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The Cagli Media Project
Institute for Education
in International Media
Andrew Ciofalo, Director
cagliproject@gmail.com


Article by Laura Stagliano

Pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, and green peppers all top American pizzas, but mayonnaise? Not exactly a typical topping, but Italian pizza lovers often choose it anyway.

Tonino Carlani, 50, has been making pizza for 29 years. Owner of Pizzeria L’Angolo in Cagli, Italy, he says that mayonnaise can cool the spicy salami on a diavolo pizza, but it tastes just as good on all kinds.

After working in a restaurant in Urbino for several years, Carlani opened Pizzeria L’Angolo in February 2004. He runs the business with his wife, Anna.

“I don’t do it because I have to work,” Carlani says. “I do it because I have a passion for it. I love making pizza.”

Pizza is sometimes a quick and easy dinner, but most often here it is a mid-morning or afternoon merenda, or snack. In the winter Carlino opens at 8 a.m. for kids on their way to school and an on-the-go breakfast.

He makes two types of pizza. One he calls take-away, which is round and flat and sold by the slice. The other is called testo, more like Sicilian pizza. It is square and much thicker than take-away.

At L’Angolo, customers can order a pizza with a different topping on each slice. For example, there’s the ever-popular margherita – with only tomato sauce and mozzarella. Diavolo has spicy salami, and the focaccia-like white can come with zucchini or cherry tomatoes. Mushrooms, sausage and sliced hot-dog are also on the list.

Tonino’s recommendation? Try a white pizza with mushrooms, sausage, corn, and prosciutto.

While the preferred pizzas seem fairly normal by American standards, Carlani can make a pizza with anything on it. An unusual choice is a white pizza with potatoes and mayonnaise, or a white pizza with potatoes and sliced spek (smoked prosciutto).

Since he sells a lot of pizza, Carlani must be doing something right. Maybe it is his use of only natural ingredients, or his perfect timing and temperature combination. Both types of pizza take about 10 minutes to cook, but he usually takes two hours in the morning to prepare the ingredients. Whatever it is, Carlani has mastered the art of fine Italian pizza making.

 The Joy of Pizza

“It’s important not to open the oven while the pizza is cooking. If it’s opened before it’s ready, the dough can beco me too hard or too soft, which is not good,” Carlani says.

As one of the most popular pizzerias in Cagli, L’Angolo has become a watering – or more precisely a munching-hole – for people living in the city. Because of its prime location near the middle school, it is often filled with children and parents during the lunch break or after school at 4:30 when the pizzeria reopens.

Having pizza available by the slice makes it easy for people to drop by for a snack and chat with Carlani. Folks stop in to discuss everything from the weather and town events to taxes and family life.

As frequented as L’Angolo is, there are two Cagliesi who will rarely be found there. Carlani’s sons, Marco and Federico choose to avoid the family pizzeria while out with their friends. Even though Marco, 17, is choosing to go to college when he graduates school, pizza making is always an option for the future.

 
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Photography by Devon Dolan
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