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From 30-hour cold-fermented dough and leopard-spotted crusts to the World Cup-winning Provola E Pepe, the Italian pizza maestro delivers an authentic taste of Naples, with a few Mumbai-inspired creations along the way

Vincenzo Capuano coming to Mumbai was announced much before the chef came to Mumbai with his skills and Italian brigade. The third-generation Enzo takes pride in taking forward the pizza legacy of his family. And is immensely proud to bring his World Cup winner pizza to India and Mumbai.

Jenny, the hostess asks me to start with The Burrata Classic Salad. It is a refreshing start, with creamy burrata bringing its familiar richness to a plate of freshness. What makes it particularly interesting, though, are the little details — the olive oil caviar adds a burst of flavour, while the ginger drizzle and pesto bring a lovely, layered sharpness to the dish.

Abbraccio e mama |

At Vincenzo Capuano, the secret is not just what goes on top, but what happens to the dough long before it reaches the oven. Cold-fermented for more than 30 hours, the dough is prepared with European temperatures in mind, despite Mumbai’s very non-European climate. They ferment the dough in temperature-controlled environment. The result is a crust that is remarkably light, airy and beautifully blistered, with those coveted leopard spots adding both character and bubbly interior. The dough is so light that you can eat the entire pizza and more but you don’t feel heavy.

There is plenty of thought behind that airy texture. The pizzas are cut with scissors rather than a traditional wheel, helping retain the delicate bubbles in the crust. It is one of those small techniques that may go unnoticed until you take a bite—and then you understand why the crust feels so different.