Old-school pizza, the way it's been made in Naples, the birthplace of pizza, for hundreds of years is the focus of the new Scuola Vecchia Pizzeria e Vino (522 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach; 561-865-5923).
If you didn't get that from the name (Scuola Vecchia is Italian for old school), you might get it from the restaurant's membership in the Associazone Pizzaliola Napolentani, an organization dedicated to preserving the techniques and ingredients of traditional Neapolitan pizza.
And if you don't get it from that either, you'll certainly get it
from the pizza, with its remarkably light and airy crust, pristinely
fresh and carefully applied toppings, and attention to details that
include everything from house-made mozzarella to San Marzano tomato
sauce.
Scuola Vecchia is the creation of Shaun Aloisio and his
mother, Sharon, Philadelphia natives who lusted after both the
Neapolitan pies they tasted while traveling through Italy and the balmy
weather of South Florida. They spared little expense outfitting their
small but wickedly stylish pizzeria, bringing in Italian marble,
intricately painted tiles, and sleekly modern furnishings, not to mention
an oak-fired pizza oven that heats to 1,000 degrees and can bake a
pizza in 90 seconds.
The slimmed-down menu consists of a
handful of apps and salads, plus 20 or so pizzas (from your
basic margherita to the "Delray" with truffle spread, mozzarella,
mushrooms, and prosciutto di Parma). There's also a small but thoughtful
roster of Italian wines. For details and to check out the menu, go here.
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