What is apizza? And where can you find it in the Boston area?

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Apizza, which is totally different in type and pronunciation from common pizza, is the pie to eat in New Haven, Connecticut. Now, the specialty pizza is rising throughout New England.

In Boston, it will probably really feel like there are infinite choices in relation to pizza. It’s not a metropolis identified for a particular pizza type, however resulting from cultural influences from Italian immigrants, and the pizza capital of the U.S. only a four-hour practice trip away, there’s loads of pies to strive.

Even nearer than New York Metropolis is a pizza — or somewhat, “apizza” — promise land. 

New Haven is dwelling to apizza, which is totally different from a big slice of New York pizza, although they’re each descendents of Neapolitan pizza. Apizza has been the pie to get for a century in New Haven, and it’s by far the most well-liked pizza in that area, based on the numerous apizza loyalists who stay there. 

That features Colin Caplan, who runs Style of New Haven, a food and drinks tour service for the Connecticut metropolis. He calls himself a pizza skilled, having written about New Haven pizza and helped produce a documentary about apizza. 

“It’s like something of the best high quality: As soon as you realize one thing that’s so good, you received’t wish to eat one other pizza once more,” Caplan stated. 

It’s additionally been raved about by guests and meals writers that go to strive the native delicacies. However regardless of its cult following within the area, it has solely began spreading throughout New England within the final 15 years, Caplan estimated. 

“What you’re taking a look at, actually, is a brand new fad,” he stated. “The truth that it’s occurring so rapidly tells me that it’s going to maintain going.”

What’s apizza?

Earlier than we get into specifics over elements, you need to know the way to pronounce this pie. It isn’t “ah” in entrance of “pizza,” however somewhat “ah-beets.” 

It sounds that means as a result of that’s how pizza was pronounced in Naples. Caplan stated New Haven pizza pays homage to these roots, right down to the elements used, the strategies of cooking, and sure, even its language. 

“The understanding is that that is the unique type of pizza,” Caplan stated. 

It’s possible you’ll or could not need mozzarella in your pie (extra on that quickly) — you’d name that “mootz.” 

Although this has nothing to do with Neapolitan pronunciations, one other phrase in apizza’s lexicon is “charred.” While you see the virtually black spots on the crispy, oblong-shaped crust, don’t name it burnt.

Now onto the elements, which usually encompass three essential elements. 

The star of the present is that charred, chewy crust. It seems to be that means as a result of it’s ready in a scorching brick oven powered by coal. 

This pizza can be sauce ahead, which is noticeable when you’ve seen or eaten a vivid crimson unique tomato pie from well-known New Haven institutions like Frank Pepe Pizzeria or Sally’s Apizza. 

On high of that crushed tomato sauce is a dusting of grated pecorino parmesan cheese. You received’t discover mootz on these pies — except you order it as a topping.

To get these three parts — and these three parts solely — on a pie can be known as the unique tomato pie, or a plain pizza. 

“It’s the steadiness of those pies that make each chew dance in your palette, from the acidity of the sauce and the smoothness of the mootz and the precise charred bake on it,” stated Ted Zizlsperger, COO of Sally’s Apizza.

There are different uniquely New Haven pies served up at spots like Sally’s. The white clam pizza is a favourite amongst apizza fans, topped with chopped littleneck clams, a wholesome dose of garlic, pecorino parmesan, and even some mootz (although no tomatoes on this one). 

Then there’s the actually weird — and scrumptious when you’re a fan of starch, just like the creator of this pizza was: a pie with potatoes, both mashed or thinly sliced, as a topping. 

Lastly, you (normally) can’t order apizza by the slice, in contrast to New York-style pizza. So be ready to share with mates or take pleasure in it as leftovers.

Apizza in Boston

New Haven is simply two-and-a-half hours from Boston, which means apizza has been in shut proximity to town for nearly a century. But it’s solely been within the final 10 years that the New Haven pizza has taken up brick-and-mortar house in New England’s largest metropolis.

Frank Pepe was the primary to maneuver in, which opened its first store in 2015 in Chestnut Hill — then two extra suburban spots a handful of years later.

Another choice for these hankering for a New Haven pie is APIZZA, positioned inside North Station. In contrast to Frank Pepe, APIZZA will not be New Haven-based (although actually New Haven-inspired). 

The store comes from the group at Mida, chef Douglass Williams and managing accomplice Seth Gerber, who grew up in Connecticut. Williams stated he’s “at all times on the hunt for what’s subsequent,” and that occurred to be apizza for him.

Nevertheless it was additionally greater than that — he loves that meals is historical past, and in apizza’s case, an immigration story, and he thought bringing one of many few apizza outlets to Boston would assist “unfold that gospel.”

“It’s not simply to offer apizza, and never simply to do it as a result of it’s enjoyable — it’s to pay homage,” Williams stated. “That’s the primary level of getting it within the restaurant.”

You’ll discover one merchandise on their menu, the Crown Avenue, which is their model of the aforementioned potato pie and is known as after the birthplace of this pizza, Bar New Haven on Crown Avenue. However their pepperoni comes extremely advisable by the chef.

And in case you want extra choices to get your apizza repair, there are extra pizza joints coming quickly. Sally’s is opening two areas within the coming months, one in Woburn and the following within the Seaport.

“Folks come from throughout state strains to strive Sally’s,” stated Zizlsperger, who added that Bostonians have been among the native chain’s most loyal followers. “To shorten that commute and make Sally’s their native pizza store was one thing we got down to do.”

It’s been extra usually the case that locations — both particular person outlets and even counters at bars — have served one sort of New Haven pie amongst different pizza types, stated Caplan, who retains observe of outlets that serve apizza throughout the nation in a Google map. That’s the case for Montano’s in Provincetown and Casa Pizzeria in Western Massachusetts. 

Caplan stated apizza’s profile has been raised to most of the people (non-New Haven residents), partly, due to the web and foodie tradition. 

And optimistic press protection in meals media — Eater, Meals & Wine, and opinions from Barstool Sports activities’ Dave Portnoy (who feuded with a Somerville pizza store just lately) — certain helps, stated Andrew Ronck, Sally’s senior advertising and marketing supervisor.

Let me settle this as soon as and for all. The pizza capital of america is New Haven Ct. Anyone who says in any other case is flawed.

— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) February 9, 2021

“Everyone has change into foodies at the moment and are interested in this stuff which might be on the market that they’ve by no means tried,” he stated.

Caplan had one closing — and essential — word to provide as an apizza skilled.

When you’ve got leftovers, by no means microwave high quality pizza like New Haven pizza. 

Choose to place it on a skillet, coated with no oil, or on a sheet pan, in order that the cheese melts and the crust crisps once more. 

“You continue to need it to style nearly as good as you will get it,” he stated.