Orange Zest: Hey Sailboard- what gotchu stoked into windsurfing, my dude?
Sail: While I didn’t get my cutie mark the first year, I did the second year when I was the only one to catch the wind! How ‘bout you Zest? What drew you to surfing?
LIFT | 3 pizza recipes from master pizzaiolo & Chef's Table star Franco Pepe
Our cookbook of the week is Franco Pepe: Pizza Chef by the founder of the famed Italian pizzeria Pepe in Grani. Jump to recipes: the “secrhttps://vancouversun.com/life/food/pizza-recipes-franco-pepeet recipe” for pizza dough, il sole nel piatto, memento, straccetti with honey and rosemary.
Franco Pepe is widely recognized as one of the world’s best pizza chefs. “A pioneer of terroir-driven pizza,” the Italian pizzaiolo was named No. 2 at the 2025 Best Pizza Awards in Milan last July after taking the top spot for the previous two consecutive years. Pepe in Grani, his eponymous restaurant in Caiazzo, in the southern Italian region of Campania, has become a global sensation.
A third-generation baker and pizza-maker, he opened Pepe in Grani in 2012. In his hometown, roughly 50 kilometres from Naples, Pepe carries on the family tradition while charting his own course. Building on lessons from Neapolitan pizza masters and finding inspiration in haute cuisine, Pepe continues to make pizza by hand, using the same techniques as his grandfather, Francesco, and father, Stefano.Article contentHandmade dough is the foundation for Pepe’s pizza experimentation, which showcases the flavours of his territory: the countryside around Caiazzo in the province of Caserta.
Pepe shared his pizza philosophy in an episode of the 2022 Netflix documentary series Chef’s Table: Pizza. In his new book, Franco Pepe: Pizza Chef (Phaidon, 2025), the renowned pizzaiolo shares more of his path to pizza fame alongside 30 recipes for home cooks, including his handmade dough. After turning down opportunities to write a book for the past 13 years, Pepe says it felt like the right time to tell his story.Article contentPepe spoke with National Post by video call with his executive assistant Alfredo Vito serving as interpreter. The interview was edited for clarity and length
What inspired you to write the book, what do you hope readers take away from it?
The idea was to inspire the younger generation of pizzaioli and, in general, the people who are reading this book. Even if the medium is different — because I’ve always tried to do that through a pizza — now, I’m trying to do that with a book. The message behind the book is very deep. It’s about believing in your ideas, even without financial backing. Because if you develop competence and a strong will, you can have a course, a story, a path, and you’ll be doing great things.
You’ve said the magic of a pizza is in its dough. What do you strive for in yours?
I strive to use the dough as a universal language because I don’t speak other languages, but I do speak the language of food. If you use the dough as a tool, you can tell a really great story. The story is about the farmers, the producers, the ingredients of our territory that can be read on a pizza.
Flour is often overlooked. How important is it in pizza making?
Starting in 1938, there have been three generations of bakers in my family. Not only pizzaioli, but bakers, because my grandfather was a bread maker, and then my father started making pizza, and now I make pizza. So, the main ingredient has always been the flour, not the pizza.
Nowadays, we have our own flour that’s called “0 Pepe” (a custom blend that changes by the season and harvest year, created in collaboration with Molino Piantoni), which speaks to the evolution of the project, Pepe in Grani.
Today, many pizzaioli are trying to shock the clients with the toppings. They’re forgetting about the fact that, actually, it’s the dough that’s the main actor — the protagonist in this story.
What does making your dough entirely by hand bring to your pizza process?
First, it’s about legacy: three generations of bakers making handmade dough. Whether for bread or for pizza, it’s important for me to keep my legacy very vivid. And then, I believe that we’re letting the machine do too much in some situations. It’s important to have a handmade dough because you can use your hands and activate your senses. A machine, unfortunately, doesn’t have any human-like senses.
I like how you put it in the book, that some things — like your dough recipe — deserve to be kept secret. How does this recipe compare to the one you use at Pepe in Grani?
The one we use isn’t actually that far away from the recipe in the book. But there are some little things that you only know if you have the competence, if you know specifically what you’re talking about, and what you’re kneading with your hands. It takes time and experience.
What do you value most about your collaborations with local producers and showcasing regional ingredients in the book?
