Pizza News

When Red Bank-area residents think of pizza, recently the first thing that usually comes to mind is fresh Italian ingredients cooked to crisp perfection thanks to the restaurant who has pizza making down to a fine art, Undici Taverna Rustica.

Undici Restaurant is known for having the best pizza in New Jersey, and after the recent Asbury Park Press article featuring Undici’s rustic pizza, it is no secret why residents continue to hail Undici as the best.

Besides its rustic Italian interior, Undici owner, Victor Rallo, has a classic Italian centerpiece, a wood burning brick oven. Italian brick pizza ovens are a staple in Italy, where they are able to run almost a hundred degrees hotter than Undici’s, which runs at 700-800 degrees. Compared to commercial gas ovens that run at 500 or 550 degrees, the brick oven provides a whole other measure of heat and the slightest hint of smoky flavor.

In order to make the classic Naples-style pizza, Undici must keep the fire burning at the right temperature, no easy task. Since there’s no thermostat, Undici chefs have another way of testing the temperature. If the oven is too hot the pizza gets burnt and if it is too cold the pizza doesn’t properly rise or obtain the proper color.

“Getting the top heat and the bottom heat proper is a process that took 2,000 pizzas to get it right on this oven,” Rallo said.

Pizza all Napoletana NJ

Rallo is able to bring the type of pizza you would find while roaming the Italian countryside in Naples, the home of pizza, to your dinner plate at his Undici Restaurant. Undici successfully brings authentic Naples-style pizza, one of the best things you can eat, across the Atlantic. Undici pizza are circular pies that are inspired by one of the two popular types of pizza found in Italy, the ‘old-fashioned pizza Italia.’

Using only ‘la materiale prima’ or the best materials and ingredients for making Undici pizzas, Rallo sets the bar high. Classic San Marzano pureed plum tomato sauce, imported Buffalo Mozzarella, fresh basil, Italian flour, proscuitta di Parma, arugula, pecorino Romano cheese, and every other ingredient is picked because of its freshness and flavor.

Undici’s Italian pizza flour, perfect for cooking at high temperatures, is not bromated or bleached and contains no preservatives, caramel malt for color, or rising agents. The imported Buffalo mozzarella melts well in high heat and remains sharper and softer than other cheeses, perfect for the best pizza in New Jersey.

“A proper pizza is in a sense gourmet,” Rallo said. “It’s simple, but it’s gourmet.” Undici Restaurant makes pizza an art, just like it has been in Italy for centuries. Rallo successfully ups the quality of pizzas in America by making them truly Italian at heart.

To view Undici’s Italian inspired menu visit http://www.undicirestaurant.com/

There is no pizza restaurant in NJ as dedicated to creating and serving the best pizza in New Jersey like Undici. Undici’s owner Victor Rallo travels to Napoli, Italy to bring the tastes of the best pizza in the world back to America and into his restaurant. The key to the perfect pizza is great dough, sauce, cheese and extra virgin olive oil.

Undici imports all of their ingredients from Italy using San Marzano tomatoes, Bufala cheese, Caputo “00″ Flour and Ligurian Olive Oil. Undici makes all of their pizzas by hand and cooks them in a wood burning oven at 800 degrees!

Making the best pizza in NJ hasn’t been easy, but Victor Rallo has dedicated himself to comparing and contrasting the pizza’s of Italy. By doing this he has been able to find the ingredients and techniques used by Italian chefs.

If you love pizza, Undici wants you to try the best pizza in NJ. Undici is located at 11 West River Rd. Rumson, NJ just minutes away from Red Bank and the beach. Undici serves more than just pizza, of course. They offer home made pasta, delicious appetizers and entrees. Some examples of their NJ pizza menu are:

• Originale Pizza: San Marzano tomato sauce, bufala mozzarella, fresh basil, Pecorino-Romano and extra virgin olive oil
• Filetti Pizza: San Marzano tomato sauce, fresh tomato, shaved onion, fresh basil, peperoncini and extra virgin olive oil
• Misto: Culatello, Prosciutto di Parma, Genoa salami, soppressata, dried hot Italian sausage, bresaola, capicolla, finocchiona, olives, fresh mozzarella, Parmigiano Reggiano, roasted almonds, crostini.
• Calamari Griglia: grilled fresh calamari, house roasted peppers, fresh arugula, toasted ciabatta and spicy ceci bean puree
• Barbabietole: fresh roasted red and golden beets, arugula, red onion, red wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and Coach Farms goat cheese
• Papalina: house made “chitarra” guitar string pasta, Prosciutto di Parma, cremini mushroom, fresh peas, light cream and Parmigiano sauce
• Costata di Maiale Agro Dolce: grilled 14oz. center cut Hatfield pork chop, sweet peppers, cherry peppers, fingerling potato, olive oil, garlic and red wine vinegar
• Spigola al Forno: fresh whole sea bass, baked in the oven with fresh lemon served with spaghetti pomodoro

Come on in, try our delicious pizzas, appetizers, salads, entrees and homemade pastas!