Check out tasty dishes to spice up your life

H ow do you cut carbs? If you answered, “with a pizza slicer,” get ready. Saturday’s National Pizza Day! And it all starts with great dough.

“The key is the simplicity. Our dough is flour, water, yeast and salt,” said John Sidoti, Pizzeria Vetri’s culinary director and executive chef. “Honestly, if there’s any secret, it’s the technique. And that comes with time.”

He uses an “out-of-this-world” Neapolitan dough, created by restaurant founder Marc Vetri and flavored by slow fermentation.

“It’s a four- to five-day process from start to finish,” Sidoti explained, adding that “it’s the best dough I’ve ever worked with.”

And while the dough remains the same, Pizzeria Vetri recently updated the menu at its King of Prussia and other locations. Choose from new pizzas like spinaci, aka baby spinach, and molla nera, featuring roasted mushrooms and black garlic aioli for a “richer flavor profile” and “umami.” Plus, don’t miss the seasonal special with shaved Brussels sprouts and marinated pomegranate.

“This is the first time we’ve really changed our core menu,” he said. “It’s about being a little lighter and a little more approachable.”

Just save room for Nutella pizza, a menu staple because “people love it.”

From dessert to drinks… head to Northbound in Souderton for a pizza martini, a blend of basil-infused Boardroom vodka, tomato and shallot water, pickled tomato and olive oil.

“It mimics a classic martini and also mimics a pizza,” described co-owner Cody Ferdinand. “It’s a pretty drink.”

Pair it with the restaurant’s Detroit-style pizza - a sauce-topped square pie with cheese and more baked into the crust. Cast iron pans make it extra-crispy “all around.”

As for the dough, “ours is a little bit different,” he noted. “It’s a mix between Neapolitan-style dough and traditional dough. It’s a 24-hour fermented dough.”

On National Pizza Day, try the special pizza du jour with fried prosciutto, caramelized onion and garlic cream or stick with the classics: cheese, veggie and pepperoni.

“I just think it’s a really cool style that you don’t see everywhere,” Ferdinand said. “It’s light, airy dough that meets the pan pizza.” National Pizza Day = deals What’s even better than pizza? Saving some dough.

On Saturday, Feb. 9, visit any Pizzeria Vetri location for $10 margherita pizzas (12-inch).

And at Northbound in Souderton, order a pizza martini and get a Detroit-style pie for half price.

PHOTO BY EMILY RYAN — MEDIANEWS GROUP Eighty-three percent of Americans eat pizza at least once a month, according to a Technomic study.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PIZZERIA VETRI Mushrooms and black garlic aioli top this molla nera pizza.

PHOTO BY EMILY RYAN — MEDIANEWS GROUP Celebrate one of America’s favorite foods - pizza!

PHOTO COURTESY OF NORTHBOUND Pizza lovers, this martini’s for you.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PIZZERIA VETRI Pizzeria Vetri shared the recipe for speck pizza.

Northbound serves Detroit-style pizza with the sauce on top.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PIZZERIA VETRI Save room for dessert Nutella pizza.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PIZZERIA VETRI At Pizzeria Vetri, take this spinaci pizza for a spin.