Enis Bacova with Vincenzo Capuano. Photo: Enis Bacova
Kiwi pizza fans can now enjoy an authentic Italian slice made by one of the best pizzaiolos (pizza makers) in the world - Enis Bacova.
In 2023, Bacova, a chef at Dante's, won third prize in the Neapolitan category at the Caputo Cup, aka the world pizza champs.
At this year's competition in Naples, Bacova beat out all but one of 700 other competitors to bring home the silver trophy.
Bacova's winning pizza, which he calls The Five Ps, featured a black crust (in honour of the All Blacks) and was topped with provolone cheese, pancetta, potato cream, pea cream and pecorino.
Amidst "fierce competition" from Italian chefs in their own backyard, he thinks The Five Ps' combination of flavours, including a dough infused with charcoal carbon, was what set his pizza apart for the four Caputo Cup judges.
A true Neapolitan pizza is made with heavily hydrated dough, Bacova says, and cooked very quickly in a hot woodfired oven.
The sourdough crust must be airy, fluffy and what he calls "crunchy-spongy" - crunchy on the outside and spongy and inside.
Pizza made in this way is much easier to digest than commercial pizza, says co-owner Kevin Morris, who opened Dante's 17 years ago.
After growing up in the UK on his Mum's authentic Italian food, he found New Zealand pizza shockingly bad when he moved here in the '90s.
Dantes Pizza Photo: Enis Bacova and Thunderspear media
Dante's - which is named after Morris' Italian grandfather - was the first New Zealand pizzeria to receive accreditation by Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (aka The True Neapolitan Pizza Association).
In 2013, Bacova, who was born in Albania and trained as a pizzaiolo in Naples, joined the team.
Dante's Auckland is now ranked in the top 50 pizza restaurants worldwide.
Bacova encourages Auckland pizza-lovers to taste the authentic offerings at one of their three locations - Ponsonby Central, Takapuna and Mission Bay, where he is stationed.
"You guys need to come and try for yourself one of the best pizzas in the world."
Dantes Pizza Photo: Enis Bacova and Thunderspear media
