BRITISH foodies are more curious about food than ever before, with 80 per cent proud of their sensitive tastebuds and one in four (22 per cent) considering themselves cuisine connoisseurs with an appetite for variety and authenticity from their favourite ingredients.
In this spirit of exploration, PizzaExpress is bringing a depth of variety to the British high street as it answers the call of epi-curious eaters with the first ever tommelier Paulo Battistel, who has a sommelier-like gift for tasting tomatoes, with a palette educated for more than 30 years.
Paulo's love for the tomato started from the age of four when he helped his grandmother on her own tomato farm.
PizzaExpress has consulted the best tomato brains in Italy to bring a plethora of new varieties to its new Spring menu – including Santa, Datterino, Piccolo, Shiren, Aranca, Titi, San Marzano and Marinda.
Battistel, nicknamed 'The Tommelier', is an Italian food veteran and tomato doyenne, who has worked with PizzaExpress' head chef on developing its new tomato-mad menu using the skills of a sommelier to pick the finest tomato vines, in much the same way as restaurants take pride in providing a distinguished wine list.
When it comes to tomatoes, there really are few people who know more about these delicious taste explosions than Paulo, as this passionate Italian has spent months scouring the length and breadth of Italy to find the juiciest and tastiest tomatoes to feature in the new Spring menu, available in restaurants nationwide now.
Paulo and the head chef at PizzaExpress have conjured up a series of tantalising dishes, which are laden with the freshest, tastiest tomatoes. Choose from a selection of four delicious starters, three romana pizzas and two pastas, all of which have been specially created from the freshest Italian ingredients to honour the tomato's vitality, versatility and flavour. All the dishes contain light, fresh ingredients, which are perfect for Spring.
Among them is the simple, yet delicious tomato-laden starter Bruschetta del Sole £3.85 – freshly baked dough, topped with seasonally selected Italian tomatoes, basil leaves, extra virgin olive oil, sweet roasted yellow peppers and basil pesto.
The new Romana Quattro Pomodori pizza priced at £8.95, is an homage to Italy's favourite fruit and the perfect Spring dish with its light, fresh ingredients. Featuring seasonally selected Italian tomatoes, fresh thyme, asparagus spears and basil leaves dressed with extra virgin olive oil, on a base of tomato and pesto sauce. This delicious pizza comes highly recommended.
So, when asked to review the PizzaExpress experience, there was little doubt what I was going to plump for. The Bruschetta was to die for. As a starter, there was just enough to get your laughing gear round, to whet the appetite and leave you craving more. It was fresh, light and bursting with flavour. Clearly the boy Paulo knows what he's talking about!
Italy is like a second home to me. I've spent more holidays there than I or my bank manager care to remember. I've tasted the freshest pizza known to mankind, with the sort of ingredients that make your eyes water at the memory of a classic Italian childhood you never even had!
So when the mighty Romana Quattro Pomodori landed on a plate before my eyes, I could be forgiven for being a little dismissive as to its authenticity. One much and crunch later, however, and my eyes were rolling in the back of my head!
The combination of flavours, while simple and almost, dare I say it, basic, were like an opera exploding in my mouth. It was tangy, feisty and flavoursome. No mountains of dough here, no avalanche of cheese oozing fat all over your hands. Just hearty ingredients on the crunchiest, crispiest pizza base I've ever tasted. Mamma Mia!
In fact, everything in the meal was top class. A fruity little Nero D'Avola-Shiraz number vanished with consummate ease, while some punchy little tomatoes and garlic dough balls set off the dishes a treat.
Equally impressive was the superb service. Never in your face every ten seconds, but always on hand when you were ready to pick your next culinary victim. The ambience of the York restaurant, overlooking the River Ouse, was simply charming, especially when combined with a sumptuous selection of desserts! Sicilian lemon sorbet sent the tastebuds into a spasm of sheer joy, but star of the show as the Caffe Reale – a coffee of your choice with a side dish of baby figs and mascarpone cheese.
All that was left to do was toast Paulo's expertise with a final round of drinks. Simply superb!
