Pizza Czar: Recipes and Know-How from a World-Traveling Pizza Chef

by Anthony Falco, Evan Sung (Photographer), Molly Tavoletti (Photographer)

In his comprehensive first book, legendary pizza czar Anthony Falco teaches you everything you need to know to make pizza wherever you are, drawing from his singular experience opening pizzerias around the globe 
 
If there’s one thing the entire world can agree on, it’s pizza. It just might be the world’s favorite food. In every climate, in every region, in every kind of kitchen, there’s pizza to be had, infused with local flavor. In this definitive book, filled with hacks, tips, and secret techniques never before shared, International Pizza Consultant Anthony Falco brings the world of pizza to your kitchen, wherever you are.
 
After eight years at the famous Brooklyn restaurant Roberta’s, culminating with his position as Pizza Czar, Falco pivoted from the New York City food scene to the world, traveling to Brazil, Colombia, Kuwait, Panama, Canada, Japan, India, Thailand, and all across the United States. His mission? To discover the secrets and spread the gospel of making the world’s favorite food better. Now the planet’s leading expert pizza consultant, he can make great pizza 8,000 feet above sea level in Bogotá or in subtropical India, and he can certainly help you do it at home. An exhaustive resource for absolutely any pizza cook, teaching mastery of the classics and tricks of the trade as well as completely unique takes on styles and recipes from around the globe, Pizza Czar is here to help you make world-class pizza from anywhere on the map.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Nonfiction

272 pages, Hardcover

Published May 18, 2021

Reviews

[Pattie Tierney]

If the name Anthony Falco sounds familiar to you, there’s a reason for that. The former Pizza Czar of Roberta‘s in Brooklyn, New York, is now an internationally known pizza consultant. Imagine having a job like that, but Falco has earned it. When it comes to pizza, his knowledge and experience is a gift to us all.

His new book, Pizza Czar: Recipes and Know How from a World Traveling Pizza Chef, is a winner. If the photos alone don’t suck you in, the recipes will. Now if, like me, you don’t make your own pizza crust, not to worry, while his crust is no doubt excellent, it does call for a bit of dedication in that you need to keep and maintain a starter in order to make it. I learned my lesson years ago when my sole effort at making pizza crust was not unlike the efforts of Lucy Ricardo and Ethel Mertz and their bread baking. You Boomers will remember that episode. So, instead of making my own, I buy pizza dough from local merchants. If, however, you do want to make your own dough, there is absolutely everything you need to know right here in this book.

His commentary and introduction to each recipe is educational and charming. What I particularly love about this book is the creativity, cleverness, and variety of toppings.

I love the way that he not only tells you what vegetables to use, but gives you instructions on how to prepare them beforehand. The oven-roasted fancy mixed mushrooms I found to be excellent alongside a steak, so this book goes beyond just pizza.

Imagine if you will, a Brazilian mashed potato pizza. How about a brussels sprouts pizza? Roasted eggplant pizza? It may be a way to get the kids to eat their veggies. No? Then you will surely love the special pizza, veggie lovers pan pizza, or the spicy pepperoni Sicilian pizza. Thus far my favorite recipe for pizza is his Bolognese pizza. There is just something about that zigzag of béchamel sauce squeezed over the top that makes this outstanding. Who knew?

For those of us who enjoy cold pizza for breakfast, why not have a hot one and make his Potato, Egg, and Cheese Pizza?

There are also recipes for pasta; the pesto alla Trapanese he is a true winner. Here Falco provides what I consider to be the best recipe for ranch dressing that I have ever tasted.

With directions on how to turn your kitchen oven into a restaurant-style pizza oven, the best cheeses and olive oils to buy, flours to use (for you crust people) and a taste-tempting salad or two, anyone and everyone who loves Italian food or pizza is going to love this book.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book for review as a member of Abrams Dinner Party.

[anklecemetery]

So far I've made the pizza sauce (exceedingly simple recipe) and am resigned to the knowledge that maybe I do need to buy a better class of canned tomato. Will report back once I make the dough recipe.

[Melany]

Written in a chatty manner, with lots of mouthwatering photos. The sauce recipe is simple but tasty and doesn’t require hours on the stove. If you like pineapple on your pizza (yum) you must try oven roasting, then puréing it before you top a pizza with it. It will blow your mind. I’m vegan and I was able to successfully substitute cruelty free ingredients for most of the recipes, with good outcomes. I recommend this book for any cookbook/pizza lover out there.

