October 31, 20017 – A master pizzaiolo from Modena, Italy has joined chef/owner Denis Boaro at Gusto Handcrafted Pizza and Pasta in Seaside.
Davide Molinari has been making pizza since he was 15 and brought his “secret recipe” to Gusto, where he has changed up the crust and is introducing several new menu items, including the Pizza al Metro—a meter-long rectangular pie.
Boaro and Molinari worked together several years ago in Long Beach, where they opened Michael’s on Naples Ristorante—the top rated Italian restaurant in Orange County. After returning to Italy for awhile, he recently moved back to the states and the two decided they’d love to work together again.
“Davide has a great personality and likes to interact with the customers, make special orders and toss the dough in the air, when he’s not too busy,” Boaro says, adding that he learned from his grandfather how to build pizza ovens.
The new crust at Gusto is proofed 24 to 48 hours and the results are lighter and very crispy. Mozzarella is made in-house.
They’re expanding the menu to include several new pizzas, including the maranello—with parma ham, arugula, parmesan cheese and balsamic reduction; and the pizza pera—with fresh pears, walnuts, brie, parmesan and speck.
Also new on the menu are calzones and the meter-long pies, which are a fun way to feed a large group.
Boaro is so excited about the new pizzas that the two have already signed up to compete in the world pizza championships in Las Vegas next March.
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