TRAVERSO’S
Square-cut, thin and crispy ’za with cheese blanketing nearly every millimeter ORDER IT in house BEST PIE The White pizza, a light but succulent gem drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil and topped with garlic, ricotta cheese dollops, diced tomatoes, and fresh basil
UNCLE PETE’S PIZZA
Oversize pies delivered in a hefty, Chicago-style crust ORDER IT delivery/carryout BEST PIE Gus’ Glory, an Italian beef in pizza form that’s topped with juicy meat and hot peppers
Brothers Mike and Paul Traverso have the restaurant biz in their DNA: Their father and uncle ran a string of taverns and pizza joints, both in the city and suburbs (the first Traverso’s is still going strong after more than 40 years in Orland Park). In 1993, they debuted this cozy, family-friendly nook, where their 80-something mom—“Mama T,” who was raised in northern Italy—still drops by to make ravioli by hand and perform quality control of her Old World recipes.
Started in Chicago in 1947 and churning out pizza locally since 1980, Uncle Pete’s has zero fluff on the menu: Save for garlic bread and pop, you’ll find pizza and only pizza. Under the guidance of owner and Naperville native Jay Becker for more than three decades, the kitchen whips up fresh dough daily, creates its own piquant sauce, and offers a surprising amount of fresh veggies as toppings. You’ll find a fine thin crust, but focus your stomach space on pan-style—and be warned that a medium tips the scales at a whopping five pounds.
2523 Plainfield-Naperville Rd. 630.305.7747, traversosrestaurant.com
815 N. Washington St. 630.357.5111, petesza.com
OVEN ARTISTRY
Between a stint as Giordano’s corporate chef to his intensive study at Italy’s oldest pizza school, certified pizzaiolo Leo Spizzirri knows his way around deep-dish, Neapolitan-style, and everything in between. At the year-old North American Pizza & Culinary Academy in Lisle, he inculcates both restaurant chefs and home cooks in the art of pizza-making. Here, his seven must-have items for crafting perfect pies at home. TOOLS WORTH THE INVESTMENT Pizza stones—but not the round kind. “You stick your pizza on that little target, and cheese ends up all over your oven, your smoke alarm goes off, dog is barking,” Spizzirri says. Instead, use a rectangular stone on each of your oven’s racks to emulate a brick oven. ($28.99, Target) Digital scale—For the most accurate results, weigh your ingredients instead of measuring them. ($20–$149, Williams Sonoma) Digital thermometer—If you’re really going to do it right, you’ll need to check the temperatures of your dough and water. “You’re dealing with a living, breathing thing, so you’ll want to make sure you’re maintaining the correct environment,” he says. ($14.95–$69.95, Sur La Table) GAME-CHANGING INGREDIENTS Italian 00 flour—This finely ground, superabsorbent variety is a must to properly anchor your dough. ($2.09, Caputo’s) High-quality olive oil—“Buy the best you can afford, because you don’t need a lot,” Spizzirri says, adding that the oil not only lends flavor, but actually affects crust quality. Try Colavita. ($11.99, Zeppe’s Italian Market) San Marzano tomatoes—“These are from a specific region in Italy, and they’re just delicious,” says Spizzirri, who is partial to Mutti, a Roma variety from Parma. ($20.94/six 14-ounce cans, Cost Plus World Market) Fior di latte (“Flower of the Milk”)—Spizzirri says you won’t find a mozzarella richer, creamier, or more suited to your pizza than this one, made from fresh cow’s-milk mozzarella. ($7, gourmetfoodstore.com) 70 FEBRUARY 2019 / NAPERVILLEMAGAZINE.COM