And..........we're back!

Hey pizza pals.  Ok, so...after an inexcusably long Pizza Break, Mister DeVizzaPizza is back!  Very sorry for the long delay in posting, everyone.  Really, I am.  And to make it up to you all, I've got a whole bunch of brand new pizza posts coming up, including a book review, some thoughts on local Philadelphia pizzerias, the Mister DeVizzaPizza Fake Pizza Place Name Contest Finals and the introduction of a very special guest blogger and regular contributor to the site.

But first, we've got some unfinished business to wrap up.  That's right, it's a full and detailed account of the first-ever Mister DeVizzaPizza vs. the Internet pizza battle.  And of course, it should come as no surprise to hear that the winner is:  The Internet!  'Cause seriously, the internet always wins, pizza friends.  Every time.  Sad and true.  Anyway, as mentioned earlier, I took another stab (after one very successful attempt a few months ago) at the Potato, Corn & Leek Pizza with Truffle Oil from The Petite Pig.  

I suppose if you had to put a name to it, this would be a kind of "gourmet" pizza, in the Ed LaDou/Chez Panisse style.  So...it's pretty tough to judge the pie by any conventional pizza standards. From sauce to toppings, the whole thing is pretty unusual.  All we can really do here is evaluate the experience as a whole...

What really stands out, ultimately and unfortunately, is the unbelievable amount of prep work required to put this particular pie together.  This pie takes a LONG time to make!  I mean, have you cleaned leeks lately?  That shit is labor intensive!  More sand in the folds than a fat guy at the beach!  Hey-oh!  And...I suppose I could've used canned or frozen corn, but it's Jersey corn season!  So there was husking and boiling and, um, de-cobbing to be done.  And boiling and slicing and seasoning and baking the potatoes, too.  Also...I typically use an uncooked simple tomato sauce on my pizzas, so putting together a cream-splashed white wine sauce was a bit more work than usual.  Now, I know what you're thinking.  "Mister DeVizzaPizza, quit your whining!"  And you're right.  Honestly, making pizza of any kind is pleasant work.  I mean, it's what I love.  And what else was I going to do with my night, anyway?  So it's not exactly a deal-breaker, all of this prep work - just something to consider when evaluating the recipe.  And really, perhaps most importantly, the results were absolutely delicious - rich, slightly sweet and complex, with an unexpected earthiness courtesy of the truffle oil.  It really is a wonderful combination of flavors - one that would very nicely carry over to another application.  Roasted leek and potato salad with grilled corn, served over baby greens tossed with truffle vinaigrette?  Maybe so, right?  Right.  And, it's worth mentioning that because there's just sooo much happening with this pie, a couple of slices go a long way.  There were plenty of leftovers here in the DevizzaPizza test kitchen.  And isn't that nice?  It is.  It really is.  

So, pizza pals...taking the elaborate prep work into consideration, I guess I'd give this Potato, Corn & Leek Pizza with Truffle Oil a solid 5 out of 8 possible slices on the Mister DevizzaPizza Pizza Rating Scale.  It's a decadent and unexpected pie, one perhaps most appropriate for a gourmet pizza party - where all of that extra work will pay off in compliments from your admiring pizza party guests!  And hey, if you ever decide to have such a get-together, don't forget to save a place at the table for your old friend in fancy toppings...

Mr. DP

Check out the slideshow below for step by step pics, and click any photo for comments or descriptions: 

Don't forget to come back tomorrow for the first round of the Mister DeVizzaPizza Fake Pizza Place Name Contest Finals!  Exciting times, pizza friends...