Excursion: Pizza Art

Okay - I promise NOT to flood the blog with neighborhood food finds, now that there are so many great spots right around the corner from my apartment. But, can I just mention that the real jewels of Chicago are in its neighborhoods? That's where the city's real, quirky personality shines, and where you can find talented people doing amazing things that are often shockingly affordable. If you are visiting the city, please do not limit yourself to "downtown". Or, if you do, please do not tell me that you did. Please.

Okay, enough of my rant. I need to tout Pizza Art. When we moved into our new place, Pizza Art was easy to overlook (it has since gotten a much needed face lift via a new awning and windows). But, always on the lookout for good food, I couldn't pass up trying a place that was only a few blocks from my front door. Plus, it was always packed when we walked by - an incredibly inviting intimate space with a warm glow spilling out onto the street on those chilly fall nights. It was undeniable. Those people looked happy.

It didn't take long for us to find out why. One order of the House Specialty Jasmin's Bruschette and we were hooked. This wasn't your typical crostini, but rather a pillowy, inflated "pita", enveloped in the most perfect and intoxicating garlic aroma, and loaded with the truest basil, olive oil, tomato, and (surprise) feta flavors one could ask for.

Of course, pizzas are the thing to order - Neapolitan inspired and baked in a brick oven (maybe that was part of the glow - the oven faces the street), they are not to be missed. A house salad, with classic balsamic vinaigrette, the Bruschette, and a single pizza are enough for two, but it can be hard to order only one pizza with so many enticing options. We favor the Diavola, which has hot green peppers added to its traditional tangy tomato sauce, rich mozzarella, and salty salame (caution - it can be quite spicy), but also like the Quattro Stagioni (quarters of artichoke, green olives, mushrooms, and ham), the Proscuitto, and even the Calzone. Recently, I also ventured out and ordered something from the "other side" of the menu - the Risotto agli Scampi, which featured creamy risotto rice complemented by a lemony, herbaceous sauce, and perfectly cooked shrimp. The touch of dill included was just the thing to give it that special little kick - I didn't regret taking the risk!

The bonus - Pizza Art is a pleasantly affordable BYO. Bring your favorite Zin or a red sauce-friendly Italian Red to perfectly complement your meal.

Pizza with Figs, Prosciutto, Gorgonzola, and Arugula

After a bit of a hiatus from the kitchen, this week I decided to break in our new pizza stone with a recipe that utilizes, of all things, arugula. I have really been in love with the arugula from the farmers' market this spring and summer, so I was glad to come across this fancy, but deceptively easy, way to use my latest bunch.

The recipe for Pizza with Figs, Prosciutto, Gorgonzola, and Arugula is from the August issue of Bon Appetit magazine, and it is quick enough even for a weeknight meal (it doesn't include making the crust from scratch, which helps, though one certainly could do just that if one were so inclined). I used a very good balsamic, and found that the sweet musky flavor of the balsamic, as well as the figs, nicely balanced out the saltiness of the prosciutto. The spicy arugula also made a great foil for the rich Gorgonzola. For this reason, I can't stress enough how important I think it is to eat the pizza with the arugula on top, as suggested in the recipe. This pizza is really about the whole package. Incidentally, it was great the next day for lunch too.

The recipe for Pizza with Figs, Prosciutto, Gorgonzola, and Arugula can be found at epicurious.com

Note that while I'm sure the fig balsamic really ties the whole pizza together, it's probably unnecessary. I used a good regular balsamic and the result was still quite delicious.