Posts Tagged ‘eric corbin’

The Pizza Olympics in Italy, 2011

                         

My “Schiacciata alla Lombardo,” highlighting the cheeses and food of the Lombary region placed 4th in the U.S.A. I slathered wonderful Bellweather Farms Crescenza on the whole thing, then topped in thirds (1) Gorgonzola Dolce, Gorgonzola Piccante, sliced pear, Bresaola (air dried beef) and arugula. (2) Teleggio, wild mushrooms and truffle oil. (3) Vallentina Casera cheese with pancetta fresca (fresh pork side, marinated with salt, herbs and balsamic) and braised raddichio. My dough consisted of a wild yeast 24 hour levain with 50 percent local spelt flour and a 16 hour cold-retarded biga, then mixed with a 50/50 mix of 14 percent protein flour and caputo tipo “00” flour to a 70 percent hydration.

World Pizza Champions

Not long ago, I had the pleasure of being invited to the pizza olympics, held in Salsomaggiore Italy. My team, The World Pizza Champions ruled the day with fantastic culinary scores as well as the silver and bronze medals in pizza acrobatics.

                            

This fabulous pizza made by Tony Gemignani won “Best Pizza in the U.S.A.”  The”cornicione” (Korn-e-Chon-A) or end crust has a terrific open crumb and airy cells obtained by pre-ferments, the perfect amount of hydration, patience and a little pizza love. Tony named this “Pizza Fortura.”  It consisted of  100% organic 12-grain  flour from Central Milling with a 93 percent hydration, Anchor Steam starter, triple malted, La Quercia prosciutto, blackberry honey, Sierra Nevada mozzarella and white cheddar with arugula. 

The fabulous Tony Gemignani, owner of Tony’s Napolitana, Tony’s Coal Fired Pizza and Slice House, Pizza Rock in Sacramento and Pysano’s Pizza in Castro Valley  won “Best Pizza in the U.S.A.” for his score in the Pizza Classico category (damn- I came in second.) Tony also rocked the “Pizza Teglia” category, coming in 4th in the World followed by Bruno di Fabio who finished 8th in the World. Bruno has just opened “Re Napoli” to rave reviews in Greenwich CT.  and is opening a spectacular pizzeria called “900” in the East Village, Manhattan. (These guys are on FIRE!)

Here are the sights of the competition.

                       

Eric Corbin, Pat Miller and Jay Shuurman exploded with great tricks in the Freestyle Acrobatics and Largest Dough Stretch.

                         

    Some great pizzas were made in the Teglia, or pan pizza category where alot of Italians let them rest for over 10 minutes. 

                          

Tony and Bruno saying, “If we gave you 1000 Euro, would you make sure the judges give that goon from Ohio a lower score?”

                         

                     Lotsa French Chefs showed up this year. Here a chef creates a red Mullet pizza with spring vegetables.

                    

Pat Miller, Owner of A Slice of New York in Columbus Ohio was spectacular in all events but really shined in largest dough stretch.

                          

Contestants from all over the world competed in “The Fastest,” or pulling 5 small doughs out onto 12 inch screens in record time.

                           

                               The Japanese team scored third place in the team acrobatics. Here they are with Miss Italy.

                             

Three pizza legends; Tony Gemignani, Antonio Manzi (He won first place, freestyle acrobatics) and Bruno di Fabio.

                         

                                                                               Did I mention the French were there?

                                     

                                                                                  Eric Corbin helping a nice old geezer cross the street.

                        

                                                                                          Presentation to the judges is everything.

                                

                                            The non-gluten category was held in a seperate area and featured some great pizzas also.

                         

                                                                                                     The World Pizza Champions.

                           

              Nancy Puglisi, (center) herself a master at the pizza business, acted as our interpreter, coach and friend.

                                            

This pizza place forth in the world in “Pizza in Teglia” or pan pizza and was made by (who else) Tony Gemignani. It is called the “Pancetta Porcini” using a 72 hour maturation with a poolish, porcini marsala cream sauce, wild mushrooms, smoked pancetta, smoked scarmoza, truffle oil, sea salt, roasted red peppers, fresh thyme, and mache.

 

                              

Jay Shuurman, Eric Corbin and Alberto Pavolo shared the stage in victory for thier freestyle actobatic dough tossing.

                          

                                                                 Here is Tony Gemignani picking up his trophy for Best Pizza in the U.S.A.     

                           

This was an exciting and exhausting trip, these guys are some of the best and most dedicated pizza people on the planet and it was an honor to accompany them. Next year, even though they are my friends, I will crush them with a stellar pizza and win Best Pizza in the World because, like Bruno says “Even a blind squirrel finds a nut sometime.”

Semper Pie!

the goon

( I’ve had some problems attaching videos to posts but hope that soon I can show them to you.)

A Year in the Pizza Life, 2010 (Part 2)

Here are some more pictures of people, places and pizza from my life in Athens, Ohio and around the world, 2010. I hope you enjoy them.

Four different types of schiacciata, all delicious

Team acrobatics during the World Pizza Championships

Local freshwater scampi pizza

Bruno di Fabio with his pizza that won "Best of" at Pizza Expo

Domenico Crolla's Chanterelle pizza (I couldn't just let it sit there)

Italian pizza competitors, World Pizza Championships

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Chorizo Pizza

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Joe Carlucci, winner of 2010 Pizza Pizzaz at the North American Pizza and Ice Cream Show, Columbus, Ohio

Stuffed spingtime fougasse with Amish asparagus, mustard, ricotta, pistachio

Chicken Yakitori Pizza

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The Goon preparing six appetizers in the Heinz Beck Trophy competition, Italy

Pizza romana in Rome, Italy

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Kids love pizza, and the Goon loves being very, very uncool!

Tomato and squash fresh from the field (note the floured pizza shoe)

Where we stayed in Positano, Italy

Loads of Turkish-style Pide (Pi-DAY)

Eric Corbin, expert pizza acrobat (Placed third in the world with a broken foot)

Mid-summer organic schiacciata

Late fall meaball pizza with Alto Cucina tomatoes, basil and local chorizo-peppered bacon meatballs

The Goon and his soldiers foraging for woodland edibles

A boat-load of Amish aspargus fresh from the field

Bruno and an Italian autograph seeker, World Pizza Competition (Nice shirt)

Local ham and bacon bialy with cilantro and aged cheddar

The winning pizza (pre oven) at the International Pizza Challenge

Joel Fair, General Manager of Avalanche Pizza, with his curry fougasse

Pizza a due chef at the World Pizza Championship

Three Sisters pizza (Yes it's cooked; the light was tremendous)

Me and Gigi, my Italian pizza oven judge

Giuseppe with our "Alici Marinati" or marinated anchovies, Positano, Italy

Probably the greatest pizza chef in the world, Tony Gemignani

Big ass bread, my Flinstone Wheel

Pete Shew from Shews Orchard with late season persimmons

Springtime aspargus and prosciutto pizza (With a nod to Tony Gemignani)

What a small-time pizza guy sees when he looks down.