Thursday, February 19, 2015

Prova Pizza, West Hollywood's Newest Italian Pies

Pizza lovers in West Hollywood should rejoice with the opening of Prova Pizza, serving up Italian style pies at a reasonable price. Prova is the new restaurant from Vito Iacopelli, who was head chef of Michael's Pizzeria in Long Beach.

Prova Pizza

Now, he's bringing his 100-year old recipes to the wood burning oven in West Hollywood (he also has an oven for his catering trailer, in case you're planning a party soon)
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The signature pie at Prova is the "Vesuvio" (salame di Napoli, fresh ricotta, mozzarella, ground pepper, San Marzano tomato, fresh basil, olive oil, $18)
Prova Pizza

After placing the toppings, a thin layer of dough is placed at the top before baking in the oven again. This makes the top layer puffs up. He then pokes a hole in the middle after taking it out of the oven, letting the hot air escapes through a hole, sort of imitating a smoking volcano.

Iacopelli also brought the most beloved pie from Michael's, dubbed "La Vito" (mortadella, pistachio, oregano, stracciatella, $14)
Prova Pizza
Mortadella sits atop the pie, and stracciatella (shredded burrata) is layered over them, and pistachio crumbs is scattered throughout. The chef, who hails from Puglia, either makes the stracciatella in house or gets it made by a fellow Puglian. I really liked the fresh cheese, which I think makes the whole pie.


A shot of what's under the Vesuvio:
Prova Pizza
I guess you can think of it as a thinner, lighter (better) calzone? 

They also make gluten free or whole wheat crust for those with restrictive diets, along with a small but solid list of salads. I tried the Carciofi (artichokes, baby wild arugula, quinoa, pine nuts, grana padano cheese, $7.50)
Prova Pizza
This was a great salad, lightly dressed with none of the components overwhelming the others. The artichokes were tender, cut into bite-sized pieces. It was a pretty good portion for the price, as well. 


Appetizers include Homemade meat balls ($6) which were juicy and flavorful.
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Wines and Italian beers are available, as well as homemade gelato to finish off the meal.
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Prova is firing up some great pizzas. The restaurant is bright and spacious, making it a great spot for a quick lunch. Long communal tables and the affordable price also make it great for group dinners. If you come during the afternoon, though, you can snag free street parking on the side streets.

Prova Pizza
Prova Pizza
8729 Santa Monica Blvd
(310) 855-7285
http://pizzaprova.com/
Prova Pizza on Urbanspoon

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