Ella Maria Pizzeria: Food for the Soul

Italian-American cuisine is a true hybrid. I remember in cooking school we learned that the first wave of Italian immigrants came from southern Italy and Sicily.

They brought with them the dishes from that region which is why most Americans think of Italian food consisting of tomatoes, basil, garlic, olive oil, pizza and pasta. When I was in Italy, I did enjoy pizza and pasta, but that was the tip of the iceberg. There were numerous seafood dishes, rich entrees using plenty of cheese and cream, etc. Most of the food that we call Italian in America, is related to but slightly varied from the dishes of Southern Italy.

Ella Maria Pizzeria serves wonderful Italian-American cuisine. I went in to grab some lunch for the two of us. I ordered a slice of the famous tomato pie, a veggie wrap (my cousin loves her veggies), a tossed salad and the porchetta (boneless pork roast) sandwich.

The tomato pie is a bargain at only $1 a slice and is made with San Marzano tomatoes. There's a funny line in the movie Lorenzo's Oil  where the young Lorenzo says that his Italian father hates the tomatoes in America because they taste "like cardboard" (this was obviously before the days of the succulent heirloom tomatoes that now appear at every farmers market in the warmer months).

San Marzano tomatoes are grown in volcanic soil in a small town outside of Naples. They are considered one of the greatest exports of Italy and even canned ones make a wonderful sauce. The tomato pie here is delicious. The crust is doughy on the inside, crisp on the outside. The tomato sauce is sweet and savory with hints of garlic, herbs and some salty notes from parmesan. It's simply a great slice.

The veggie wrap was a soulful rendition brimming with broccoli, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, spinach and roasted peppers. The vegetables were sauteed with a garlic and olive oil sauce which resulted in a wrap that was vegetarian but didn't taste like diet food. Many times vegetarian items are boring and lifeless and taste like nothing more than a salad. This was so good that I would consider ordering it next time around (and I love meat). 

The tossed salad had romaine, carrots, red peppers, red onions and came with a simple red wine vinegar and olive oil vinaigrette. It was exactly as advertised and didn't offer any surprises. The greens were fresh and the portion was quite large.

The porchetta sandwich with long hots, broccoli rabe, roasted red peppers and sharp provolone (up charge of 75 cents) on a sesame seed roll was outstanding. First of all it was massive, I could only eat half at lunch and saved the rest for dinner. The pork was tender, juicy, slightly salty and full of flavor.

The bitterness from the broccoli rabe contrasted with the sweet and slightly smoky roasted red peppers. The sharp provolone added a richness and some funk to each bite. When you got all of the different components in one bite it was almost perfect (I made it perfect with a few drops of Tabasco). I think it actually tasted better at dinner because all of the flavors had a chance to meld together.  

The service is relaxed and friendly. The food took some time to come out but I think it's because he was literally in the back cooking up a storm. Good food takes time and I can understand that. He answered all of my questions and made great suggestions (he suggested the porchetta instead of the basic roast pork). While you wait you can choose from a myriad of beverages. There are sodas, juices, iced teas and even cold beer. 

The decor is typical of a family run pizzeria. There are simple chairs and tables, plenty of booster seats, some stools along a counter and Italian and Catholic paraphernalia throughout. I would like to note the "kiddie korner" where the kid sized table and chairs and chalkboard could provide endless entertainment for your little ones.

The space is clean and well lit. Be sure to look for the daily lunch and dinner specials. Most are under 20 bucks which make them ideal for an inexpensive family dinner. Even if you don't have a family, this place is great for dine-in, take out or delivery.