“Our family is from Italy,” she said proudly. “My mom and dad moved here when they were about our age.”
“Not together, though,” Alfie said, and the teachers laughed and so did some of the students. “They met when they were in college and already living here.”
“Well, yeah, of course,” Emilia said. “This pizza is like the pizza from the city of Naples, in southern Italy. What makes this pizza special to the people of Naples is that it doesn’t have many ingredients but the ingredients it does have are really good and fresh and delicious.”
“Also, it’s made from scratch by my mom and great-aunt, who both grew up in Naples,” Alfie added.
“So, enjoy!” Emilia said, throwing her arms wide.
Finally all the presentations were done and it was time to sample the food. Students could choose to eat from whichever country they wanted to taste, and Alfie and Emilia watched closely as some of their classmates gathered around their pizza. The siblings already had their slices, ready to bite into them as soon as their friends and the other students began eating.
“Here, Becky. I saved you a slice,” Alfie said, handing Becky a plate with a big slice on it. Emilia rolled her eyes, but Alfie pretended not to see.
Becky took a bite of the pizza. “Mmmm! It’s really good!” she said through a mouthful.
“Doesn’t it just taste like Naples?” Alfie said.
“Sure, I guess,” she said. “Have you ever had the Taco Explosion pizza at Presto Pesto? It’s amazing!”
Alfie couldn’t believe it, but he actually had to turn away from Becky at that comment.
He stood with Emilia and they watched as Daniel McKenzie picked up a slice and tipped the end into his mouth. He chewed and talked to his friend Austin, and soon Austin picked up a slice as well. But nothing happened. Three and four and five and more students ate the pizza but nothing was happening—no one was going anywhere.
“Why aren’t they being transported?” Emilia asked.
“Maybe we have to eat at the same time,” Alfie said.
“And tell stories of Naples,” Emilia said. “Remember, Zia told us about her home as we ate the zeppole.”
They went to the center of the crowd and worked it as best they could.
“In Naples the streets are really narrow and made of cobblestones,” Emilia said as she chewed a bite. “You have to be careful where you walk, or you’ll trip on the stones or bump right into someone walking really fast by you.”
“Everyone is in a rush, but it’s because they all have something important to do,” Alfie added, trying to think quickly. “It’s a busy city with lots of small cars rushing through the streets.”
“Yeah, can’t you just see it?” Emilia asked.
“The crowds? The people?” Alfie said. “The streets?”
“And the tiny cars?” Charlie said. “Yeah, we got it, dude.”
Soon the pizza had been devoured and everyone had moved on to gyros from Greece.
“Why didn’t it work? What’d we do wrong?” Emilia asked. “Maybe we somehow dreamed it after all.”
“I don’t believe that,” Alfie said. “And I don’t think you do, either.”
“Maybe Zia has to be here?” Emilia said.
“Right after school, let’s go straight home,” Alfie said. “We’ll ask Zia to make us something—maybe more zeppole. Don’t say a word about Naples or Italy or travel or anything. Just tell her we love her cooking . . .”
“And her stories,” Emilia added.
“And we’ll see what happens. Deal?”
“Deal!” Emilia said.
They could hardly wait until the final bell of the day. When they were dismissed, Alfie and Emilia raced out the front doors and down the sidewalk toward home. They hopped up and down at the crosswalks waiting for the light to change, and when they finally made it up the front walk to their house, Alfie practically broke the front door, he slammed through it with such force. But inside, the house was quiet.
“Zia Donatella?” Alfie called, and Emilia followed him into the kitchen.
“Ciao, ragazzi! There you beauties are!” Zia Donatella said from behind the kitchen island. The counter in front of her was covered with bowls, pots, spice jars, and all kinds of fresh ingredients. “So, are you ready for the next adventure . . . ?”
A Note from Giada
Pizza is the first thing I remember cooking. I would make Neapolitan pizza with my grandfather, and as we cooked he would tell me of his adventures in the beautiful city of Naples. It made me dream of adventures of my own, and it made the pizza we made together taste even more delicious!
My grandfather was born in Torre Annunziata, a city in the province of Naples, and as we kneaded dough, sliced tomatoes, and grated cheese together, he would tell me about the sights and smells of Naples. And when I first visited Naples, I understood why my grandfather loved the city so much.