Pepe in Grani isn’t just a pizzeria. It’s a project. The initial aim was to strive for a pizza that could tell a story, so that people could see what the ingredients, the farmers and producers were all about. It’s important for us to continue doing this and maintain a close bond with our territory. The idea behind it that gives power to everything is that we’re not trying to just sell a pizza. But we’re trying to offer a complete experience to our guests, so they can live this experience that’s not only about eating. For example, you’re not coming here to eat just one pizza, but you’re usually having a tasting menu that tells the story, and you have all these different ingredients. You can also sleep at the pizzeria, because we have rooms here. Then, perhaps the next morning, you can go on a tour of our territory and look at all the producers and their work. For example, you can see how mozzarella is made.
You honed your craft in Naples. How has being unconcerned about what is “real,” “true” or “authentic” Neapolitan pizza freed you up to develop your own style?
It was a combination of two factors. One was that I felt the desire to do s/t different, and the other was a necessity. When I looked around, I found in traditional pizza making, there was a sort of standing point. No one was pushing past it. There was no evolution in the ingredients or in the way of cooking them. I felt it was necessary to evolve and to create my own path.
How has drawing on haute cuisine allowed you to express yourself with pizza?
Years before opening Pepe in Grani, I visited other chefs, such as those in Rome. It was a turning point. I began to understand that I could use ingredients on pizza in a different way — in a new, innovative way. This experience was very important because I understood that people wanted to see something new.
How do you hope pizza in Italy continues to evolve?
In 2025, I was honoured by the Italian govt with title of “Master of the White Arts” — that means of all the flour-based arts. (The Maestro d’Arte e Mestiere for pizza.) The future lies in this position, and the fact we now have the opportunity to talk about the figure of the pizzaiolo. We can have an impact at the govt level to institutionalize the figure of a pizzaiolo—to create a movement where all younger pizzaioli can be inspired & taught by people with the competence to instruct them.
A note on toppings: Pepe uses ingredients specific to his region, such as Cetara anchovies and Alife onions. “Some products are one of a kind & impossible to substitute.” Use versions local to you to make pizzas that tell the story of your land.
PIZZA DOUGH
2 lb 3 oz (1 kg) Italian type 0 flour
23 3/4 fl oz (700 mL) water
1 oz (30 g) fine salt
1 1/2 tsp (4 g) fresh yeast (see note)
Day 1
In a container, preferably a small madia or wooden bowl, put 1 lb 12 oz (800 g) of the flour on one side and 23 fl oz (680 mL) of water at 50F (10C) on the other side.
Add the salt to the water and dissolve.
Combine the flour with the water and start to knead, folding the dough over on itself. Once the flour is incorporated, dissolve the yeast in 3/4 fl oz (20 mL) water at 77-82F (25-28C) and add to the dough.
Continue to knead, adding another 3 1/2 oz (100 g) of the flour.
The dough will still be quite runny. At this point, rest the dough for 30 minutes at room temperature (75-79F/24-26C).
After 30 minutes, the dough should have stabilized. Using a dough scraper, gather the dough together in the container. Then turn the dough out onto a floured wooden work surface and knead by folding, sprinkling with the remaining flour as needed, until you have a soft, smooth dough. Transfer the dough from the work surface to a glass bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
Let the dough rest for 3 hours at room temperature, then refrigerate overnight.
Day 2
The next morning, take the dough out of the refrigerator and keep it at room temperature for at least 2 hours. Place the dough on the work surface, then divide it into 7-oz (200-g) portions. Gather each portion into a ball, using a repeated dough-rounding motion with the hand, with the dough still on the work surface — a technique known as “pirling.” Place the balls in a wooden proofing box dusted with flour until they come to a temperature of about 70F (21C). The dough will be ready to make into pizzas after around 90 minutes.
On a floured marble work surface, gently press and stretch the balls into disks, leaving the edges all around unpressed to form the crust. Add toppings as desired (see recipes), and bake in a pizza oven at 840F (450C) for 2-4 minutes, depending on the oven.
If using a standard oven at home, it’s better to make two pan pizzas. Oil your hands and spread the dough (you may need around 1 lb 2 oz-1 lb 5 oz/500-600 g per pizza) directly into an oiled pan and let rest for 30 minutes. Bake at 430F (220C) for 20-35 minutes, depending on the thickness of the pizza and topping.
Note: If you can’t find fresh yeast, use 3/4 teaspoon (1.6 grams) of active dry yeast and dissolve it in warm water as directed in Step 3 before incorporating it into the dough.
