FYIDC | THE DISH
FLOUR, SALT & PASSION
il Canale owner Joe Farruggio works hard to ensure his pizza-loving clientele always leaves satisfied. BY C AT H E R I N E T R I F I L E T T I
ot all pizza is created equal produces the best outcome for the and that is especially true at Neapolitan’s signature “tender and il Canale in Georgetown, where juicy” crust. Farrugio is quick to owner Joe Farruggio has been note that his dough is made fresh serving authentic Neapolitan pizza daily and never sees the inside of a for more than six years. At this refrigerator. neighborhood favorite, authentic Once the dough has set, a is more than just a buzzword fresh San Marzano tomato sauce is because the restaurant is certified spread in an even layer over the pie, by the Association Vera Pizza along with roughly-torn chunks of Napoletana, an organization that bufala mozzarella which Farruggio requires restaurateurs to follow finds to have more “f lavor and strict guidelines to maintain the body” than a traditional cow’s milk integrity of true Neapolitan pizza. cheese. The pie is topped with fresh There are only two other certified basil before being thrown into a pizzerias in the District. wood-burning oven that scorches The pizza-policing organization the crust at temperatures upwards insists that its affiliates use fresh of 800-900 degrees. Since the heat ingredients and proper techniques can f luctuate, pizzas need to be to create a specific kind of dough monitored and rotated with the Joe Farruggio at the newly-renovated il Canale space (Photo by Tony Powell) and a classic f inal product. utmost care because it only takes Farruggio proudly upholds its between 60 and 90 seconds for the standards, going the extra mile by importing his f lour and bufala crust to bubble and the cheese to sizzle. mozzarella directly from Italy. Ingredients aside, his passion is really Neopolitans say that the main ingredients of a perfect pizza are what sets his pizza apart from hundreds of other pies you can find in “f lour, salt and passion” and Farruggio cites that sentiment in his metropolitan Washington. committed pursuit to be the best. “The passion of this work,” he says, Farruggio gives his pizzas the kind of attention that could only “is that everyday we’re trying to make a better pizza.” come from someone who has been in the business for a while — 45 years to be exact. He has been kneading dough and f lipping pies since WHAT TO ORDER: he arrived in the U.S. from Italy in 1970 and began his career working at pizzerias in Manhattan. It was there that he was introduced to outPizza Margherita: A classic Neapolitan pie with of-towners constantly griping that there was no good pizza outside tomato sauce, bufala mozzarella and fresh basil. of New York. Farruggio set out to change that in 1978. Taking stock of untapped Gambero Verde: Shrimp pasta with shaved zucchini, markets, he opened Joe’s Place Pizza and Pasta in Virginia. In 2010, he sweet cherry tomatoes and caramelized shallots. began exploring a concept outside his New York style pizza comfort zone. Inspired by a visit to Naples, he decided to take on the challenge Cannolis: Crispy shells filled with ricotta imported of making the iconic Neapolitan pizza, knowing that many try, but from Sicily and topped with a pistachio crumble. few succeed in getting the recipe and process just right. 1065 31st St NW, Washington, DC 20007 There is a science behind creating the perfect Neapolitan pie 202-337-4444 www.ilcanale.com ($14 - $24) and it starts with the dough. Room temperature water is mixed with fresh local yeast and Double 00 f lour then left to ferment in a controlled environment. Between 16 and 30 hours of sitting
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