Saturday, May 14, 2011

Pizza Pilgrimage..Napoli...

After reading Eat Pray Love ,written by American author Elizabeth Gilbert ,I told myself, I need to eat that Pizza!Put aside the books or the movie review,all I need is to eat THAT PIZZA.
In the books ,there is a line said by Giovanni "Please lie to me that you have eat it, eventhough you don't ",knowing that Julia Robert is going to Naples.
And in the movie, itself,Julia Robert has said " I am having a relationship with my food now", while she was having that Margherita...something like that lahhhhh....

"I am going to Naples!!", I said that to myself while reading TOP 10 BEST PIZZERIA IN NAPOLI ,ITALY POSSIBLY THE BEST IN THE WORLD.

And all I heard from the person on my right side cubicle was "wow!Climbing the Himalaya!!.."
And .."Nice place!I have been there twice , and mannn....breathtaking view..but you have to do some training though..its hard but worth it!"..a guy voice from my left cubicle..and in a minute, I got a lecture about climbing a mountain bla bla bla..

Errrrrr......

HOLD ON dudeeeee!

I am not talking about Nepal,but I am talking about Naples, or Napoli, .And I am not ambitious to climb any mountain yeahhhh.Never...errr
But, I am going to Naples to eat..
Ok.Ok...I better use the word Napoli ( Thats how Italian called it) so people don't missunderstood me....

So, pizza was originated in this city.

I saw this photo in the Pizzeria.

But, this pizzeria has already been in top rating before the movie was film there..The locals knew it..

“La Vera Pizza” of Naples has a few basic golden rules:

- it can only be cooked in wood burning brick ovens

- the crust has to be soft and light, that’s why the dough is made the day before it’s used, allowing the yeast to rise for at least 10/15 hours

- the pizzaiolo (pizza maker) must be a real maestro, the dough stretching technique is essential and you need at least 2/3 years of apprenticeship to become a pizzaiolo

- The pizzerias that make the traditional pizza “verace” are members of the Pizza Napoletana Association

And,the recipe for Margherita prepared according to a recipe of Italian Chef Raffaelle Esposito,first made in 1899 when Queen Margherita visited Naples.The ingredient is pizza dough ,tomato,mozzarella cheese,basil, (Italian flag ,remember?)..and infact,if you don't follow this,it is against the law.

Enough about the boring facts, that everyone can just Google from the internet..

Now, its time to transport myself there...

I reached Fiumicino Airport ,Rome ( Roma) around 10AM ,2 hours 15 minutes flight from Athens,and after the confused baggage claim system ,langguage that I couldn't understand, I got a ticket to Termini, central train station for Rome.

Me: 1 ticket to TeRRrrrmini please?
Guy : Good!14 euros please, and here is your ticket.
**The lady infront of me was pissed off when she pointed "Termini " in her guide book to get a ticket there, and the guy said "How can I sell you a ticket if you can't pronounce it???".
Guy : Say it..TeRRRrrrrmini...
Me,the lady,the American guy behind me.."TERRRRRRRRMini!!!!!

kihkih.
OMG.Forget about civillization OK..If you intend to queue to leave the airport in getting a train to Termini, you probably will stuck there,hmmm..forever...
People do not queue!Anddd..mannnnn...I am going to follow the rest...rushhhh in.
And its not a modern train( hmmm..like an MRT in Singapore or atlest Athens) ,but there is a hugeeeee gap between the platfrom and the train,and a small stair case to climb.
And its 14 euros???serious..I am soOOoo want to complain. hahahhaa.
Heloooo..my luggage( err..bag pack ) is so heavy ,that kind of impossible to lift it up.I hate myself for not being able to travel light.Entah mak nenek apa ek aku bawak?????

So,dalam susah payah,aku merempuh lah macam orang lain kannnnnn,kalau tak,sampai besok gaknya aku tersadai kat situh,kebetulan banayk flight baru sampai,ramainya orang ,yarobbiii.
And it was so many people and I couldn't place my bag at the proper place,and its become obstacle to commuter that a guy just lift it up and put it on the overheard compartment..
WOW..Thank you for your kindness..
But...along the journey..aku dok fikir..tinggi siallllll,camne aku nak turunkan bag aku tuhh..dah lah berattt...kalau aku baut sengsorang,boleh terbunuh akuuu..Uhuksss..uhukssss...
Alhamdullilahh,another guy who sit infront of me, has help me to take it down AND lift it out from train when we reached Termini Station.Hiks...Muchas Graciasss!!
Andddd..after a chaos and confusion at Termini station ( running up and down ,by elevator/staircase with another 6 ladies who speak english, whom equally as confused as me..),and probably afte lost 2 kilos of weight in that process..I found a place to by a ticket.
And...all the machine only accept credit card.I realise that after I pushed few buttons..destination..napoli..timing..12.49....oh shhhhhh..only credit card?
I had bad experience using credit card abroad,so if possible,for small purchase,I want to use hard cash $$$.I asked the lady beside me.."Only credit card??" ..and she said "Yess,looks like it..",she is American from her accent..
ANdddddddddd...
Out of nowhere...a short guy appear ( too short for an Italian ) and he pointed me "Hi!You can use cash there,to buy ticket.." and I follow him..
"Ohhh..is it..stupid me...thanks..", and I kind of confuse and it took me awhile to think,which button to press..and he suddently come over and press the button for Naples...12.49PM..
Hey!!How coudl he possibly know that I am going to Napoli, and at 12.49PM??
What is he???I didn't see him anywhere nearby earlier..or I was panicked/confuse etc???


