Vincenzo Girasoli
1 Michele Pascarella – EX SARTORI – VOTO 9.5/10
“I was born and raised in Caserta. I started working in a pizzeria when I was in middle school. A bit for need a bit without a reason. I chose to do this job than many others.
I remember the first week of work was terrible. I worked seven days out of 7, morning and evening, gaining in the end only 35 total €. My father wanted to kill me. He said that I had no need to work. But my curiosity to learn was stronger.
Today, for me, what I do is not a job but a fairy tale. It’s as if he never I worked.
But back to us. I started doing this job washing glasses and looking with curious eyes always the pizza oven. Every day, every minute, every second sometimes forgetting fries in the fryer.
After which they are passed quickly baked pizzas from doing that streetfood sfornavo daily.
At age 13 I was already the pizzas at the counter!
I have been in several pizzerias. I learned a lot. No son of pizza chefs or bakers and this makes me proud, because I know what I do with my life from scratch.
The next morning I was in school, in the evening to work. In practice I always was at work. In summer, autumn, winter or spring, Easter or Christmas.
After graduation, I left immediately for London, even if I wanted to attend psychology. Well oh well.
My first job in London was to “Sartori” and it is here that I learned many things, such as that if you do not run faster than the others you are behind.
After a couple of years to “Sartori” for my culture and curiosity I began to study the various flour, water, yeast, maturation and mktg. I thought that this work must be made knowing the whole world with intelligence and passion.
It is three years that I’m trying the various mixtures and the various flours, with procedures and ways of planning between them. I complied so a digestible product, dispelling the myth that says that those who eat the pizza after it’s always full.
My dough is very simple, made with “00” flour with the addition of 30% of a especially one with much more bran and with more absorption. In short, it is a dough with a low protein content with a relatively low force, where I can do a high hydration while making a high number of pizzas.
I have moved away from the true Neapolitan pizza to create my version called “VERACE 2.5”. It has a leavening that ranges from 24 to 48h and can even reach the 36h.
My version is not far at all from the classical one. About my new business project together with Paolo Cimmino. In all my years in pizzerias in Naples, we did a absurd experience having direct contact with customers, something that only we from South of Italy can fully understand. Well I missed this thing here; where the customer service is little more than Thanks and sorry, with the addition of superficiality here and there. So why not combine business with pleasure? We thought about buying the old Italian style “Ape Car”and turn them into a real pizzeria! We want to bring the flavors of the past around London with our “pizza al portafoglio”.
It is important to have contact with the client directly and above all we must have fun! We will try to extend within one year, maybe even less. This is my dream. Who knows in a few years I’d like to open an academy to teach how to make this work,; a free school for everyone who need it”
Dear guys. Your stories, your pizzas made me feeling good, “quite at home”. Thank you indeed
Discover also the best Italian pizzerias in London clicking here
