Love at First Bite
May 13, 2004

There’s a new guy in town, and I want to date him every night. Never mind that I’ve been married for twenty years, this really wouldn’t qualify as cheating. More like eating. His name is Nicco’s Cucina and he is serving up some of the best food I’ve eaten, anywhere. Nicco’s lives at the new Maple Tree Place. He is hip, relaxed, and easy on the eye with handsome Italian coloring, a warm airy space, and a hospitable bar area to wait if things are running a bit late- Nicco’s doesn’t do reservations. I like everything about him, from the delectable antipasto di mare bursting with shrimp, tuna, and fresh mozzarella, to the racy Abruzzi Napoli-style thin crust stone hearth pizza.

The pizza, this is where I really fell in love. I haven’t tasted pizza like this since Naples, 1980; this is pizza you day dream about. The crust is thin and crispy and pops in your mouth. Toppings like roasted sweet sausage, prosciutto di Parma, sweet red onion, and baby clams are all tempting. Nicco’s knows that less is more, and suggests three toppings, max, for ultimate flavor. Soup, salads, pasta and the della cucina menu are all expertly prepared by Chef Frank Pace, a Napa-trained, Italian Vermonter. 

Since I can’t get a kitchen pass to visit Nicco’s every day, I’ll have to bridge the gap with some homemade pizza. A friend of mine makes the best home-version I’ve ever tasted. She says that the key to good pizza dough is to knead it by hand with lots of TLC. This step gives the dough a crunchy and light texture that will make your homemade pizza love-at-first-bite.

Judy Marschke’s Homemade Pizza Dough
- 1 packet of dry yeast combined with 2/3-cup warm water
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups white flour (excellent with ½ white and ½ whole wheat also)

Combine ingredients together in a large bowl and mix well, by hand.

When dough is formed, place in a resting bowl that has been lightly greased with additional olive oil.  Dough will be soft and slightly sticky.  Let dough rise until triple in bulk.  Punch down and stretch over pizza pans that have been lightly greased with olive oil.  Use fresh tomatoes, mushrooms, and whole milk (not part-skim) mozzarella cheese. Bake at 450 degrees for 10-12 minutes; makes 2 pizzas.

Kim Dannies is a graduate of La Varenne Cooking School in France. She lives in Williston, VT with her husband, Jeff, and three college–aged daughters who come and go. ©2008