The Dish | Slice of the Pie (Reinhart)

Slice of the Pie

by Performance Fo o d ser vice

Hot Out of the Oven Tradition Meets Innovation

There’s no better time for pizza than the fall.

Sure, pizza has its summer lovers. But fall opens up a whole new world of pizza possibilities for restaurants. Hot and comforting, whether served straight from the oven to your table or fresh out of a delivery box, pizza is the ultimate treat for cooler temps.

With nearly 70 years of pizza and Italian expertise, Performance Foodservice knows how to add some tricks and treats to help boost your fall sales. It takes authentic ingredients and Old World craftsmanship combined with creativity and innovative presentations to stand out in the competitive pizza market.

And there’s a reason that National Pizza Month is celebrated in the fall. With kids back in school, pizza is perfect for a quick and easy weeknight dinner at home or a family meal out at your favorite neighborhood spot. Did we mention fall sporting events, football games, birthday parties, and the biggest night out for kids – Halloween?

For the first fall Dish of the year, our chefs have built on

inspiration from exclusive, legendary brands like Roma ® , Bacio ® , and Piancone ® , our versatile Contigo ® brand for some Hispanic fusion, as well as easy-prep products from Ultimo ® . They’ve crafted five classic and cutting-edge pizza recipes, along with fresh takes on Italian favorites in the salad, sandwich, pasta, and dessert categories.

Feast your eyes on a menu that brings fall fun to the whole family.

Look for these callouts:

Chef Talk

Get inside our chefs’ brains and find out what inspired their dishes.

Check out our library of recipes and articles online.

PerformanceFoodservice.com/theDish

PEAK® FRESH BASIL

Aromatic, sweet, and savory

ROMA® NAPLES-STYLE BATTERED EGGPLANT

Frozen for easy storage and lowstress prep

Bet the Parm

Let's kick off with a taste of the traditional.

Eggplant Parmigiano is a classic with roots in the the southern Italian regions of Sicily, Calabria, Campania, and Apulia. The tender, absorbent characteristics of eggplant render it the ideal base for oil, sauce, and cheese.

For a pie with Old Country charm, we spread authentically sourced Piancone Epicureo Pizza Sauce with Basil on Ultimo Sheeted Dough, and then top with Roma Mozzarella. Naples-style battered eggplant from Roma is fried and coated in a Bacio® White Cheddar Cheese blend. This cheesy creation isn’t complete without a sprinkling of grated Parmesan on top. Peak Fresh Basil adds a few pops of green color.

From the leaders in Italian cuisine, Roma Gourmet Beef & Pork Meatballs are the perfect toppings for a seasonal pie with a pumpkin puree base, Gruyere cheese, and crispy sage. Or add these meatballs to a fig, goat cheese, and caramelized onion pizza for a hearty, comfort food topping that adds fresh, authentic Italian taste to your menu. Roma Gourmet Meatballs are fully cooked and easy to prepare, saving you time and labor. They are made with the highest quality ingredients, so you don't have to sacrifice flavor for savings.

What’s a cost-effective and flavorful way to enhance fall pizza menus?

It ’s Alive (with flavor)!

One of the joys of Halloween is helping kids embrace their creativity.

Consider offering a limited time DIY pizza kit that kids can decorate themselves on the spooky night. For this recipe, they can design their own version of Frankenstein and watch him come alive in the oven.

As you can see, the ingredients are simple, but feature premium products from our Italian brands. A Roma Dough Ball is squared on a Detroit-style pan and topped with marinara sauce and Bacio® Cheese. The eyes, nose, and mouth are made of authentic Roma toppings, and Frank’s funky green hair is created with a julienned spinach wrap from Piancone®. Kids won’t be able to resist this munchable munster.

ROMA® DOUGH BALL

High protein count, perfect for New York-style pizzas

Imported from Italy for

ROMA CUP & CHAR PEPPERONI

Made with the exclusive Kiss of Buffalo Milk®

Bread Winner

For the healthier crowd, transforming elements is one way to showcase your pizza prowess in a fresh light.