IL SOLE NEL PIATTO
Makes: 1 pizza
10 oz (280 g) pizza dough
1 1/4 oz (120 g) Mozzarella di Bufala di Campania PDO, sliced
3 1/2 oz (100 g) Piennolo del Vesuvio PDO canned cherry tomatoes, drained
3/4 oz (20 g) Caiazzane black olives, pitted
1 1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 1/2 oz (40 g) Cetara anchovy fillets in oil
8 fresh basil leaves
Pinch of Matese oregano, dried
Directions
Stretch the dough into a disk, leaving a uniform crust around the entire circumference.
Top the pizza with sliced mozzarella and the tomatoes. These cherry tomatoes are canned in a light brine and retain the flavour of fresh tomatoes. Add the olives, drizzle with the 1 1/2 teaspoons of oil, and bake for 1 minute 30 seconds-2 minutes at 790-840F (420-450C). Once cooked, add the anchovies, basil and oregano to the pizza, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, and serve.
MEMENTO
Makes: 1 pizza
For the Alife onion purée:
2 3/4 fl oz (80 mL) extra virgin olive oil
14 oz (400 g) of Alife onions, peeled and minced
1 tsp (5 g) of fine salt
For the Caiatini chickpea cream:
10 oz (300 g) dried Caiatini chickpeas
1 bay leaf
2 cloves of garlic
Fine salt to taste
3 tsp extra virgin olive oil
For the pizza:
10 oz (280 g) pizza dough
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for dressing
1/3 oz (10 g) Alife onion, julienned
5 oz (150 g) Alife onion purée
2 oz (60 g) Caiatini chickpea cream
1 1/2 oz (40 g) of wild chicory
Black pepper, to taste
Directions
For the Alife onion purée
To make the onion purée, heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the onions. Sauté the onions until soft and until all the liquid they release has evaporated. Then add a glass of water (about 6 fl oz/180 mL) and let cook over low heat. Once the water has evaporated and the onion is cooked, remove from the heat and purée with a stick blender. Season with the salt and leave to cool before using on the pizza. The remainder will keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
For the Caiatini chickpea cream
For the chickpea cream, soak the chickpeas in water overnight. On the day of cooking, fill a saucepan with water, add the bay leaf and garlic, and salt the water. Then add the soaked chickpeas and cook for 2 hours. Drain the chickpeas, removing the bay leaf and garlic, and blend in a blender, gradually adding the oil. The remainder will keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
For the pizza
Heat the 2 teaspoons of oil in a pan to 355F (180C). Pat the julienned onion strips dry with a paper towel, and fry in the oil for 2 minutes. On the work surface, stretch the dough into a disk, leaving a uniform crust around the entire circumference.
Spread the pizza with the onion purée and bake for 1 minute 30 seconds-2 minutes at 790-840F (420-450C).
Once cooked, slice the pizza and top each slice with chickpea cream, followed by wild chicory dressed with oil, the crunchy fried onions, and seasoned with pepper.
STRACCETTI WITH HONEY AND ROSEMARY
Serves: 2
3 1/2 oz (100 g) pizza dough
1/2 oz (15 g) superfine sugar
1 tsp (5 g) of ground cinnamon
1 tsp (3 g) fresh rosemary, chopped
Orange zest, grated, to taste
1 1/2 oz (40 g) Caiazzo wildflower honey
1 vanilla bean
1 3/4 oz (50 g) buffalo ricotta cheese
Sunflower oil, for deep-frying
Directions
Roll out the dough evenly on a work surface and use a pastry cutter to cut out a large number of strips, 1/2 inch (1 cm) wide and 2 inches (5 cm) long. Heat plenty of sunflower oil in a large pan to 390-430F (200-220C, and deep-fry the strips for about 60 seconds, until golden.
Mix two-thirds of superfine sugar with cinnamon & use it to dust fried strips.
Arrange straccetti on a plate & sprinkle with chopped rosemary, grated orange zest, and honey. Combine vanilla seeds from bean with remaining sugar, stir through the ricotta cheese, and serve in a small bowl alongside the straccetti.
RE: In Italy this guy is honoured with the title: “Master of the White Arts” this is what they call someone who can make bread, can you imagine that? It's like more outstanding than being an information ninja, you can transform a pill of dust into a delicious meal. I started down this road 15yrs ago, but if I'm honest I never thought I'd see the day every attempt would turn out as expected. It's a tough slog, many failures, and long periods of never wanting to try it ever again. I want to give everyone who continues to make their own bread a round of applause, not everyone gets to do what you do. I myself still have never made a bagel nor a sourdough, this is my year of donuts, babysteps onward :)
there's still 2d left on the bread poll, I love how this guy makes his bread in a food troft or wooden baby cradle..JESUS slept in lol :P He's clearly serious about making Breaaaaaad
