According to Winer (as well as the American Delegation of the Associazione Vera Pizza Napoletana, who gave the chef his certification), authentic Neapolitan pizza is made with specific, simple ingredients, cooked to exacting specifications, and created in a traditional way. "Italians wanted to preserve their tradition, so that's what we're doing," said Winer. "Strict rules on how the dough is made, which is just flour, water, salt, and yeast; the type of mixer that you have to use; the dough is fermented outside of the walk-in; it has to be cooked with wood, at 900 degrees; and classically, they're not cut. They're served right on a ceramic plate, and served with a pizza knife." These highly exacting standards allow those who haven't been to Italy to experience Neapolitan pizza just as it was intended — and the light, airy crust, beautifully simple ingredients, and incredible flavor speak for themselves.
The very first pizza Winer created in the red wood-burning oven was a margherita, but he also tested his gluten-free dough, made small sandwiches, and cranked out a few more pizza pies. Though the heat wasn't fully up yet, by the time Pastoral finally opens, the oven will be fully tempered and ready to go. The latest word is that tomorrow's the day, but stay tuned for final confirmation.
— Meg Jones Wall
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