PIZZA time in old Naples. On the Via Cesare Sercale the packed queue waits patiently for discs of simply topped dough. Da Michele only does two versions – Marinara and Margherita. Ask for a deep crust with pepperoni and pineapple and someone might call in the Camorra hitmen.
Restless and less of a purist than I thought, I migrate across the road to rival restaurant Trianon da Ciro, which is less basic, with more tables and choice yet you can still grab a classic Margherita – just tomato, mozzarella and basil – for 5€.
Pizza time in Little Italy, Ancoats. In Cutting Room Square there’s another logjam of customers forming outside Rudy’s Pizza. Open a fortnight but word of mouth and loyalty of punters from when it was a peripatetic pop-up mean it’s one of the city’s hottest tickets.
All of which must come as a relief to Jim Morgan and Kate Wilson, who saved up for five years before taking the plunge into their own place. It’s named after their dog, Rudy, who is – literally – a sleeping partner across the way with friends. Little Italy was a self-sufficient Italian emigrant community in this area from the 1880s. Their ghosts must approve.
The etched glass says ‘Neapolitan Pizza in Ancoats’, which is why I made the personal link. From his days with Honest Crust and long before at home, Jim has been obsessed with replicating the authentic pizza style of the city this universal ‘fast food’ is most associated with.
Little did I know it on my recent trip there that I was following in Jim and Kate’s footsteps. In their Naples explorations Da Michele was the mecca; I must ask them if they made it to Di Matteo, an equally basic stalwart of the scene; their Margherita was my favourite – the dough has the right blend of crisp and chew.
I’m feeling the same admiration for the crust I am now savouring, after securing a table. Didn’t take long, we deliberately left it late. Jim tells me later – as I watch him manoeuvre the last of the day’s supply elasticated dough on to a paddle, before application of topping and the 60 second bake in the custom-built oven – that the dough wasn’t quite there tonight.
Now I’m in awe. My Margherita Extra was at least the equal of any pizza I’ve eaten at Honest Crust, long acknowledged as the region’s best. It cost £7.50, which might make a Neapolitan mutter into his macchiato, because they had used premium buffalo mozzarella (there’s a cheaper, standard one on the short menu at £5.80; on both sweet San Marzano tomatoes are used).
By contrast my companion’s Tarantina (above, £8.50) was a lavish thing – featuring anchovies, olives, oregano and capers.
Whatever the topping at Rudy's the base is prepared the same way, using a very strong 00 flour, not the sourdough featured by those who look west for their pizza inspiration. Proving – ie resting and rising – takes a straight 24 hours. Monday may be day of rest on the Rudy hamster wheel, but you still have to make the dough for the next day.
Well chosen wines are from Reserve in Didsbury. If you fancy a beer ignore the Moretti and go for Runaway’s IPA or, as we did, Cloudwater’s grassy, tangy food-friendly Grisette Saison.
I’m giving Rudy’s a top score, not because it is competing with the city’s culinary big hitters in fancy service, decor and range of dishes. Jim and Kate have done much of the work on the awkward shaped space themselves and there’s a homespun (in a good way) feel to the welcome. The five stars are for passion, purism and PIZZA. Avanti Ancoats!!!
Rudy’s Pizza, 9 Cotton Street, Manchester M4 5BF. 07940 577932. https://www.facebook.com/RudysPizzaMcr
The images below are of Margherita before and after, respectively, in Naples and then Ancoats:
