I have been working on this posting for about a week now. (I do have a job, you know.) So, when I read the "A Quest for the Best Pizza in the Pittsburgh Area" (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08262/912834-46.stm) I suddenly felt violated. How could China have known my plans? Can she read minds? Does she have a team of hackers searching computers for Pittsburgh food-related posting drafts?
But, once I read on, I realized that maybe China wasn't stealing my ideas after all. It's not that I came to the realization that she regularly comes up with interesting ideas, or that I realized that she didn't need my ideas (you know, the two ideas I have decided to write about thus far) to continue her successful food-writing career. It was that we didn't agree on everything.
China hit it right on in the often-mentioned best pizzas, including Il Pizzaiolo (my personal favorite), Vincent's, and Mineo's. However, she was a bit off in her descriptions of Mario's and Ambridge Pizza, aka Police Station Pizza.
Mario's Woodfired Pizza (Beaver, PA)
As mentioned in the article, Mario's Pizza is indeed hard to resist. And the Pizza Speciale is a customer favorite. The only thing missed in the PG article that needs to be addressed is the Pizza Insalata. Yes, I know...salad pizza sounds oddly like something my health nut cousin would make on tofu dough and try to tell her kids that it was really pizza. Let me assure you, it is no less a fantastic pizza than a pepperoni pizza from Mineo's or the Margherita DOC from Il Pizzaiolo. The Pizza Insalata is served as follows: the dough , piping hot and fresh from the wood-fired oven, is topped with a drizzle of a robust olive oil and some grated Parmesan. A thin layer of Buffalo mozzarella (probably not made in house, but definitely fresh and a high quality) is layered on the dough and the pizza is briefly placed back in the oven. The oven, by the way, was hand-selected in Italy by Mario and imported therefrom. The pizza is again taken from the oven, and is now topped with fresh greens that have been tossed in olive oil and salted liberally. Viola - pizza salad. But better than you've ever had it. No vinegar to muddle the flavors (though the Paninni Insalata does have vinegar, and is surprisingly a much different beast than the Pizza Insalata), and no other salad usuals to overpower the simple, fresh flavors of the ingredients. I add some red pepper flakes and dig in, hoping that whoever is dining with me doesn't ask for a piece.
Though it is off the pizza topic, I need to mention some other must-try dishes at Mario's. The first is the greens and beans. It has sliced sausage, onions, and Canellinni beans, and is delicious. The next is any of the house made pastas. The pastas vary from day to day, but if you happen to be there on a day there is one, be sure to try it. Mario has a way with pasta that would make any Italian Grandmother jealous. If the culinary Gods are smiling on you, you will happen to be there on a day when Mario is making gnocchi. Call your friends, your family, and anyone you need to make a mends with. It's that good.
Ambridge Pizza (aka Police Station Pizza) (Ambridge, PA , and Zelienople, PA, and Imperial, PA)
Cold Toppings and Hot Pizza (unless on a Pizza Insalata, of course) can be off-putting. However, the beauty of Ambridge Pizza is that it can be ordered "unbaked" and assembled and baked at home. The "unbaked" dough can be ordered by the half-sheet, and it is more par baked than unbaked. Sauce and requested toppings are packaged and sold with the dough as well. The sauce is mild but tasty. Bonus: you can put on as much or as little as you like. Grated Parmesan and shredded mozzarella (an especially flavorful mozzarella, might I add) are included as well. My husband and I usually order sausage with our pizza. It is a cooked, ground sweet sausage. When baked at home, the dough is thick, but light and crunchy. While I agree that the canned mushrooms are a buzz kill of the pizza high, knowing what (not to) and how to order at Ambridge Pizza makes this pizza-lover very happy for Ambridge Pizza night at my place. My nieces love it too, because they get to assemble their own pieces and watch them bake right in front of them.