With this recipe, many of the ingredients that would be used for a delicious Roma®-inspired pie are re-contextualized in a gorgeous presentation that can be listed as an entrée, app, or shareable. Perfect for fall seasonal menus, the Roma Dough Ball forms a harvest-style bowl. We then mix in a vivid variety of veggies from our Peak Produce brand, sourced with a process that ensures items are picked at peak time for optimal taste and color. The Piancone Parmesan Peppercorn dressing is like adding a cheesy white pizza sauce to this delectable bowl.

The Ultimate Powerhouse

Menu must-have with upscale eye appeal

PIANCONE® SHAVED CAESAR BLEND CHEESE

A brief guide to the enduring hallmarks of pizza

DETAILS ON Pizza Pizzaz

Chef Talk

The key to a successful bowl is to make sure the dough is warm enough to be pliable for a good stretch. Generously oil the stainless bowls on any surface coming into contact with the dough. Finally, it’s important to have a loose fit when stacking the bowls — they are meant to hold the shape, not to press the dough.

Stretch out the dough to 12". Using two stainless mixing bowls – oil the inside of one and the bottom of the second.

Lay the dough over the oiled bottom half of one bowl and top with the other. Place another bowl oiled on the inside over top to hold the bowl shape while it bakes. Remove that top bowl to brown the bottom of the crust bowl. Bake in a 475°F pizza oven on a screen.

When the exposed part starts to brown lift off the other bowl to brown the rest. Let it cool.

Turn over and fill with the salad mix and vegetables. Garnish with olives, pepperoncini and cheese. Serve the dressing on the side.

the Most Coast with

Chef Talk

Stretch the dough very thin through the middle, leaving an inch around the outside for that great New York-style crust. Best to drizzle olive oil on the dough after it is stretched, then top with the meats so they don’t burn and dry out in the oven. Place the spicy sausage links on the grill to get that great char flavor, then slice thin at a 45 degree angle for great coverage and depth of flavor. Cook until cheese has nice caramelized spots on top.

ROMA® CAPICOLA

Smartly packaged for operator convenience

ROMA SALAMI

Performs well with any pizza or sandwich

Meat Your Match

One of the standards of a great pizza menu is a pie piled high with a variety of meat toppings. Nearly 70 years ago in Bradley Beach, N.J., Roma® founder Mr. Louis G. Piancone was an expert at sourcing the best Italian meats for local restaurants. Decades later, this East Coast Special is a reflection of that eye for quality.

Here, we heap Roma pepperoni, salami, hot sausage, and capicola on buttery Roma Dough. Customizable Bacio® Mozzarella Cheese, crafted with a Kiss of Buffalo Milk®, provides each slice with the velvety melt and stretch that keep guests coming back for more.

It's no secret that diners love pizza. But a little creativity in how you serve it up can make all the difference. Consider Tyson Red Label Homestyle Boneless Wings to make Buffalo chicken pizza rolls with cheddar cheese and a cilantro dipping sauce for a nostalgic dish with big flavor. Or serve up authentic chicken pizzaiola using boneless skinless chicken breasts, fresh Parmesan, tomatoes, mushrooms, and red peppers over pasta for a hearty comfort meal that's sure to fill up hungry guests this fall.

ROMA® SLICED PHILLY STEAK

Zero

Phil Up

For a restaurant, being in the zone means crafting buzzy menu items that perform better than your competitors and get guests talking.

We’re pretty sure that a calzone stuffed with Philly cheesesteak comfort food and legendary ingredients fits the bill. In this jam-packed ‘zone, high-grade Roma® Philly Beef, onions, and peppers are folded into a slab of Roma Dough. Here’s the secret ingredient that was made for Philly: West Creek® Craft Beer Cheese Dip functions as a pizza sauce for the buttery dough. Your guests might be tipsy with happiness.

Finish off this calzone with brushes of EverFry® Oil and grated Parmesan. Don’t forget to include extra beer cheese as a hearty dip and pair this feast with their favorite cold beverage.

