Webisode # 8: Osteria Mozza

This week we feature the first of our two part conclusion to the Pizzeria Mozza webisodes. In this segment, I’m sitting in the beautiful dining room of Osteria Mozza with Nancy Silverton and food writer Kristine Kidd. Osteria Mozza is located next door to Pizzeria Mozza, literally through the door around the corner of the same building, and never serves pizza. But, since the Osteria is open only for dinner, we had the room all to ourselves during the day and Nancy arranged to have some of her favorite pizzas brought to us through the shared kitchen, including one made with Stracchino cheese, which is the featured cheese in the the focaccia col formaggio di Recco in our Instructional section. We spent the afternoon discussing Nancy’s culinary vision and why we all love pizza (pretty much a no-brainer when the pizzas are as beautiful and delicious as these). Eventually, as you will see, we got around to her take on the infamous Hawaiian pizza. Next time, in the concluding segment, you’ll see what happens when LA Times food columnist Russ Parsons joins us and disses Hawaiian pizzas before trying Nancy’s version. Needless to say, he had to eat his words and was happy to do so.

By the way, if you ever have the joy of dining at Osteria Mozza you are likely to find Nancy working at the Cheese Bar, where every night she handcrafts small plates of specialty cheese delights, like a sushi master only with cheese instead of fish. The rest of the Osteria menu highlights the creativity of co-owner Mario Batali, so you know that a memorable night is ahead. If you can’t get in to Osteria Mozza you can take solace that, if you are lucky and willing to wait a bit, you can walk a few yards through the other door where you might be able to grab a table at Pizzeria Mozza where simpler, yet no less exciting food awaits.