Authentic Italian
I had the unexpected opportunity to go out for a take away one night last week. I went to a small Italian Takeaway called Pizza Bello in Morley, somewhere that I have heard others rave about but never got round to trying out.
It is in a fairly small building near the Telephone Exchange and is a family run business. They only open four days a week, from 5pm to Midnight. They are very successful but known to close down when they go away on holidays. (Such is their brand reputation that they are better off not trading than getting others in).
It is interesting to watch them in action on a busy evening. Two men make the Pizzas, mostly thin base but occasionally deep pan and those folded Calzone ones that look like huge Cornish pasties. A third man tends to the big kebab machine, skillfully slicing the revolving meat & frying burgers as required. Meanwhile the Matriarch tends to the cash desk, taking phone orders & slicing the Pizzas. I was struck by how well she knew her customers and the orders passing through, like an air traffic controller with their “big picture” of where the planes are in their sector.
I have to say that the Pizza was very good, it was a Hot Shot consisting of mozzarrella, tomato, green peppers, red onions, pepperoni and green chilli . The best one I ever had was what I christened a Mapperley Mighty Meaty when I used to live in Nottingham. Maybe I’ll try the Bello Meat Feast on my Birthday.
April 1st, 2008 at 8:54 pm
I live in Mapperley ~ pray, where might one obtain this Mapperley Mighty Meaty?
April 2nd, 2008 at 7:09 am
I know it’s sacrilege to say it but considering the many pizzas I have had in Italy I think I have had better ones outside Italy. Particularly in North America, even when they are Italian owners. They are more adventurous with the fillings and I like the slightly thicker crust. One of the best pizzas I ever had was at the American Culinary Institute dining room. Perfetta
April 3rd, 2008 at 11:01 am
Sounds good.
April 4th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
The crusts on pizza-place pizzas are always better than anything I make at home. I suspect that is because it is drenched in oil though! But yummy.
April 4th, 2008 at 10:53 pm
Harry H, the “mighty meaty” was from a small precinct of shops at Mapperley Top in Nottingham, one of which was a take-away. I don’t remember too much about it (early 90s) but there was a launderette there and a butchers which had some silly sign above the facade about shopping happily when you went to Mapperley.
I can’t even remember if the take-away was just Pizzas or if it did Kebabs as well, the staff were anglo-saxon though, I don’t recall them being ethnic italian or indeed ethnic anything.