L’industrie Pizzeria
Pizza in NYC is going through a renaissance. Different styles have infiltrated this pizza-crazed city over the years, most notably Neapolitan in the past decade. This time, it is a focus on going back to the roots of by-the-slice pizza. Techniques for the dough and quality of ingredients are at the forefront of this renaissance. The beauty of this combination is that it is accessible, portable and doesn’t require a sit-down experience. Not that we don’t love sit-down, by-the-pie pizza, of course!
L’industrie Pizzeria is a standout example of this shift. Massimo Laveglia, a native of Florence, Italy has been in this hole in the wall Williamsburg location for over two years. On my initial visit, Massimo was speaking to customers in Italian, perhaps the first time I’ve heard this in a NYC pizzeria. Also, the electric ovens and rustic feel give a special feel to this spot. It felt like a gem from the start, even before eating a slice.
On the first visit, it was the last stop on a slice crawl that began on the Lower East Side. Even after all of that pizza, there was no pizza fatigue. Maybe it was the long walk across the Williamsburg Bridge that built up my appetite. Here, Massimo makes either traditional sauce and cheese pies or white pies as a base. Then, he adds mozzarella, olive oil, grated Pecorino Romano cheese and basil along with any toppings. There is a sizable list of choices on the menu ranging from simple to heavily topped. On this night, I went with a margherita.
As suspected, the pizza was truly something special. One bite of the slice revealed a supremely flavored and crisp crust. According to pizza guru, Adam Kuban, Massimo uses a 3-day cold fermentation process for the dough. Clearly, this dedication shines through and is a great example of the dedication to quality. I really wanted to order another slice with a topping. Unfortunately, my stomach was filled to the brim with dough, sauce and cheese.
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