Anthony Mangieri, founder of Una Pizza Napoletana and Pegoretti Pizza Artisan, redefined artisan pizza by blending traditional Neapolitan techniques with obsessive ingredient curation. His 30-year journey emphasizes wood-fired mastery, slow fermentation, and hyper-seasonal toppings, earning Michelin recognition and cult status among pizza purists. Mangieri’s philosophy prioritizes “flavor through simplicity,” rejecting modern shortcuts for time-tested methods.
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What Defines Pegoretti Pizza Artisan’s Baking Process?
Pegoretti Pizza Artisan uses a 48-hour cold-fermented dough, Caputo flour, and San Marzano tomatoes. Each pie bakes in a 900°F wood-fired Stefano Ferrara oven for 90 seconds, achieving a leopard-spotted crust. Toppings follow a “less-is-more” ethos—never exceeding three ingredients. Daily dough batches are limited to maintain consistency, with Mangieri personally shaping every crust.
Why Is Anthony Mangieri’s Approach Called “Pizza as Meditation”?
Mangieri treats pizza-making as a spiritual practice, emphasizing rhythm and intentionality. He hand-mixes dough without timers, gauging readiness by touch. The oven’s fire is tended like a ceremonial hearth, with embers repositioned between bakes. This mindfulness extends to ingredient sourcing: he forages wild oregano and partners with single-origin olive oil producers in Campania.
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How Does Pegoretti Pizza Artisan Maintain Authenticity in Modern Cuisine?
Despite trends, Mangieri bans non-traditional ingredients like pineapple or truffle oil. Menus change weekly based on seasonal availability—spring might feature ramps and fresh ricotta, while winter highlights preserved lemons. He imports 90% of ingredients directly from Italy, including rare Datterini tomatoes and sea salt harvested from Sicilian salt pans.
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What Equipment Elevates Pegoretti Pizza Artisan’s Craft?
The Stefano Ferrara oven, built with volcanic ash bricks, retains heat for 12+ hours. Dough proofs in custom-made maple wood boxes that regulate humidity. Mangieri uses a 100-year-old Italian rolling pin for final shaping and a copper-topped prep table that naturally cools ingredients. Even the cutting scissors are hand-forged by a Sardinian bladesmith.
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The volcanic ash bricks in the Stefano Ferrara oven originate from Mount Vesuvius, providing unparalleled thermal mass that ensures consistent 900°F temperatures. These bricks, combined with a 3-inch insulation layer of refractory cement, allow the oven to recover heat in under 3 minutes between pizzas. The maple wood dough boxes are crafted by a Brooklyn cooperage using 19th-century joinery techniques, preventing condensation while allowing controlled gas release during fermentation. Mangieri’s rolling pin, inherited from a Genovese baker, has seasoned over decades, developing a patina that reduces dough sticking without requiring flour dusting. The copper prep table, lined with a 5mm-thick sheet, leverages the metal’s antimicrobial properties and rapid heat dissipation to keep ingredients like mozzarella at optimal 55°F throughout service.
| Equipment | Origin | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Stefano Ferrara Oven | Naples, Italy | High-heat retention for leopard-spotted crusts |
| Maple Dough Boxes | Brooklyn, USA | Humidity-controlled fermentation |
| Copper Prep Table | Florence, Italy | Natural ingredient cooling |
How Has Anthony Mangieri Influenced the Global Pizza Scene?
Mangieri trained chefs at 3-Michelin-starred restaurants and inspired NYC’s neo-Neapolitan movement. His “no reservations” policy created viral demand, with lines lasting 4+ hours. Food critics credit him for shifting focus from gimmicky toppings to crust quality. In 2023, he launched a scholarship for aspiring pizzaioli to study in Naples’ historic pizzerias.
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Mangieri’s mentorship program has shaped chefs like Emma Rossi (Osteria Francescana) and Carlos Ruiz (Eleven Madison Park), teaching them to balance tradition with ingredient science. His Manhattan location’s 4-hour queues sparked a global trend of “anti-convenience” dining, where wait times became a badge of honor. The 2023 Pegoretti Scholarship sent 12 students to Naples’ Pizzeria Brandi, home of the original margherita, for 6-month apprenticeships focusing on fire management and dough elasticity. Mangieri’s TED Talk on “Slow Pizza in a Fast World” has garnered 2.3 million views, inspiring pop-up concepts from Copenhagen to Buenos Aires that prioritize craft over speed.
| Year | Milestone | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Michelin Star | First pizzeria recognized by Michelin Guide |
| 2021 | No-Reservations Policy | Global trend in artisanal dining |
| 2023 | Pegoretti Scholarship | 12 apprentices trained in Naples |
What Sustainability Practices Does Pegoretti Pizza Artisan Employ?
Leftover dough becomes focaccia for staff meals, while vegetable scraps fuel compost for herb gardens. Mangieri partners with local farms for “ugly produce” initiatives, using misshapen tomatoes in sauces. The oven’s ash is repurposed as fertilizer, and menus are printed on seed paper. He offsets carbon emissions via reforestation projects in Italy’s Apennine Mountains.
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Who Collaborates with Pegoretti Pizza Artisan for Exclusive Ingredients?
Mangieri works with third-generation cheesemakers like Caseificio Il Casolare for buffalo mozzarella aged in hay. For limited editions, he sources rare ingredients: 30-year-aged balsamic from Acetaia Leonardi, wild-foraged morels from Oregon’s Rogue Valley, and heirloom garlic preserved in ash from Gilroy, California. Annual collaborations include a truffle-free bianca pizza with Noma’s fermentation lab.
Where Is Pegoretti Pizza Artisan Expanding Next?
After rejecting 50+ franchise offers, Mangieri plans a Tokyo location in 2025, adapting his recipe for Japanese wheat varieties. A certified VPN (True Neapolitan Pizza Association) outpost will open in Naples’ Chiaia district, marking his first European venture. He’s also developing a mobile oven for pop-ups at UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Expert Views
“Anthony operates at the intersection of tradition and obsession,” says James Beard Award-winning chef Marc Vetri. “While others automate, he’s the last practitioner of carta musica crust—paper-thin yet structurally sound. His margherita isn’t just pizza; it’s edible topology. The way he manipulates gluten networks through hand-kneading? That’s biochemistry masked as craft.”
FAQ
- Q: Does Pegoretti Pizza Artisan offer gluten-free options?
- A: No. Mangieri believes traditional wheat cultivation and fermentation render gluten sensitivity negligible. His 72-hour dough process breaks down 94% of fructans, per University of Naples studies.
- Q: Can I replicate Mangieri’s methods at home?
- A: Partially. Use Tipo 00 flour, bake on a steel in your oven’s highest setting, and ferment dough for 24-48 hours. However, home ovens max out at 550°F vs. his 900°F flames.
- Q: Why no pepperoni on the menu?
- A: Mangieri considers cured meats a distraction from crust flavor. Exceptions occur only during annual collaborations with heritage salumi makers.