Mash Ups

Menus

Stick ‘Em Up

There’s a reason classics become what they are — over time, the sum of their meaty, saucy, cheesy parts becomes irresistible and craveable.

That’s essentially what happened to the meatball sub, a sandwich so good it has become a staple of Italian-style restaurants. But even greatness can benefit from a refresh. It makes sense to feature items that patrons simply must try, even if they’ve had it hundreds of times in a different form.

That’s the concept behind our Meatball Sub on a Stick. A Roma Pizza Dough Ball is seasoned with garlic Parmesan sauce, cut into thin slices, and baked until toasty. Joining the skewered pizza dough slices are flavorful Roma Gourmet Beef & Pork Meatballs. Include Piancone Epicureo Marinara Sauce with Basil for dipping, and you will fundamentally change how meatball fanatics see their favorite sandwich.

Authentic and fully cooked for ease of labor

ROMA® MEATBALLS, GOURMET BEEF & PORK

FIND THIS RECIPE ONLINE! MEATBALL SUB ON A STICK

Meatball Sub on a Stick

Servings: 8

Ingredients

1 ea. Roma 16 oz. Pizza Dough Ball, room temperature

8 fl. oz. Garlic Parmesan Sauce

2 tsp Italian Seasoning

8 oz. Roma Grated Pecorino Romano

1 lb. Bacio® LMWM Shredded Mozz

16 ea. Roma 1 oz Meatball, Gourmet Beef & Pork

20 fl. oz. Piancone Epicureo Marinara with Basil, hot

preparation

Heat oven to 425°F. On a sheet pan, roll pizza dough into a 8 inch wide rectangle, approximately 16 inches long.

Spread garlic Parmesan sauce over both sides of the dough, then sprinkle one side with Italian seasoning and the other with grated Parmesan cheese. Cut dough into 8 strips, approximately 2”x 8”long.

Thread one end of the dough with a skewer, then a meatball, then another part of the dough, repeating to layer dough, and meatballs. Each skewer should have 3 meatballs.

Place skewers on a parchment lined sheet pan and sprinkle with Mozz cheese (or greased pizza pan) and bake for 15 minutes.

Sprinkle grated Parmesan on the skewers and serve with hot pizza sauce.

ROMA

PIANCONE

Peak Italian

Finding fresh ways to present ingredients is one of the joys of Italian cooking.

In this dish, dough and sautéed veggies collide for a harvest experience that’s equal parts healthful and decadent. There are different recipes for gnocchi across Italy, but the central concept of pasta dough balls has been thrilling diners for centuries.

Our Piancone ® experts have worked closely with authentic artisans to craft the ideal gnocchi, and the final product doesn’t disappoint. Magellan Italian seasoning imbues the doughy Piancone ® Gnocchi with striking flavors, and a range of fresh Peak ® vegetables gives the plate complementary textures with red, green, and orange fall colors. Dust with grated Parmesan for a last sprinkle of genuine Italian flavor.

PEAK® ZUCCHINI COINS

Size consistency for menu planning

Belly Birria

Chef Talk

Performance pre baked or par baked crusts are the perfect fusion alternatives to tortilla when it comes to birria mania.

The trick is to dip the crust before cooking, allowing excess birria to drip away. Then when baked, it is infused with a rich tomato and earthy dried chili flavor burst for the palate.

CONTIGO® BIRRIA SAUCE

Blend of spices for a delicious, slightly earthy flavor

Seasoned and kettle cooked for 8 hours

CONTIGO COTIJA CHEESE

White, crumbly Mexican cheese made from cow's milk

Hip to Dip

The birria trend has made its impact on menus from coast to coast – usually in the form of tacos, nachos, or something similar.

Birria Pizza not only gives you the ability to tap into an international trend in a unique way, it is perfectly suited to pop on social media, and it can be sold as a shareable, dippable option as well.

