If you’ve craved pizza in the UK, France, Iceland, Turkey, Japan, Saudi Arabia or even Italy, you may have stepped under the alluring cherry red signs of Rossopomodoro and into their wood-fired pizzeria.
The internationally renowned Neapolitan pizza-makers of Rossopomodoro have brought their saucy slices to the West Village, where a menu of both red and white sauce pizzas impresses New Yorkers and European imports alike.
Pizzaiolo Rosario Granieri, originally of Naples, imports pizza ingredients including Caputo flour, San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella di bufala and prosciutto di Parma to combine with local, seasonal ingredients for the perfect Neapolitan-New York pie.
It’s hard to go wrong with any pizza off Rossopomodoro’s menu. For the gluten intolerant, pies are available with gluten-free crusts (though not certified Celiac-friendly as the wood fired oven is possibly swarming with gluten fiends).
With any Rosso pie, expect a beautifully toasted crust, light and airy and ready to be folded over with the moist, thin center of the slice. With the more decadent toppings, you may want to de Blasio and just go for a fork and knife, but any way you get a slice into your mouth is worth the effort.
The classic margarita pie, La Verace ($19) makes Rossopomodoro worth a visit with its creamy mozzarella and juicy tomato sauce, the Ventura ($20) stands out on a menu decorated with simple but impressive ingredients.
Made with tangy red sauce, mozzarella, arugula and imported prosciutto di Parma, the crunch of greens against the softness of the crust and chewiness of the meat offers the perfect textural variety in each bite of the Ventura. Topped with thinly sliced Parmigiano-Reggiano, the saltiness nicely balances the subtle sweetness in the San Marzano tomatoes and prosciutto.
Topped lushly but not extravagantly, the Ventura feels like a pizza indulgence that may just be slightly healthy. And it’s a good thing arugula packs in the vitamins– the pie is easily inhalable in a single sitting.
Buon appetito!
Rossopomodoro, 118 Greenwich Ave., 212-242-2310, rossopizza.com, now serves lunch, dinner and weekend brunch.
