebrate California’s agricultural heritage and to “connect the dots from seed to field” to yield the perfect tomato for your pizza making.

Bianco DiNapoli crushed and whole peeled tomatoes are packed with organic basil and sea salt. The crushed tomatoes have the addition of naturally derived citric acid to aid in preserving the tomatoes as well as providing a subtle additional hint of tartness. 

The whole and crushed tomatoes have great, clean flavors right from the can. Admittedly, my mouth started to water the second the aroma hit me. The crushed tomatoes pop with a desirable acidic and naturally sweet punch. The velvety smooth and consistent texture coats the mouth and easily spreads across the pizza dough.

The whole tomatoes possess the same balance of sweet to acid though it is not as pronounced as it is with the crushed. The firm meatiness of the tomato provides a wonderful toothsome bite. As with any whole tomato, it requires crushing prior to applying to the pizza.

Whole Tomato Sauce
1 can Bianco DiNapoli whole peeled tomatoes
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt (optional)

Using a spoon, remove the whole tomatoes from the can and place in a non-reactive bowl. Using your hands crush each tomato until it is broken into smaller pea-sized pieces. Add olive oil and salt, and mix until incorporated. Because the Bianco NiDapoli tomato products are packed with salt it is not necessary to add salt, but I prefer a bit more saltiness in my sauce.

Crushed Tomato Sauce
1 can Bianco DiNapoli crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt (optional)

Empty the crushed tomato can into a non-reactive bowl. Add olive oil and salt. Mix until incorporated.

Bianco NiDapoli tomatoes are certainly a favorite of mine, and I am thrilled Forno Bravo now carries them in the online store.

Hope you enjoy. Until next month, feast well.
– Chef Bart

Patio Pizza Party with Bella Outdoor Living

There’s nothing like a cool summer evening with a group of friends and neighbors enjoying each other’s company. Add the fun and excitement of cooking in a wood fired oven and you’ve created a Patio Pizza Party! In as little as 15 minutes, a Bella pizza oven can be ready for guests to create and cook their own individual pizzas. Here are some pizza party tips from thekitchn.com:

• Make the dough at least a day before so it’s ready to go the day of the party. If you’re making individual pizzas, divide out the dough ahead of time.
• Have all the ingredients chopped and divided. You’ll be making pizzas quickly so you don’t want to waste time cutting up the toppings.
• Plan for a few different flavors. Give your guests the opportunity to experiment with toppings they might not have tried before like dried fig, corn, asparagus, arugula or gorgonzola cheese. Or ask everyone to bring a topping to share.
• Have a few pizza peels on hand so guests can get their pizzas ready while other pizzas are in the oven.

A Bella pizza oven is perfect for a patio party because of its mobility. The cart can be rolled to any location, even a nearby park or common area for larger parties. Bella Outdoor Living stainless steel pizza ovens combine the simplicity and ease of use of a grill with the fun of authentic Italian wood fired cooking. Bella stainless steel ovens give you all the fun of a heavy refractory wood oven without the long heat-up times, and they cool down fast.

Bella stainless steel ovens are currently available in three sizes to fit any lifestyle. The Nano 22" cooking floor is perfect for smaller decks and patios where space is at a premium, and the Medio offers larger 24" or 28" cooking floors. Coming soon, Bella will offer three additional ovens in 32", 36" and 40" cooking floors. Bella stainless steel ovens come assembled, and the retail price includes shipping.

Learn more about Bella stainless steel ovens at Bella Outdoor Living. Authentic wood fired cooking has never been so easy.