As a kid, most of our initial experiences eating pizza included simple ingredients and basic toppings like cheese and pepperoni. As an adult, if your love of pizza still remains, check out what some of our local chefs have done to change the world of pizza as we knew it.
First on our list is the infamous steak tartare pizza at the Snake River Grill. Created by owner Jeff Drew 18 years ago, the pizza, like the restaurant, is a modern interpretation of the classics. Drew’s inspiration for the pizza was to try and introduce customers to the flavors of steak tartare.
The challenge was what to put on our menu that would encourage people to try something new like raw steak — then, the light bulb moment, PIZZA! Everyone loves pizza!
Jeff Drew, Owner of Snake River Grill
The steak tartare pizza, made with garlic aioli, red onion, parsley, capers, and local beef, from Mead Ranch in Jackson, has turned out to be the perfect modern, but comfortable, presentation for guests to try steak tartare.
Next is a Sicilian style pizza, created by Chef Paulie O’Connor, that has been served at Paulie’s Italian Restaurant since June. It is a unique cross between focaccia and ciabatta style bread that makes the pizza Sicilian style. From the fermentation process to the proofing stage the dough takes about three days to make and weights about two pounds per pizza.
Olive oil is the key to the dough and cooking in the grandma style pan. No one in Jackson is doing this style of pie. It’s very unique and similar to Detroit style pie. I wanted to do something different than what other pizza shops are doing in town.
Paulie O’Connor, owner and executive chef at Paulie’s Italian Restaurant
The Porky Pig is made with provolone sausage, from Esposito in NYC, spicy salumi, wild mushrooms, from Washington, caramelized onions, burrata, and basil.
The sausage has got a good amount of heat to it. The burrata adds a nice gooey, cheesy factor to the pizza. Wild mushrooms give it a nice earthy taste and you get a sweetness from the onions.
Paulie O’Connor
Another Jackson staple has been the prosciutto and arugula pizza at Trio Bistro. On and off the menu since opening, this favorite is cooked in a wood fire pizza oven with applewood logs that add extra flavor. The pizza is layered with a house made garlic oil, thin slices of Prosciutto Di Parma, mozzarella, arugula, and is then dressed with lemon, olive oil, parmesan, salt and pepper.
This pizza is simple, features great ingredients and is authentic to Trio as it reflects the bistro’s thoughtful but relaxed style.
Cassina Brown, chef de cuisine at Trio
And if you’re in the mood for local game, try one of these two specialty pizzas from Pizzeria Calderia. The Elk Piccante, is a tomato based pie topped with fresh mozzarella, Wyoming elk sausage, mama lil’s goat horn peppers (a speciality), fresh basil and onion.
The sweetness of the fresh mozzarella, combined with the mildly spicy pickled pepper and aromatic basil compliment the rich sausage for a flavor explosion.
Miga Rossetti, Pizzeria Caldera
The Bisonte, also tomato based, is topped with fresh mozzarella, locally sourced bison sausage, yellow pepper, red onion and plenty of Wyoming’s favorite herb, fresh sage. A “hands down favorite!” And if you’re not in town, Pizzeria Caldera has their own frozen pizza line, which ships Jackson Hole free range pizza’s, to your door, two day, FedEx delivery, with free shipping.
You can find these and so many more culinary pizza creations around town at Hand Fire Pizza, who will be launching a brand new winter menu next week, Pinky G’s Pizzeria, Osteria Italian Restaurant in Teton Village, Calico Bar and Restaurant on the Village Road, and Cutty’s Bar and Grill.
