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Old World Customs and Imported Ingredients Set A Mano Apart
(Ridgewood, NJ: June 25, 2009) A Mano (meaning by hand), a Neapolitan trattoria in Ridgewood serving authentic Italian dishes, is one of the forerunners in a pizza craze spreading across the country. This expanding movement in the pizza trade is the return to the traditional roots of pizza, roots that lie deep in the heart of Naples, Italy. A Mano is part of an elite group leading the pack in Neapolitan pizza and tradition, from cities such as Seattle, Los Angeles, and Chicago, to Phoenix, New York, Miami, and now Ridgewood NJ.
A Mano prides itself on authenticity, importing everything, from the furnishings to the ingredients, such as San Marzano tomatoes and Caputo flour, from Naples, Italy. In addition, A Mano is one of only three restaurants in the U.S. to receive prestigious certifications from both the Verace Pizza Napoletana and Associazone Pizzaiuoli Napoletani, the recognized authorities of Naples, Italy on traditional Neapolitan Pizza. “We do things differently at A Mano,” said owner Fred Mortati. “Pizza has been interpreted many different ways since becoming a popular dish in the U.S., but we create our pizza in the original, traditional Neapolitan style. From our ingredients imported from Naples, to our 1000 degree wood-burning ovens, which were built “A Mano,” on site by Neapolitan artisans using stones and volcanic soil from Italy, we stay true to the technique of the classic Pizzaiuolis (pizza chefs) and train each of our pizza chefs to create artisanal pizzas in this time-honored fashion,” he continued. “A Mano is Naples, Italy from the ground up and we invite all to come for a real Naples experience.”
The traditional Neapolitan pizzas at A Mano are baked in 1000 degree ovens and range from the conventional Marinara pie, made with tomatoes, oregano, garlic, and extra virgin olive oil ($9.99), to the elaborate Vesuvio, a stuffed pizza with ricotta, fresh mozzarella, and Neapolitan salami on the inside, and fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, Italian ham, mushrooms, extra virgin olive oil, and basil on the top ($19.99). A Mano’s menu boasts a vast array of mouth-watering pizza along with traditional Neapolitan entrées such as baked thin layers of eggplant and pecorino, delicate meat and vegetable lasagnas (starting at $12.99) and cool, refreshing, flavor-intense salads (starting at $7.99).
Among the specials, which vary daily, is the Mezzaluna pizza, or “half moon,” that starts as a full size, hand-stretched pie, which is half Margherita pizza (fresh mozzarella, fresh tomato sauce, Parmiggiano-Reggiano, extra virgin olive oil, and basil) strewn with Calamata olives. The other half is a calzone, oozing with a julienne of salami folded into creamy ricotta, mozzarella, and olive oil. Another special created for the A Mano summer menu is “Salad Pizza.” This dish combines any of the A Mano appetizer salads in an entree size, served atop Parmigiano Reggiano-flavored focaccia, baked daily on premises. At a $4.99 supplement to the regular salad price, this is a delicious way to enjoy a large portion of A Mano’s salads married with intensely flavored focaccia, providing a hearty, yet not overbearing meal option on warm summer days. Specials frequently incorporate A Mano’s outstanding fresh-made mozzarella, created each day on-premises by a Neapolitan-trained mozzarella puller, schooled in the art of creating perfectly-textured and flavored cheese.
A buy one get one free entrée and pizza summer special will be available to A Mano patrons through the summer months, Monday through Thursday.
The restaurant is open Monday to Thursday from 11:30 a.m. until 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday, from 12 p.m. until 10 p.m.
A Mano is located at 24 Franklin Avenue (at the corner of Chestnut Street), Ridgewood, NJ 07450. For more information, please call 201-493-2000 or visit www.amanopizza.com.