Pilgrimage-Worthy Pistachio Pie
Hype and food... it's sometimes a toss-up, whether the food at a storied place lives up to everything you've heard and read. Regardless, for pizza aficionados, Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix, is a Neapolitan pilgrimage that must be done if they have any hope of being taken seriously when discussing America's best pizzas. Is it the country's best? It's excellent, but Motorino, Roberta's, Paulie Gee's, and Company in New York City might have something to say about that. So too Una Pizza Napoletana and Flour + Water in San Francisco. But one truly memorable pie at Bianco that you're not likely to see often elsewhere is one with pistachio, thinly sliced red onion, rosemary, and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Finely crushed pistachios spread evenly across the entire surface of the pie give great flavor and texture. Not a pie you're likely to forget. And for these reasons this dish made my list of most memorable meals of 2011.