Bianco: Pizza, Pasta, and Other Food I Like

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Now the owner of a legendary pizza mecca and a James Beard award-winning chef, Chris Bianco brings us a full-color, fully illustrated cookbook illuminating the fundamentals of pizza making, from the basics of flour and water to the philosophy behind Biancos cooking.

He had no idea that it would one day be dubbed “the best pizza in America” and play a seminal role in the artisanal pizza movement.Chris also mentioned that he likes flour in the 13-14% protein range, and uses hydrations around 74% so that the dough is hard to work with and you almost have to "coax" it into shape.

Bianco won the James Beard Award for Best Chef Southwest in 2003 and helped spawn a generation of independent and artisanal pizzerias, lending his advice, wisdom, and food philosophies to dozens of fellow chefs and restaurateurs. Bianco celebrates both the simple and the nuanced, revealing the methods that lead to the perfect crust, the sweetest tomato sauce, the creamiest mozzarella, and the most expertly balanced flavor combinations. In 2003, Bianco became the first pizza maker to receive a regional James Beard Award (Best Chef, Southwest).When making Neapolitan pizza, I still prefer San Marzanos such as Strianese or Cento passed through a food mill to create a silkier and more tangy melt in your mouth texture. With its attention to detail and tips for making unforgettable, flavorful pizzas, Bianco is an essential manual for anyone serious about pizza, pasta, and more. When asked if the recipes are the same as the ones Bianco uses every day at his restaurant, he says he “didn’t dumb anything down” but confirmed they had been adapted for the home baker. He explains the magic trio of flour, water and tomatoes, the science of leavening and bringing your food together with 'fire and smoke' - or the simple domestic oven and hob. Consequently, serious pizza makers will want to add supplementary titles such as Jim Lahey's My Pizza and Ken Forkish's The Elements of Pizza.