Naples is one of the oldest cities in Europe, and its architecture ranges from medieval castles and ancient ruins to beautiful churches and stunning piazzas. And the food of Naples reflects that it has been a crossroads for world travelers throughout its long history.
Even though those days of making pizza with my grandfather are gone, and I’m now making pizza with my daughter, his memories of Naples will stay with me forever.
Zia’s Tomato-Basil Pizza
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup warm water
2 teaspoons dry yeast
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon fine salt
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon yellow cornmeal
All-purpose flour, for dusting
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
3 large tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (if you can find them, Roma tomatoes are best for this)
1/2 cup (about 2 ounces) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 packed cup fresh basil leaves, torn or coarsely chopped
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
MAKES:
1 pizza, 12-inch
PREP TIME:
15 minutes
COOKING TIME:
18–20 minutes
INACTIVE PREP TIME:
3 hours
NOTE: Make sure you have a parent or adult help you make this recipe.
FOR THE DOUGH: In a small bowl, combine the warm water and yeast. The water should be “hand hot,” so that it’s not too hot to put your fingers in, but not lukewarm. Stir until the yeast is dissolved.
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour and salt together. Add the yeast mixture and stir until a soft dough forms. If the dough is too dry, you can add a little extra water, 1 tablespoon at a time. If the dough is too sticky, add extra flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface. With floured hands, knead the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic, about 5–7 minutes. Drizzle the inside of a clean bowl with olive oil and rub it all around to coat the inside of the bowl. This keeps the dough from sticking to the bowl. Put the dough in the bowl and cover loosely with plastic wrap or a clean, damp kitchen towel. Set the bowl in a warm, draft-free place. (I like to place my dough in the oven, which I’ve preheated to 200°F. If you want to try this method, remember to make sure you turn off the oven before the dough goes in!) Let the dough rise until it has doubled in size, about 2 hours.
After your dough has risen, punch it down with your fist and form a ball. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and let it rest for 1 hour. If you are not going to make your pizza right away, wrap your dough in plastic and refrigerate it for up to 1 day.
TO MAKE THE PIZZA: Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven
to 450°F. Sprinkle the cornmeal on a large rimless baking sheet.
On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll out the dough onto a 12-inch diameter circle, about 1/4 inch thick. Transfer the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, making sure the cornmeal is evenly distributed on the bottom of the dough.
Drizzle the pizza dough with olive oil. Spread the minced garlic over the dough, then sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge for the crust. Place the tomato slices in a single layer over the cheese and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle the basil leaves on top. Drizzle with olive oil again and bake until the crust is crisp and brown on the bottom and the cheese is melted, about 18–20 minutes. Sprinkle with a little salt and cut into slices.
Serve immediately. Buon appetito! Enjoy!
Zia’s Zeppole
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup sugar, plus 3 tablespoons
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (the secret ingredient!)
1 stick of butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs
Olive oil, for frying
MAKES:
18 zeppole
PREP TIME:
20 minutes
COOKING TIME:
30 minutes
NOTE: Make sure you have a parent or adult help you make this recipe.
DIRECTIONS:
In a small bowl, combine the 1/2 cup sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Stir until it’s mixed and then set aside.
In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, salt, 3 tablespoons sugar, and water over medium heat. Once it starts to boil, carefully take the pan off the heat and stir in the flour. Once the flour is mixed in, return the pan to medium heat and keep stirring until the dough forms a ball. This should take about 3–5 minutes. Transfer the mixture into a medium bowl. Using a spoon or an electric hand mixer (if you have one) on low speed, add the eggs, one at a time, mixing in each egg completely before adding the next. Beat the mixture until it is nice and smooth. If you’re not going to fry your zeppole right away, cover the mixture with some plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator.
Now, to fry the zeppole! First pour enough olive oil into a large frying pan so that the oil is about 2 inches deep. Heat the oil over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer reads 375°F.
Use a large spoon to scoop up about a tablespoon of dough, then use another spoon to carefully slide the dough off into the hot oil. (It’s best to fry the zeppole in small batches.) Turn the zeppole once or twice, cooking them until they are golden and puffed up, about 5 minutes. When they are done, drain them on paper towels. Gently toss the zeppole in the cinnamon-sugar-nutmeg mixture until they are coated.
Eat them while they are still hot. Yum! Where will they take you?
Naples! (9780698152687) Page 7
