Family Pies

Thin crust and deep family roots are key ingredients at Pickerington pizzeria

TThin is in at Gasperini’s Pizza.

The pie joint moved into its new home on Hill Road North, previously occupied by a Massey’s Pizza, in 2011. After the relocation from Gasperini’s former home in Reynoldsburg, owners Larry and Bobbi Priebe knew some changes were in order.

For starters, the new location has a dining room, a first for Gasperini’s. It also offers more parking than did the old location, and the menu has undergone some adjustments.

One of the biggest was the addition of a second style of pizza – because, as Larry says, “Columbus is a thin crust town.”

This new Columbus thin style features a thinner crust and smaller pepperoni slices that curl up at the ends. Customers can choose between the Columbus thin and the traditional thick crust style with the 51-mm pepperoni slices.

The Gasperini’s menu isn’t limited to just pizzas. It also offers salads, pastas, stromboli and wings. Larry especially enjoys the wings, which come in spicy or Italian flavors.

The Italian wings – coated with oil, garlic and basil – are “a different kind of wings than you can get at other places,” says Larry. Bobbi prefers the Chicken

Club Salad, which, like all of their salads, comes with a portion of Bambino Bread.

Given central Ohio’s powerful propensity for pizza, Gasperini’s faces some serious competition no matter its location within the greater metro area. Fortunately, there is usually no shortage of customers.

“People love pizza, no matter the economy,” says Bobbi.

But in a region where pizza is so popular, how do you create a pizza experience that stands out? The solution, Bobbi says, is being a family owned and run operation. Larry, Bobbi and their son Geoff are frequently in the restaurant, and the restaurant is decorated with Bobbi’s paintings.

The Gasperini’s name comes from Bobbi, whose maiden name is Gasper. The family name was shortened from Gasperini to Gasper by one of her greatgreat-grandfather’s sons. The picture in the restaurant’s logo is Bobbi’s late father, as the restaurant was named in memory of him. The family connection is very important to the Priebes.

Hillary Doyle is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at gbishop@pubgroupltd.com.

Chunky Marinara From Gasperini’s Pizza

Ingredients

• 1 number ten can of tomato strips (6 lbs., 6 oz.)

• 1/3 cup basil

• ¼ cup minced garlic

• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

• 2 Tbsp. salt

• 2 tsp. pepper

Directions

Mix all ingredients and simmer for 30-45 minutes.

You can also choose to add meat or Italian sausage, or serve with spaghetti. Freeze leftovers.