Cape Town Pizza parties should really be more of a thing.
No matter what styles or toppings you enjoy, pizza is one of the most universally adored foods on the planet. Whether it’s built upon a flour or zucchini base or something in between, pizzas are beautiful vehicles for some of the most delicious combinations ever to be conjured up by pro chefs and amateur foodies alike.
Cape Town Pizza Party with Sol’s Foods
We got together earlier this year under the pretenses that we’d be discussing business during our inaugural annual general meeting. Yes, some business was discussed, and a productive AGM was had, but what we really wanted to do was eat a bunch of pizza garnished with some Sol’s Foods bounty until we couldn’t move. Our philosophy: If it isn’t making you reevaluate all of your past pizza choices and go-to favourites, it isn’t good enough.
One thing that we need to mention, even though it’s a bit of a sore point, is that the initial aim of the Sol’s AGM was to eat six pizzas and not five. There was, however, one casualty that came out of the oven looking more like a calzone. We have lofty standards, so that one didn’t make the cut. All of the embellishments that we used can be found on our new pizza heroes page.
With that in mind, here’s a recap of the five pizzas we made in case you’re short of some inspo as summer in Cape Town slowly approaches. In no particular order of preference or quality but rather listed chronologically as we feasted:
Butternut, Cabrito Goat Cheese & Chorizo
This was an especially strong start to an evening of gluttony. Chef Sol’s idea to substitute tomato for pureed butternut as the bedrock of this pizza was a masterstroke. Our salty chorizo and the ultra creaminess of Cabrito goat cheese (which just gets better and better every time we indulge) make this a super balanced combination of flavours. Wonderful.
Regina With a Twist of Culatello
Regina is one of the all-time classic reliable, bankable pizza options, and for good reason. Unlike the pizza before this one, there are no frills when building a Regina. It’s basically a glorified hot ham and cheese situation. Our Regina was made extra special by substituting out the ham and draping it with delicate slices of culatello once out the oven.
Camembert, Red Onion, Apple & Mustard Jam
When envisaging pizza toppings, apple & mustard jam may not be the most immediately obvious option. One thing we would say; if you’re planning to replicate a pizza-fest on this scale, go a little easier on any pizza that contains super rich camembert. One slice is enough, and don’t save it for last.
Margherita With Slow-Roasted Tomato
Ask any serious foodie which pizza they’ll order if they want to assess the credentials of an Italian restaurant, and invariably the answer will be margherita. Piping hot, stretchy mozzarella and a classic marinara sauce are a match made in heaven, and the addition of Sol’s pantry favourite slow-roasted tomato elevated this from a 7/10 to a 9/10 quicker than you can say “cheese”.
Salami, Feta & Avo
By now you’d think that three people would have had enough, but no. Bacon, feta & avo is delicious although somewhat overdone, so we used Sol’s Salami in the place of bacon to make a subtle but telling modification. If the fifth pizza is being enjoyed as ravenously as the first, then you know something was done right here. Try this one with salami or chorizo, depending on what takes your fancy.
The take-home message for all of us is that woodfired pizza made in the furnace-like conditions of a pizza oven simply has no equal. Perfect a base-making methodology that suits your preferences (or buy some from store), gather the finest premium ingredients & toppings, and get things fired up. With the increasing popularity of portable and home pizza ovens like these beauties from Ooni, it’s never been easier to conjure up your own weird and wonderful pizza creations at home. As we inch closer to summer, Cape Town pizza nights are about to kick off.
When last did you eat a Cape Town pizza so good that it made you feel emotional, one way or another? We’d love to hear about your most memorable pizza experiences. Whether it’s cold, leftover seafood pizza at all-you-can-eat Panarotti’s Thursdays in the early 2000s, or fine dining experiences in Italy, we want to hear about it.
