How to Make: Café Pizzaiolo’s Diavala Pizza

Back in 2007, The Washingtonian food critic Todd Kliman examined the pizza boom that had started to take over Washington. Since then, the boom has transformed into a full-fledged golden age—one which we recently celebrated with our Pizza Pool contest.

One of the frontrunners of the area’s pizza renaissance is Café Pizzaiolo, owned by former Smithsonian culinary director Larry Ponzi. The Crystal City pizzeria has built a reputation on its crisp crusts and unfussy pies, which are more street than boutique. Ponzi’s spicy spin on the New York-style pizza, the Diavala, is one of the most popular items on the menu. The dough is prepared with a sourdough starter and later topped with whole-milk mozzarella, Italian sausage, and roasted peppers. If reading this is making you hungry, just wait until you see Ponzi demonstrate how to make the pizza in our video below.