Having eaten at a couple of Napes’ most classic pizzerias, I was excited to be visiting Pizzeria La Notizia, home to famed Pizzaiolo chef Enzo Coccia and his less rigid, more creative approach to pizza.
Chef Coccia is a born and bred Neapolitan, coming from a family of pizzaiolos who also still own restaurants in the City. He started young, making his own pizza to sell at the tender age of just 12 before eventually opening La Notizia some twenty years ago. This was followed by a second restaurant, on the same street, just a few years ago as well as a pizza school that accepts just 4 students a month for the princely sum of $3135 (not including transport or accommodation) and so I was surprised, not to mention pleased to see him working the floor on our visit!
Looking back at my photos of the menu, I have absolutely no idea how I managed to choose which pizza to try! Several classic pizzas are available, from Marinara (6 Eu) and Margherita (7 Eu) to Capricciosa or 4 Stagioni (8 Eu) as well as a couple of pages of both “Pizza Della Tradizione” and “Pizza Creative”
The Pizza “Della Tradizione” were mostly DOP or “Denominazione di Origine Protetta” pizzas, meaning they were made using local products from specific regions of Italy, as specified by law whereas the Pizza “Creative” as the name suggests, is where the chef veers away from classic combinations whilst still focussing on top quality local ingredients.
I decided to start with a “Murzillo Saporito” (3 Eu) literally meaning a “small bite” which was a little pocket of pizza dough filled with grated pecorino, pork belly and pepper. I can’t tell you how incredibly delicious this was, surprisingly fiery black pepper (I couldn’t help but wonder if they were using Sarawak pepper as they did at Roscioli in Rome) and salty pecorino with wafer thin slices of pork belly that just melted in the mouth in the perfect marriage of flavours.
After a lot of umming and ahhhing about which pizza to choose, I eventually settled on the Pizza “San Gennaro” (7.50 Eu) with yellow “Piennolo” tomatoes, oregano, anchovies, black olives, minced parsley and basil, garlic and extra virgin olive oil.
Like San Marzano tomatoes, Piennolo are grown on the volcanic slopes of Mount Vesuvius and are one of only a few varieties of tomato that are allowed to be used for real Neapolitan pizza by the “Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana.” I really loved the combination of tart sweetness that the tomatoes had and the addition of anchovies and olives was nicely balanced by the generous usage of all the earthy herbs used. Simple perfection!
D&G both ordered from the “Pizza Creative” pages of the menu, with D choosing “La Notizia” (9.50 Eu) topped with tomatoes, buffalo milk provola and spicy roasted mushrooms and G the “Capidimonte” (10 Eu) with buffalo sausage, buffalo milk provola, Pacchetelle tomatoes, basil and extra virgin olive oil. All 3 pizzas were outstandingly good and I could really understand why there is such a buzz about La Notizia.
Of course we didn’t NEED dessert but with a Piccolo “Saltimbocca Con Cioccolato Fondante Artigianale” (3 Eu) on the menu it seemed rude not to have one last little bite to share between the 3 of us as we enjoyed an Averna. Safe to say this is the first and last time I have had a 3 course meal where each course involves pizza dough but it certainly was delicious!
With a couple of bottles of wine (around 20 Eu each) this was to be our most expensive meal in Naples, coming in at around 30 Eu per person, but it is easier to do it for a fraction of this if you were on more of a budget and still wanted to experience La Notizia, which I highly recommend you do!
La Notizia
Via Michelangelo da Caravaggio, 80126 Napoli, Italia
info@pizzarialanotizia.com
+39 081 714 21 55
Opening Hours
Sunday -Thursday 19:30am-00:30am
Friday – Saturday 19:30am-01:00 am
Closed on Mondays.
Reservations are not accepted.
A British Girl Abroad 