Spacca Napoli

Spacca Napoli is about a ten minute walk from our apartment, which we have lived in since June. We've been trying to have dinner at Spacca Napoli since then. Finally Kelsey and I got in Friday night for a 6pm reservation, like an 83 year old couple :) Safe to say, we get why this place is constantly packed with families, big groups, and dates: Spacca Napoli is authentic and amazing. 

My date, clearly going very well and starting off the evening by being the obnoxious people in the place! We each had a glass of Barbera and decided to split some appies before deciding on which pie to get. The fresh chunk of burrata brought us back to the buffalo farm in Campagna and the fried zuchinni blossoms reminded me of home, since they are one of my dad's specialities. I guess it really showed we had lived in Italy when we both ordered our own pizzas, and finished them, after splitting two starters.

We went with two specials of the day: the most incredible mountain of burrata with olive oil and toast and fried zucchini blossoms stuffed with roasted peppers, ricotta, and a hint of anchovy. 

Come on... so delish! 

The cheese and flowers could have been a meal on their own if I wasn't splitting, but the pizza was just too tempting.

Kels was clearly quite eager to dive into that Puttanesca, which comprised of San Marzano tomatoes, fior di latte (cow's milk mozzarella), grape tomatoes, anchovies, black olives, capers, parmigiano reggiano, and extra virgin olive oil.

I had the Bufalina, which is simple and fresh – blended San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella di bufala, basil, and extra virgin olive oil. 

Honestly, you could get any toppings on these and it wouldn't matter because it's all in the dough. Thin, with an amazing crust, reminded us of our trip to Naples to visit the home of pizza (seen here). 

Clearly working really working on that beach body – boy oh boyyyy do I love my heritage and the fact that Kels and I devoured these with two judgmental girls looking at us as they split one pizza :)

This spot is really a hidden gem (I mean that, it's kind of on a dead street), but I hope to get to again before we move out! 

xx

L'antica Pizzeria da Michele

If you have an obsession with pizza of all sizes, like I do, and are very hungry at the moment, then I advise you to skip over this post. For those who aren't about to eat their hand, enjoy these photos from my trip to Naples where we visited the literal home of pizza. If you've seen Eat Pray Love, this might bring back a few memories, but if not, this is the site where simple, super thin crust pizza originated. This mentality hasn't changed since the pizzeria opened in 1870, seeing as the menu today consists of two types of pizza and a few drinks to accompany your enormous 'za.  

trying to slice it down the middle (a very butchered, crooked middle slice on my part) proved to be the best way to tackle this bad boy.

if you look really closely to the right of my head, you'll see the infamous pic of Julia Roberts devouring her pizza, 190 times more gracefully than me! 

this!

not even close...

The term, or I guess store, Eataly makes complete sense to me now (not that it didn't before), but this experience taught me what it's all about in Italy. A simple gathering with great pizza and even better company. We encouraged each other to eat the entire pizzas, even though somehow as we cut and cut and ate and ate, they didn't get any smaller. My friends and I each had our Julia Roberts moment and felt the completely acceptable urge to unbutton our pants after consuming such a pizza. 

the aftermath.

If a trip to Italia is on your horizon, make it a point to not skip over the Southern parts of the massive country and check out this quaint pizzeria; it's completely worth waiting in the humongous line, but if possible, get there around 11 and you'll be fine! 

Enjoy!

xx