Top This: Gaeta Olives and Roasted Grapes (à la Hostaria del Piccolo)

[Photographs: Kelly Bone]

When you hear a pizzeria is importing most of their ingredients from Italy, it's natural to assume you're going to get a Neapolitan-style pizza. But that's not the case at Santa Monica's Hostaria del Piccolo. Chef Germano Minin hails from the northeastern city of Palmanova and is making a pie to reflect his region. He cites fellow northern Italian Simone Padoan, of I Tigli, as the main influence for his droop-less, hardy crust.

The Caprino, topped with mozzarella, goat cheese, Gaeta olives and grapes, is a seemingly simple, but carefully conceived combination. After a number of trial runs, Chef Minin ended up with either a grape juice soggy crust, or a pizza topped with scorching grape grenades. The briny Gaeta olives add just enough "bite to balance the sweet grapes."

What You'll Need

• 1 portion of dough
• Sliced grapes
• Pitted Gaeta olives
• Feta
• Mozzarella
• Extra virgin olive oil

Hostaria del Piccolo

606 Broadway Street Santa Monica, CA 90401 (map) 310-393-6633; hostariadelpiccolo.com

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