What to Do When Sungold Season Feels A Million Miles Away
Plus: Pizza Wisdom from Don Antonio's Giorgia Caporiscio
Pizza Friends, hello! And happy Friday.
I have two things to share today: a can of tomatoes (plus a recipe) that will make summer feel not so far away and pizza wisdom from Giorgia Caporiscio of Don Antonio in honor of Women’s Pizza Month.
Let’s start from the top: last February, my family and I ate at Don Antonio on a frigid evening during winter break. We had just returned to Manhattan on the train from Long Island, where we had watched the Islanders (two of my daughter’s favorite team) lose to the Lightning (my son’s favorite team). With spirits low (for some of us) and appetites high (for all of us), we trudged north toward the Midtown pizzeria I had read so much about.
If you are unfamiliar, Don Antonio opened in 2012 by Roberto Caporuscio and his mentor, Antonio Starita, but is now run by Roberto’s daughter, Giorgia Caporuscio. The restaurant serves authentic Neapolitan pizza including pizza fritta (fried pizza), a popular street food of Naples.
It was prime dinner hour, and I had low hopes of getting a table without a lengthy wait, but we lucked out, snagging a table for six instantly, and ordering shortly thereafter, starting with arancini and salad, then moving on to pizza.
No surprise, it was all outstanding, particularly the pizza, the Margherita, of course, but also the salsiccia e friarielli, topped with smoked buffalo mozzarella, broccoli rabe, and sausage:
For Women’s Pizza Month, I thought it would be fun to make a pizza in honor of Giorgia, whose many accolades include Pizza Maker of the Year from the prestigious Top 50 Pizza Guide and who serves as ambassador for “Women In Pizza”, a movement that empowers women in the pizza industry.
Last weekend, while scrolling through her Instagram feed for inspiration, I found a pizza that called my name:
The caption noted that the pizza is made with 100% organic yellow Italian tomatoes. I reached out to Giorgia via Instagram and learned that she uses either canned or jarred yellow tomatoes, and after doing a little more research, I ordered a few cans of these yellow tomatoes.
As soon as they arrived, I made a very simple no-cook sauce, a purée of the tomatoes, flaky sea salt, and extra-virgin olive oil. Friends!! It was so sweet! I could taste summer! And my heart nearly exploded 💛💛💛💛💛 Find the recipe below.
Lastly, I asked Giorgia two questions, and she kindly responded:
What’s your favorite pizza?
Giorgia: My favorite pizza is one that reminds me of my grandmother. She used to make a very simple pizza with tomato sauce from her garden and dry oregano. Also I love pizza with tomato sauce, arugula, prosciutto di parma and grated pecorino.
Do you have any pizza wisdom to share?
Giorgia: The biggest thing people don’t realize is that your dough will never be exactly the same, even if you use the same recipe every time. There are so many factors that affect it— humidity, temperature, the way you handle it that day. That’s why it’s not just about following a recipe; it’s about understanding your dough. You have to feel it, know when it needs a lighter touch or a different stretch. The key is learning to work with the dough.
Amen, Giorgia, Amen! Thanks so much for sharing.
PS: Women’s Pizza Month was founded by my friend Christy Alia (@realcleverfood) and is supported by @twocentspizza and @pizzarosha
The Recipe: No-Cook Golden Tomato Sauce
For this recipe, you’ll need either canned or jarred yellow tomatoes, extra-virgin olive oil and flaky sea salt. Note: I have not been able to find canned yellow tomatoes in my local supermarkets, and I have not had a chance to check my local Italian markets. They are pricey to buy online, and if I find a more reasonably priced source, I will share.
Puree until smooth, then taste, and adjust with salt or more olive oil if necessary.
Transfer it to a jar and store in the fridge for up to two weeks or freeze for as long as 3 months.
Coming next week…
… made in the Gozney, which I dusted off for the first time in many months:
I’ll share the recipe next week. If you’d like to make it, you’ll need: the sauce (recipe below), extra-virgin olive oil, flaky sea salt, buffalo mozzarella, and fresh basil.
Love pizza and salad? Find recipes, tips, and tricks in Pizza Night 🍕🍕🥗🥗
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Just wondering out loud with an eye to planning ahead re: the lack of access for yellow tomatoes... plant enough sungolds to have so many you need to freeze them for use in the dead of winter. I used the approach last summer because I just didn't have the bandwidth for processing... I love opening the deep-freeze and seeing all the freezer bags of whole frozen tomatoes! Jewels! Cheers
Ali- I LOVE Don Antonio’s! I make sure I go every time I’m in Manhattan. So good. The crust. The distribution and amount of toppings. The vibe. I love all of it.