Pittsburgh Hot Plate

40 years ago, my parents took a trip to Italy. During their adventures through a small town, they came upon small pizza cart. My Mother, who’s Italian, rejoiced at the site of some truly authentic pizza. My German/English Father, on the other hand, was sure that pizza was just a fad. Well, all these years later, pizza keeps gaining momentum. There are so many verities now, that it’s difficult to keep track- thin crust, thick crust…crust with cheese in it, etc. Sauce is also important… is it spicy or sweet? Does the sauce compliment the cheese and topping, or is it overwhelming?

I had to opportunity to order a pie from Veltre’s Pizza in Swissvale last evening. We got a standard medium pizza with extra cheese, banana peppers, black olives, and anchovies (on the side). In 20 minutes the delivery boy arrived, “that will be $21.12.” That seems a bit much for a medium pizza, but this wasn’t a small pie by any means. As I grabbed the box, I noticed the heft- always a good sign… that means they didn’t skimp on the extra cheese. As we opened the container, a rich scent permeated the air… cooked dough, combined with rich cheese and fresh tomato sauce… mmmmm. We quickly grabbed our plates, extra napkins, and forks (the first piece is always too hot to eat with your hands). As I bit into the pizza, I noticed the saltiness of the cheese… probably a provolone, and mozzarella mixture. The sauce was tangy, and slightly sweet. The crust was thicker than most of the regular pizzas I had eaten over the past year. The dough was chewy and sweet, but could have definitely used MORE salt. The veggies were all fresh; a perfect accompaniment to the rest of the pie.

Take an opportunity to try a pizza at Veltre’s is you have a chance. If you like extra cheese, and thick crust, this just might be your place!

Happy Cooking!

Chef Chuck Kerber

chefchuck@pittsburghhotplate.com