chianti classico, pizzette & rugby

All three of us at Arthouse Wine are rugby fans with partners who are rugby fans so this Saturday is a big springtime event: Super Saturday when the final matches of the 6 Nations Tournament are played out. Starting around 12pm and ending some 3 x 80- minute matches later and watched with friends, you want to have some drinks and snacks on the go – it can be thirsty work, believe me!
This year, I am making pizzette – little pizzas about 8cm across – in the morning and will dress them and put them in the oven during the 3 half-times. Couldn’t be simpler (famous last words). I have taken the dough recipe from Paola Bacchia’s ‘Italian Street Food’’ cookbook and ordered some Italian pork and fennel sausages and scamorza (smoked mozzarella) from Fratelli Camisa's website. I am aiming to keep us all going on various combinations of toppings including Paola’s: small sweet tomatoes, mozzarella and basil; Gorgonzola, sautéed mushrooms and thyme; Italian sausage (remove the skins and mash the meat with a fork before cooking), mozzarella and courgette. Drink whatever you like – it’s going to be a long day/night - but my mouth is watering at the thought of drinking our lovely Chianti Classico with these. Our Nunzi Conti Chianti Classico is produced in one of the seven sub-zones of Chianti and can therefore be labelled Classico. It will have spent more time in the barrel and the vines, having lower yields than other Chiantis, are able to produce higher quality fruit. The Sangiovese grape here is markedly black cherry in aroma and flavour, has a distinctive taste that is very Tuscan and pairs beautifully with pizza (big or small!).  
Click "Read More" below for Paola’s pizzette recipe.

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