The rise and rise of pizza is unstoppable. Town centres are populated by ubiquitous brands and London is no exception. Strada, Pizza Express, Pizza Hut, Perfect Pizza to name a few. Even in France, that bastion of gourmet food, American company Domino’s saw its sales rise by 30% in 2008. Yet this isn’t all good news. Frequently the product has the consistency of cardboard, it’s tasteless and over sweetened and can sit in the stomach like a beached whale. It’s not all doom and gloom, however, as more and more artisan Pizzerias are hitting the high street. Franco Manca has long been a gourmet beacon, shining from its home in Brixton, but it's now crossed the river and opened a branch in Chiswick.
Sourdough Starter Stolen from Ischia, an Island near Naples
Giuseppe Mascoli comes from the southern Italian town of Positano. Before he could open his restaurant he turned his kitchen into a dough laboratory and spent months experimenting with different recipes. Finally he decided to go for sourdough, a mix not made from yeast but from a starter culture. And he persuaded his friends to steal the starter from a bakery on Ischia, near Naples. Apparently it dates from at least the 1730’s and as Giuseppe says, “If it’s that old, it’s likely to be good”.
Giuseppe Mascoli Waits 20 Hours for His Dough to Rise
The Italian Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana is an organization dedicated to maintaining high standards for pizza. Its rules dictate that the dough be allowed to rise for a minimum of 6 hours. At Franco Manca, Giuseppe has taken this one stage further and his dough rests for at least 20 hours. He’s also installed a wood burning brick oven, built on site by craftsmen from Naples. It weighs over eight tons and cooks the pizzas at temperatures of 500 degrees centigrade. This way they only spend 40 seconds in the oven, guaranteeing a crust with the ultimate combination of crispness and chewiness.
Tomatoes Imported from Salerno, Italy, Olives from Spain, Ham from British Gloucester Old Spots
So, with a decent crust, the quality of the topping is critical. Giuseppe champions artisan production and eco-sustainability. He imports organic tomatoes from Salerno in Italy, the olives and olive oil come from a single producer in Spain and the Chorizo is from the Spanish Delicatessen Brindisa. But it’s the locally-sourced ingredients which shine. Pork from Gloucester Old Spot pigs is cured on the premises to produce old recipe cooked ham and other meats also come from rare breeds.
Organic Mozzarella Sourced from Alham Wood Farm in Somerset
He was also keen to find a source of local mozzarella. Alham Wood farm, in Somerset, is home to over 200 water buffalo and 25 dairy cows. The Woods have been making organic cheeses for over ten years but, until recently hadn’t had much success with mozzarella. Franco Manca came to the rescue and sent them Albino Scalzitti, an organic producer from the southern Italian Apennines, to show them where they were going wrong. Now they have an exclusive contract to supply organic mozzarella and ricotta to the restaurant.
Organic Non-Sulphite Wine Supplied by Ottavio Rube of Valli Unite in Piedmont
Franco Manco’s wines are also organic. They come from Ottavio Rube, founder of the Valli Unite cooperative in Piedmont. The vineyard is cyclical and self-sustained and pesticides and fungicides are banned, as is the addition of sulphites. He believes in producing a product with character and is completely against what he calls “Plastic surgery wine”.
Menu Limited to Just 6 Pizzas at a Great Price
Forget about the weird and wonderful toppings that you can find at most pizza chains. Franco Manca limits itself to just 6, although there are also daily specials, depending on seasonality:
- Tomato, mozzarella and basil
- Mozzarella, buffalo ricotta and wild mushroom
- Gloucester Old Spot ham, mozzarella and tomato
- Tomato, garlic, oregano, capers, olives, anchovy and mozzarella
- Tomato, cured organic chorizo and mozzarella
- Tomato, garlic and oregano
The other surprise is that the pizzas are astoundingly good value, cheaper than the local takeaways. They start at just over four pounds and the most expensive are less than seven. The average price per head, including drinks, is less than £11.
Slightly Sour Crust is Complemented by the Sweetness of Organic Tomatoes & Buttery Mozzarella
Quality at this price is extraordinary. The dough is thin and crispy yet elastic on the inside, and the base and edges are pleasantly dappled with tiny scorch spots. The crust tastes slightly sour but is perfectly offset by the sweetness of the tomatoes and the butteriness of the organic mozzarella. It’s delicious.
At the moment, Giuseppe only plans a handful of restaurants and is not going for global domination. He’s happy to remain an artisan producer and has no dreams of becoming a food baron. But things can change…Until they do, it’s worth a special trip to Brixton or Chiswick to sample the best pizza in Britain.
- Franco Manca, 144 Chiswick High Road, Chiswick, London W4 1PU - 020 8747 4822
- Franco Manca, 4 Market Row, Electric Lane, Brixton, London SW9 8LD - 020 7738 3021
Rupert Parker - Rupert Parker is journalist, photographer, cameraman and TV Producer. He specializes in factual programming and has worked for the BBC, ...
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