All You Knead Is Dough

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It's all about the dough at Pizzana. Founded in Brentwood, California in 2017, Pizzana is the Neo Neapolitan dream of Italian chef Daniele Uditi, who has previously been featured on Netflix’s “The Chef Show,” “Beat Bobby Flay” and “Best In Dough.” Now the award-winning pizzaiolo is bringing his bold take on the traditional pie to his first Texas restaurant in downtown Dallas.

Raised by a family of bakers and bread makers, chef Uditi’s childhood revolved around cleaning pizza ovens and baking loaves at his family’s bakery in Naples. After immigrating to Los Angeles in 2010, his culinary expertise shined through while catering for private gatherings, including those of Golden Globe-nominated actor Chris O’Donnell.

It was in Los Angeles where he met Sprinkles Cupcakes founder Candace Nelson, who after trying one of his appetizing slices, wanted to help make his pizza dream a reality.

“I took one bite of that delicious pizza and thought ‘This is something special,’” Candace recalls. “I saw it all coming together, and we decided to partner up and open a restaurant.”

Using organic stone ground flour, chef Uditi ferments his signature “slow dough” for 48 hours ahead of baking. The result is a light, crispy crust that you’d come to expect from a traditional Neapolitan pizza, but with sturdy support in the middle of the slice.

“Traditionally, Neapolitan pizza is eaten with a fork and a knife, but we Americans typically love to pick up our slice and eat with our hands,” Candace says. “The ‘slow dough’ gives the incredible character, char and chew of a Neapolitan pizza with the firmness to hold up a slice. It’s the best of Italy meeting American tastes.”

It’s a taste that’s earned Pizzana multiple honors, not only being named one of Jonathan Gold’s Top 101 Restaurants in Los Angeles but also being a Michelin Bib Gourmand award recipient. Trading out the red-checkered flair of a standard pizzeria for hues of white and aqua blue, the restaurant is reminiscent of the Mediterranean sea and a tribute to the kitchens that chef Uditi was raised in. The ingredients are as true to chef Uditi’s roots as the restaurant is, with the fior di latte mozzarella shipped fresh from Italy and the San Marzano tomatoes grown from his own garden in Naples.

With over 15 different pizza selections, diners will have no trouble picking an appropriate pie to slice into. You can’t go wrong with the classic pepperoni or Margherita, but more adventurous diners can also try the Diavola pizza, which is topped with spicy salami, charred shallots, nduja walnut romesco and honey. The Pignatiello is made with braised short rib and Parmigiano crema sauce, while the vodka pizza is topped with chef Uditi’s homemade vodka sauce, salsa verde, calabrian chile and oregano. The Dallas restaurant will also be introducing diners to a barbecue brisket pizza that’s exclusive to its location. And for those looking to take their slices to go, customers can order their pizzas the “heat and slice” way, where they take a partially cooked pizza, add their provided toppings, heat it in the oven and serve it fresh at home.

While pizza is the star of the show, it isn’t all that Pizzana has to offer. It also has an assortment of salads and pastas for all kinds of Italian connoisseurs, whether you are served the polpette al forno with meatballs, the wood-fired broccolini or crispy panko cauliflower pasta.

Of course, you can’t end a meal without dessert, and this is where Candace’s baking expertise comes in. Whether it's the chocolate olive oil cake with vanilla ice cream, the panna cotta topped with salted caramel pretzels or the apple crisp made with a bourbon glaze, Candace marries the two worlds of Italian and American cuisine just like the rest of the restaurant does.

“I love baking and elevating these everyday experiences for people through food,” Candace says. “Our specialties may be different, but [chef Uditi] and I are both bakers working with different types of dough. We truly do have something for everyone at Pizzana.”