[Joseph Scafide]

Cover some of the basics of making a pizza but not for beginners. I like the pictures and recipes. Will definitely try out a few. Some helpful hints and glad to learn about Lloydspans.com been looking for Detroit style pizza pans.

[Stephanie Osborne]

Eh it was okay. Kind of the same thoughts and self promotion over and over. I was looking for a bit more instruction and not snarky commentary. But got a few ideas to try and no more than ever want a pizza oven

[Bookish]

Achievable results for a wide variety of delicious pies.

[Gary]

Instead read Joy of Pizza or Mastering Pizza or Pizza Camp or The Elements of Pizza.

[Tammy]

Book has interesting information about pizza in different cultures. It includes recipes for different types of crusts, sauces and of course a wide variety of toppings and topping combinations. He also included a few favorite recipes that aren't pizza at the end.

[Regina Mascia]

LOVE!!!!!

[Livia Bambanek]

It presented some ideas that were new to me. Some of the flavor combos are great, especially if you are new to pizza.

[Jeanette]

Really not AT ALL for someone who is an average homemaker or cook or house chef, but much more for a professional with a kitchen of multi vast and specific equipment.

This is nearly totally egocentric too, within his own experiences. Can I say he was a vegan until he was an adult with a background of sometimes parents. Well, the onus and overall equivalencies for several values beyond only making doughs, cooking or pizza forms- it shows vastly in this recipe book.

But my main problem with the book was that it was so stymied by HIS experiences of location and forms. For one thing, you have "a starter" measured for each dough recipe- every one. And the starter equivalency or components are not listed to making or components of useable product until THE END OF THE BOOK. UGH! (And not at the very end either but buried on page 242 with no index). And even then, as a person who has make bread and pizza doughs for 50 plus years- the information was TERRIBLE for these starters resulting descriptions. You need to see, show- my guess. This was not it. At all.

Do know he does not use the types of quick action (dried) yeast that are most readily available to most USA or in many other continent urban locations. Not even some with very good pizza toppings, treatments, he has recorded, devised.

The recipes are so variable to authenticity (where is Detroit crust or Chicago anything) that I have great pause to say they are NOT authentic- but what has been included. From my years of travel? So many gaps is saying it nicely. This is all about Falco and recipes he likes or uses. GOOD LUCK WITH THAT duplication attempt! I have had no friends with "starters" for at least 3 decades now. We buy yeast in stores.

I have grave misgivings about the flour composites, as well. Not always true for "best" these percentages, for one thing. Even the most ingenious pizza enclaves of success might argue there too. These are HIS recipes. Done under his pizza oven conditions. Remember that temperature needed.

Well, if you are SUPER brave or want to make your own starter. Good luck with that. I mean it and hope it sours to some level which does not harm. And although the tomato base or product facts were mostly clear and accurate? Well you could grow your own and make a roasted tomato sauce as good as anything from anywhere in a can. Even San Marzano tomatoes.

[Fiore]

Written and organized in way that is vaguely obnoxious but with enough fun and insight into the history of pizza and respectful tidbits of pizza opinions around the world that I did very much enjoy it. Also, fun flavor combos, especially into trying the lamb sausage pizza and the potato, egg, and cheese pizza recipes.

[Maureen]

If you're read quality pizza books before (Forkish, Beddia, etc.) there's not much new here- still, very pretty pictures, interesting layout and some good tips. If anyone knows of a good pizza book that offers a host of unique topping ideas, combinations or ingredients to try, hit me up.

[Donnie Burtless]

I’ve owned this book for 4 years and finally read through this whole thing. Would have been great to have these pizza tips years ago, at this point I’ve learned most of these tips but I’ve got some good topping recipes to try out.

[April]

Visually enticing with interesting stories. Step-by-step seems useful, but I’m too busy to recreate. I’ve saved the 1980s Pizza Hut inspired buttercrust pizza recipe for another time. Fingers crossed.

[Rhonda]

I wanted to like it. The recipes are ok but the prose is pompous. There are a lot of pizza books out there and I own a lot of them. This one ranks in the middle.

[Dray]

If you are serious about every aspect of creating consistent Lu great pies, this is your book. Worth reading twice and having as a reference.

[Lisa Blankenship]

I didn’t really like it. I am just learning and found it difficult to follow. If I was more advanced maybe I would of liked it more.

[Brooke]

I don't often read a cookbook cover to cover, but I found the science of baking pizza fascinating.