Just look at these stunning slices. An easy-prep 14inch Ultimo Pizza Crust is dipped in a Contigo Birria Sauce and swirled with the distinct flavors of Roma Pizza Sauce. It’s topped with succulent Contigo Barbacoa and a creamy white cheddar cheese blend from Bacio. Golden Peak® Tomatoes and Cilantro add to the harvest fresh, rich colors of the pie. You can even serve with extra Birria dipping sauce to really play up that element.

Soar with Seasonal

Pizza Promos

Fun pizza possibilities to get guests in the door

‘Tis the Season for pizza

CONTIGO BARBACOA BEEF

Truffle Shuffle

FIND THIS RECIPE ONLINE!

TRUFFLE SANDWICH

ROMA SOUTHWEST CHIPOTLE PESTO

Made with premium quality basil, garlic, pine nuts, and olive oil

ROMA SALAMI Quality and cost-effective

Light and marbled for unmatched flavor

Go for Palermo

Inventory cross-utilization is a great strategy for any restaurant, particularly one that specializes in pizza and Italian. Enter the Palermo Truffle Sandwich. Start with meats you might ordinarily use for a pizza or charcuterie board, like Roma Salami or Piancone Prosciutto. Be sure to include some Roma Mozzarella.

This well-apportioned sandwich is already off to a flavorful start, and it’s only the beginning. Spread Roma Southwest Chipotle Pesto on a buttery Delancey Street Deli slice of focaccia, adding creamy Roma Mascarpone to the bottom slab. A layer of fresh Peak Arugula provides a thin veneer of green color and a light crunch. Finally, truffle oil gives the sandwich its name, along with subtle, earthy, garlicky flavor tones.

With blocks of alternating color and complementary tastes, guests will enjoy flaunting this rich Italian sandwich on social media.

Chef Talk

Naturally dry aged meats sliced thin on a slicer is best for these traditional sandwich meats. Butter the focaccia and toast lightly on a flat grill for a nice crunch. It’s important to layer the sandwich properly for the best flavor burst: a touch of truffle oil on the prosciutto brings out the earthiness along with the saltiness, the pesto on top will get the taste buds dancing, and then you get the crunch of the arugula at the bottom to complete the sandwich.

PIANCONE PROSCIUTTO

Hispanic for Halloween

You’ve probably heard that the biggest Hispanicinspired fast food chain removed a cult classic from their menu. When they changed course and brought back the Mexican Pizza, there was a wave of new sales and buzz.

The genius of the Mexican Pizza is that a blend of traditional Mexican ingredients is wedged between crispy tortillas for a plate that can be casual or upscale, handheld and portable, or serve as a COP entrée.

This gorgeous and colorful version features tender Contigo Carne Asada, marinated in Contigo Chimichurri and smothered in a combination of creamy Bacio Mozzarella and Provolone Cheese. The steak is complemented with a garlic-infused purée of Roma ® Cannellini Beans and sautéed Peak ® Arugula.

The top layer of a crunchy Contigo Flour Tortilla is topped with a tangy Roma Marinara sauce, mild banana peppers, and Kalamata olives. This is one borderline brilliant pie.

BACIO® PROVOLONE BLEND CHEESE Beautiful appearance across oven applications

Holy Cannoli

International fusion continues to trend upward, though it’s not something you see quite as much with desserts. That’s about to change.

Hispanic/Italian fusion is a complex blend of flavors and techniques that will draw rave reviews on social media. Rich Roma Chocolate Cannoli Shells arrive ready-to-serve, as do 3”-3” slices of light, spongy Contigo Tres Leche cake. For this exquisite dessert, the decadent tres leche is piped into the cannoli shells, which can be dusted with powdered sugar. For added crunch and visual appeal, dip the cannolis in roasted pecans. A drizzle of caramel sauce adds a sweet flourish that complements the milky tres leche and chocolate casing.

This is a buzzy dessert with profit upside and ease-of-labor to help support your BOH staff.

ROMA® CHOCOLATE CANNOLI SHELLS

FIND THIS RECIPE ONLINE:

Slice of the Pie

CONTIGO® TRES LECHE SLICES

Tender cake, delicately soaked with three luscious milks

Made from authentic ingredients for Old World quality