What if pizza was invented in PH?
Around April this year, restaurateur Amado Forés was thinking up ways to celebrate the fifth anniversary of his popular Italian venture, A mano, that would also serve as his way of “giving back to our farmers,” who had been particularly affected by the onslaught of heatwaves happening that time. He then thought of collaborating with Toyo Eatery, a Filipino restaurant known for the inventive use and promotion of indigenous ingredients.
The result is a trio of original pizza flavors—Si Margarita, Tortang Talong and Lechon and Pinya—that comprises A mano’s anniversary menu called Pizza Kamayan. It’s available daily starting today until Aug. 25 at the restaurant’s three branches—Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Taguig City, Rockwell Center in Makati City and Gateway Mall 2 in Quezon City. All profits will go to the Good Food Community, which connects small-scale farmers with consumers while advocating for ethical and eco-friendly agriculture.
Putting together Pizza Kamayan has been “fun,” Forés told Lifestyle at last Monday’s preview held at A mano BGC. He said he got an immediate affirmative response from Toyo Eatery owner and head chef Jordy Navarra when he broached the idea to them. The chef and his own team turned out to be “fans” of A mano, with Navarra saying, “We’re quite familiar with what they do and how they do it.”
Toyo Eatery was hailed the Philippines’ Best Restaurant for 2023 by Asia’s 50 Best.
Navarra explained that Toyo Eatery’s approach to the pizza collaboration was to have “a very solid base sauce to use in many ways,” and that came in the form of Toyo’s specially formulated banana-tomato red sauce. When they did a taste test with Forés and his team, everyone fell in love with the sauce. They decided to make not just one but three flavors that blended some familiar Filipino food items with key Italian pizza ingredients.
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3 flavors
The Si Margarita Pizza has kesong puti, sulasi (holy basil), Latteria Sorrentina fiordilatte (a kind of mozzarella), basil and extra virgin olive oil.
Aside from the grilled and charred eggplant, the Tortang Talong Pizza consists of kesong puti-ricotta crema and egg yolk drizzle. The Lechon and Pinya Pizza has lechon porchetta, Latteria Sorrentina fiordilatte, pinatuyong pinya (dried pineapple strips), crispy lechon skin, and as a side, homemade spiced vinegar.
After trying all three pizza flavors for the first time, Forés remembered having a Eureka moment: “It really turned on a switch in me and made me think, parang, what would have happened if pizza was invented in the Philippines?” It shook up this approach: “When we make pizza inspired by, aside from Italy, other countries, like America, we try to think of an Italian living in that country.”
A wide grin appeared on Forés’ face when asked about his favorite among the three new pizza flavors. “I don’t think I’m allowed to say anything other than Si Margarita Pizza because it’s named for my mom,” he said, referring to iconic chef and restaurateur Margarita Forés, who was present at the preview.
Having the pizza named after Margarita was actually Navarra’s insistent idea. He pointed out, “We love and respect her and all the work she’s done for the Filipino culinary scene. For us, we like paying tribute to everyone that came before us. We did a pop-up called Orosa as a tribute to Maria Orosa. A pizza at A mano, for sure, we have to name after chef Margarita.”
Both Navarra and Forés agree that they like all three flavors, which present the Pinoy pizza as a familiar yet unexpected culinary experience. INQ
