Food

Always on the lookout for unique Italian offerings, La Mozzarella has unearthed a cheese with a proud Pugliese pedigree. Hailing from the far southern region and dating back to the 14th century, the company’s caciocavallo is aged in caves for at least six months, emerging with a thin, light-brown rind and an interior the color of straw. Hard, compact and perfect for grating, it has an earthy flavor and a buttery, stony and slightly picante aftertaste. Natural, smoked and di grotta versions are available wholesale. (lamozzarella.com)

Never one to rest on its laurels, Volpi Foods has added Heritage Prosciutto to its already extensive list of artisan salumi and cured meats. The company is partnering with family farms throughout Missouri and Illinois to humanely raise and harvest high-quality heritage-breed pork. The product is aged for more than 18 months under the watchful eye of Volpi’s master salumiere, yielding a rustic flavor with a nutty finish that’s sure to stand out on any holiday charcuterie. Heritage Prosciutto is available for both wholesale and retail customers. (volpifoods.com)

  Chicago’s own Spacca Napoli was recently acknowledged by the Consorzio di Tutela Della Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP as the best Neapolitan Pizzeria outside of Italy at this year presentation of the Guida Top 50 in Naples. Earlier this year, the Chicago pizzeria was ranked among the top Italian restaurants in Chicago by Gambero Rosso. “(Owner) Jonathan Goldsmith trained under Enzo Coccia and other great pizza masters,” the Italian food and wine magazine notes. “In this way he managed to raise the palate of the Windy City to a higher level.” Non ce male, eh?

  Forza Pizza is a social network where pizza lovers can discover, share and browse pizza from anywhere in the world. The brainchild of Chicago-area native Alberto DeCicco, the website allows visitors to post favorite neighborhood spots, publish homemade creations and recipes, plan pizza vacations, and shop for “pizza swag.” Participants earn pizza points, badges and medals that could land them atop the Forza Pizza Leaderboard! Visit forzapizza.com and follow @forzapizza on Instagram.  

  Diners at the newly opened Alcentro Trattoria in Bloomingdale are in for a rare treat. Included among the restaurant’s hearty, exotic dishes are several that come straight from the hearts of owner Domenico Fronteddu and chef Daniele Sotgiu, both of whom were born and raised in Sardinia. Among the regional specialties are linguine vongole e bottarga (clams, garlic, parsley, white wine, fresh tomatoes and imported fish roe), and macarrones de punzu (semolina dumplings, lamb ragu and pecorino sardo) as well as desserts with eye-catching names like seada and pane carasau. (224-353-6047, www.alcentrotrattoria.com)  

  The North American Pizza & Culinary Academy in Lisle celebrated its grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 11. THE NAPCA offers culinary classes to students of all skill levels, including a five-day program that will allow students to earn the designation of Certified Pizzaiolo. A part of the prestigious Scuola Italiana Pizzaioli in Venice, NAPCA is one of two schools in the United States to offer this level of accreditation. Although pizza is the primary focus of the school, a wide variety of other culinary classes are offered, covering everything from basic knife skills and artisanal baking …

  Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and County Commissioner Peter Silvestri recently presented Edward Lezza, Jr. with a resolution honoring the 113-year history of Lezza Spumoni & Desserts. The resolution reads: Whereas, the origin of Lezza’s famous spumoni is in Naples, Italy; and the recipe came to Chicago’s West Side with Salvatore Lezza in 1905; and Whereas, Salvatore Lezza handed the secret of genuine spumoni down to his son Victor; and Whereas, Lezza’s spumoni is made up of four flavors of ice cream — chocolate, strawberry, rum, and pistachio — with a whipped cream center studded with candied fruit …

  Italian cuisine was on the menu for the first episode of Dishalicious, a new Chicago-based food series that airs on WTTW at 8:30 p.m. on Fridays. Hosted by Sarah Grueneberg, the award-winning owner of Monteverde and Pastificio, the show spotlights three notable local chefs each week who collaborate on a three-course meal featuring specific cuisines. Her guests for the April 6 episode were Tony Mantuano of Spiaggia and Bar Toma, Giuseppe Tentori of GT Fish and Oyster and GT Prime, and Leigh Omilinsky of Nico Osteria.  

Fra Noi advertiser Spacca Napoli ranks among the top Italian restaurants in Chicago, according to Gambero Rosso. “(Owner) Jonathan Goldsmith trained under Enzo Coccia and other great pizza masters,” the Italian food and wine magazine notes. “In this way he managed to raise the palate of the Windy City to a higher level.” The magazine credits the restaurant with the best pizza margherita in the city. Also hailed are Pelago Ristorante, Osteria Langhe, Forno Rosso, Cocco Pazzo, Due Lire Vino & Cucina, Riccardo Trattoria and Tocco.

Up against 39 other contestants, Lenny Rago of Panino’s Pizza took home the $5,000 grand prize at the Pizza Pizzazz Culinary Competition with his “Hog Heaven” pizza. Held during the Mid-America Restaurant Expo in Columbus, Ohio, the contest invites 40 pizzeria operators to battle it out in a blind taste test. Second place went to Kyle Rosch of Brenz Pizza in Chapel Hill, N.C., and third place was taken home by Craig Allenbaugh of Sauced Wood Fired Pizza in Fairview Park, Ohio.