Retire Early Lifestyle
Retirement; like your parents, but way cooler

In 1991 Billy and Akaisha Kaderli retired at the age of 38. Now, into their 4th decade of this financially independent lifestyle, they invite you to take advantage of their wisdom and experience.

Pucci Pizzeria

(Pronounced POOH-chee)

Anzio, Italy

Billy and Akaisha Kaderli

Currency Converter

Pizza has become one of Italy's most famous culinary exports, and the art of pizza making in Italy is a craft that has been honed over centuries.

In ancient times, the Greeks and Egyptians had a tradition of baking flatbreads topped with olive oil and local ingredients, and these early variations were precursors to the modern pizza.

But pizzas here in Italy are not like any you have ever seen.

Seriously.

They have everything you can imagine on them and are so light, crispy and delicious.

Signboard on the outside of Pucci Pizza

The name Pucci is of Italian origin and means "Noble" or "Great". It also has a slang meaning of "Made in heaven".

Saying someone or something is "puccioso" means they are cute. I can't help but imagine grabbing a grandchild's chubby cheeks and calling them puccioso!

The front of Pucci Pizza

Just a few doors down from our hotel room, we wandered into this "Pizza by the slice" place.

Pricing was easy, so we took a look at their menu to see what they might offer.

The Pucci Pizza menu

Diavola pizza is fiery with spicy salami and chili flakes. Fiore Alici is made with quality anchovies placed in the shape of a flower on top. Pachino pizza comes from the South Eastern region of Sicily, and celebrates the sweet and juicy flavor of cherry tomatoes.

The first Margherita pizza was created in 1889 in honor of Queen Margherita of Italy during her visit to Naples.

Made with ingredients that represented the colors of the Italian flag, the pizza had red tomatoes, white mozzarella cheese, and green basil leaves. This iconic pizza not only paid tribute to the queen but also helped popularize pizza throughout Italy and beyond.

Pizzaiolos (pizza makers)

Pizza chefs are called Pizzaiolos.

Generally pizza in Italy is cooked in a wood-fired  brick oven.

These ovens are heated to high temperatures, usually between 800 to 900 degrees Fahrenheit, resulting in a quick cooking time and a slightly charred and blistered crust. The intense heat also imparts a distinct smoky flavor to the pizza.

These Pizzaiolos are using a metal surface inside the oven. The high heat causes the crust to puff up and the toppings to cook quickly, resulting in a crispy yet tender pizza.

Pizza dough still rising in the center of the photo

The special and delicious dough used in pizza-making in Italy is called "Biga" dough. (Pronounced BEE-guh)

It is a yeasted dough made about 24 hours in advance. Because it has risen for so many hours, it is light, airy, easy to digest and has a soft and chewy texture.

Here you see two rounds of Biga on the stainless steel table in the center of this photo. The stretchy dough is not rolled out but rather placed on the baking pan and pushed out manually into the desired shape.

Pizza began to gain international recognition after World War II when American soldiers stationed in Italy developed a taste for it. Then Italian immigrants in the United States played a crucial role in popularizing pizza across the country, leading to the growth of pizzerias and the birth of new styles like New York and Chicago deep-dish pizza.

Various pizzas offered

Traditional Italian pizza tends to focus on a few high-quality toppings and not on the sauce. This allows the flavors to take center stage.

For instance, here you see anchovy and green olive pizza, spinach and Prosciutto pizza, and a Prosciutto, zucchini and basil pizza.

Pucci Pizzeria offers pizza by the slice.

A few other delicious styles of pizza too!

Some pizzerias charge you by the weight of the piece you choose to purchase. With cooking shears, they will cut from the large rectangle in front of them the size you want and put it on a scale to weigh.

Other places will serve the pizza slice folded over sort of like a sandwich so the flavors mix together. This presentation is called "a libretto".

A closer look at the Prosciutto, zucchini, basil pizza

Prosciutto is added after the pizza is cooked. The heat of the pizza is enough to warm the Prosciutto, without drying it out, allowing the full flavor of this specialty ham to come through.

The Pizzaiolos giving a thumbs up!

Here you see some very happy pizza makers! So willing to engage and have their photos taken.

Would we recommend Pucci Pizzeria?

ABSOLUTELY!

__________

Pucci Pizzeria

 Via Mimma Pollastrini 7, 00042

Anzio Italy

Tele: +39 328 475 5025

Retire Early Lifestyle appeals to a different kind of person – the person who prizes their independence, values their time, and who doesn’t want to mindlessly follow the crowd.

HOME   Book Store

Retire Early Lifestyle Blog      About Billy & Akaisha Kaderli      Press     Contact     20 Questions     Preferred Links    

Retirement     Country Info     Retiree Interviews      Commentary     REL Videos