**errrr..I am not good in direction ,panicky , kind of person..who will acctually look left,right ..try to read map when I reach any station,and still confuse after 5 minutes..hehheheheh!
So,it is very important to me to stay alert,because I am an easy target of professional pick pocket in Rome..or anywhere..hmm..in europe..errr..the pick pocket job are listed as a "illegal" professional job there i heard..they are so so so professional that u even do not know when they got your things..seriously.

To make my story short ,I got my ticket to Napoli..,he ask for money as he has helped me..So I give him 1 euros..and he wave his hand to me..and dissapeared..

Turned out, I acctually had bought the cheapest train available,so it was a slow train,2 hour 30 mins to Napoli.I board the train at platform no.14.


ehhhh..the train kan..banaykkk gila melalui terowong....GELAP 100% pitch dark...many many timess....dalam train pon tak bukak lampu ok..apa punya system nii...taulah aku cuma bayor 10 euro jer kan...tapi..keji ekk...kalau terowong tuh runtuhh...memang imposisble ok orang nak jumpa ko....
hmm...Balik ker Rome on next few days tuh,terus aku naik Eurostar..It WAS freakingggggg 45 Euro for 1 hour journey !!!!!!



Tried to learn some Italian ..miyahhhahaa..ZZzzzzz..after 5 minutes..kihkih
Reached at Central Napoli Station/Station Garibaldi. (aku susah nak ingat nama station,tapi yg ini senang jeee...Gari...Baldi...ok lah kan ????nak ingat)...
After a bit another confusion of direction that I printed out to reach the accommodation that I have pre-booked earlier..I managed to check-in.MaRRRrrio was helpful and thank god ,he speak english.He lectured me to see the costal side of Napoli bla bla blaaa blaaaaa...dalam kepala ni..I want Pizzaaaaaa..so,i took his advise,except,before seeing the costal side whateverrrrr,I go to De Michele firstttt...He even said "You are the guest,I am the host.I am the one telling you waht to do and what not to do.."

Ehhhhh....helloo sirrrr..incase you forgotttt...I am the one who paying here..
hehehehehehe""""""
It is very near to the place I stayed.Is this the one???I asked the local people there,eventhough I got the direction from the hostel people..hehehe..i am one confusedd ladyy....i told youuuu..
Looks like it..And I saw Julia Robert photo ..confirmedddd!!Sohehhhhhh...sahhhhh!!!
Ini keadaan dalam kedai masa aku sampai,kat belah luar laaaaagggii penuh...nampak tak mamat yg cermin mata atas kepala tuh( botak),dia makan pizza tuh macam tak sampai 5 min dah hilang dari pinggan,dia order extraaaa cheeseeee size bsarrrr...seleraaa betolll...semua orang bersungguh sungguh makannnnn okkkkkkkkkkkkkk......terliur liur aku tunggu pizza aku....**telan air liurrrr

Aku lucky gila laaaa,sebab, lepas aku habis makan,kedai tuh dah kehabisan doh,and nak tutup kedai dahhh...nyesal pulok tak tapau yang Marinara punya type.....
yerr..kedai ni,kalau dah habis dough,wlwlpon awal lagi,dia tutup noks..kalau nak pi,make sure jgn lewat dari pukol 4 petang lahhhh..di takuti,kempunan aja karanggg...

Local say it as De-Mi-ke-le

The Menu..Only 2 types of pizzaaa.
I ordered margherita..NORMAL !Turned out...normal ni lah paling kecik..mak aiiiiii....
I saw people around me...eat them and finish it around 5 minutes...biarrr betollllll...
It came in less then 10 minutes after you ordered..PANASSSSssssss...PANASSSSsssss!!!
Ala-ala cheese dia masih menggelegak gituhhhh ( over ekkkk?)..
Inikah Pizza nyer????Yang di gilai itu??

READYYYYYyyy????? It crispy on the dough, and moist and melttttt in your mouthhhhhh....
Cik Kiahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....cik temahhhh...ko patut cubaaaaa nokssss!!!
Terliur-liur aku nengok gambor nihhhhh...


Oh YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMmmm.Finally..I got to eat themmm....
After a hardworkk/confusion/long journey... bla bl blaaaaaa
I Love it !!Love it !!!!Simple,and yummy...Its Crispy and light,and moist and flavourful !!!!!!!!...............Oh yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...San marzano tomato has some intense sweet/sour taste...can we plant this tomato here???

They do delivery as well..but not to Malaysia lahhhh..aaaaaaaaaghh..
The kitchen ..and chef..
Mestilah kena inspect dapornyer yer dokkkk...tempat membakorrr nyerr


Duta Pizza terbaruuuuu!!AWWWWWwwww


I will comeback again...


YUMMMMMMMMMMMMM

Was it worth the jouney all the way down there?Yes mam!



2 comments:

  1. Anonymous9:04 AM

    Lawaklah... siap masuk dapur! hehe. Macam takde orang ne. Kalau kat Jepun tu sure orang dah beratur panjang gila. Orang depa sure dah tak heran kan.

    Ii ne. Oishii margherita tabetai...

    ReplyDelete
  2. Coy,
    Time tuh dah tutup..just nice aku habis makan,depa dah kemas2x..about 5.30PM...
    Ddengarnyaaaa,orang selaluuuu beratur panjanggg..
    Tuh aku doki2x takut doh dia habis and tutup awal( aku baca kat Lonely Planet forum)..

    tabetai neee..mataaaaaa

    ReplyDelete