Earning an Honest Crust

“Attention to detail, the quality of the flour, the length of time it takes that dough to ferment as well is really important.”

“Attention to detail, the quality of the flour, the length of time it takes that dough to ferment as well is really important.” According to Richard Caver chef and bread enthusiast, and co-founder of Honest Crust; home of what is quite simply the best pizza in Manchester.

“The angle we’ve come at it is that the dough, the crust has to be spot on before you add anything else. Once you’ve got the crust as you want it then you start adding top quality ingredients from wherever you can get your hands on them.” Honest Crust leave no stone unturned in their quest for the ultimate pizza ingredients.

“We’re looking for the best we can find.” Richard explains. “So the mozzarella comes from a dairy down in Somerset made fresh for us every week while the award-winning charcuterie comes from Trealy Farm in Monmouthshire.” Having sampled the crusty goodness of their pizzas on several occasions, they come with an artmuso recommendation.

Richard’s pizza obsession began around 2010 with a trip to San Francisco where he encountered the kind of quality pizza that just did not exist in Manchester at the time. The unique wood burning oven used to lovingly bake the food in little more than 2 or 3 minutes has been built to a bespoke specification by Stefano Ferrara and imported from Naples.

“They are the best of the best, generations of oven builders, all the bricks and cement comes from a particular region near Naples; volcanic ash and all that.”

Honest Crust are moving into a permanent new home in Altrincham Market after an invite from Nick Johnson who took over the running of the market in 2013 and has already established a very chilled vibe there with independent food producers, crafts and vintage goods backed by live music with an open mic stand.

Open every day except Monday and from 12 noon until 10pm, later on weekends, Honest Crust will serve pizza and panuzzo – wood fired Italian sandwiches, plus plates of antipasti with their characteristic quality ingredients. Apart from a permanent base in Altrincham, their mobile pizza oven means they are available for catering at parties, events and pretty much anywhere in the North West. Make mine a pepperoni!

www.honestcrustpizza.co.uk

This article was first published in artmuso August 2014 and all information was correct at the time of publishing.  Honest Crust are now based permanently in the Altrincham Market (Market House) http://www.altrinchammarket.co.uk/ – check for the latest opening times.