Dining review: Wood-fired sourdough at Pizza Riccardo in Narrabeen

Pizza Riccardo makes its pizza with wood-fired sourdough and traditional Italian ingredients.

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HOW long does it take to cook a pizza?

From dough to go, according to pizza maestro Alex Simcic, it’s not long at all.

Pizza Riccardo’s blast furnace of an oven is stoked with ironbark and redwood so it heats up to an impressive 450degC. Pop in a pizza and it will cook in little over a minute.

Done well, pizza has to be one of the best and most satisfying street foods. It’s simple, quick, portable and definitely more-ish.

Alex Simcic with a selection of antipasto and grissini.

This Narrabeen newcomer (it has only been open since January) ticks those boxes and makes its pizzas the traditional Neapolitan way. And, and as point of difference, they’re made with wood-fired sourdough.

In true Neapolitan fashion, the dough is kneaded by hand after being left to rise. The bases are naturally leavened using imported Caputo flour and allowed to prove between 24 and 48 hours. The fun part is watching the dexterous pizza chef stretching and rolling the bases on his marble-topped workbench.

Traditional pizzas have to be no more than 35cm wide and they must use the right ingredients, Simcic says.

Pizza Riccardo’s red-based pizzas are topped with imported San Marzano tomato. For di latte (a cow’s milk mozzarella), cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil and grana padano are must haves.

The dough bros — Simcic and his brother Robert — are purists. They insist on traditional and the best Italian toppings like provolone picante, gorgonzola dolce, buffalo mozzarella and scamorza — a cow’s milk cheese that’s similar to mozzarella — as well as homemade pork and fennel sausages, salumi and prosciutto di San Danielle, which is sliced on the restaurant floor.

The buffalo mozzarella and burrata board.

If the interior seems familiar — or that name rings a few bells — it did with us — then chances are you will know the Simcics from previous northern beaches’ venues. Past connections include Pizzeria e Cucina and Brother Albert in Newport.

This time they’ve chosen Narrabeen for their latest Italian venture. This main road eatery is decked with a surprisingly soft interior — even though it is all bare brick and naked bulbs in that contemporary interior design sort of way. Garlic and chilli add that Italian touch, hanging from wire grid attached to the ceiling and cosy booths line one of the walls.

Food wise Pizza Riccardo has plenty to keep customers coming back for more. There’s handmade grissini to nibble on. Of course it comes with EVO and balsamic, as well as cured meats, and antipasto platters. packed with chargrilled vegetables, or salumi, cheeses, and zucchini flowers.

Make it through to dessert, and classic Italian dolci includes tiramisu and cannoloni Siciliani filled with ricotta, choc chip and candied peel and served with orange tart gelato.

Dessert time — cannoli Sicilliani.

But it’s pizzas that customers really want. Pizza Riccardo has eight red-based ones and six white-based pizzas. There’s a classic margherita, topped with tomato, fior di latte, grated grana pandano, EVO and a scattering of basil leaves. They’re simple ingredients that leave nowhere to hide.

Want a pizze bianche? Patate, topped with fior di latte, potato, Italian sausage, rosemary and truffle oil has been winning fans, Simcic explains.

Sibling rivalry extends to the pizzas. Both brothers created their own Italian style pizzas.

Di Roberto comes with tomato, garlic, chilli, capers, olives, oregano, anchovies and grated pecorino Romano.

Di Alesandro delivers tomato, fior di latte, gorgonzola dolce, sopressa and roast capsicum.

Sorry boys, there’s no contest as far as we’re concerned — Alessandro’s sopressa and gorgonzola combo is too much to resist.

Salsiccia e friarielli, or an Italian sausage and broccoli rabe, one of Pizza Riccardo’s white pizzas.

Twenty four hours to prove and one minute in the oven, takes just a couple of minutes to devour — sourdough crusts and all.

Twitter: @beverley_hudec

Essentials

Pizza Riccardo

2/1421 Pittwater Rd, Narrabeen

Phone: [phone]

Open: Tuesday to Sunday, from 5pm. Takeaways available

Go for: Di Alessandro pizza, $21; margherita pizza, $18; deep fried zucchini flowers, $16; cannoli Sciliani with orange tart gelato, $14

BYO: wine only, corkage $3.50 per person

Vibe: A slice of perfect pizza heaven