It’d been awhile since last we ventured to that culinary wasteland known as Henderson/Monochrome Valley for one of the few things worth eating there.
But venture we did for the best pies within a 250 mile radius of here.
And by gosh if the gol durn’d porchetta pizza that Chef/pizza artist Rafael Garcia put together for us was about the most succulent, spicy, yeasty, puffy, charred piece of pizza pie perfection we’ve eaten in a coon’s age.
We’re tempted to say it almost made the thirty-five minute trek out to the bad food boonies worth it.
Actually, it did make the trek worth it — so much so that we’re begging Rafael to keep roasted this pork — with his special fennel-coriander-spice rub — on his menu every day, just so we can partake promiscuously of such porcine prominence.
With every bite we ask ourselves: Is it the just-the-right-thickness crust? The char? The ethereal balance of yeasty dough to tasty toppings? Or the essence of wood smoke that pervades each bite that has us dreaming about these ethereal concoctions weeks after we eat them.
Actually, our staff thinks it’s all of the above, plus the fact that Brittany is such a cute hostess.
And they’re right.
Our meal of two pies and two Pellegrino limonatas came to $23 + a $7 tip.
SETTEBELLO PIZZERIA
140 South Green Valley Parkway
Henderson, NV 89012
702.222.3556
Here’s the recipe (straight from Rafael) for the roast pork:
RECIPE PAGE |
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Porchetta |
ingredients: |
pork shoulder |
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onion diced |
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carrot diced + some bigger pieces |
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Celery diced |
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fennel seeds |
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fennel bulb diced |
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garlic |
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Salt |
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pepper |
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fennel rub (fennel seeds, coriander and white pepper toasted and grounded) |
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olive oil |
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directions: |
Rub pork w/ salt, pepper, fennel rub garlic and rosemary |
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Brown in olive oil & remove |
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add onion/carrot/celery. Cook until onion is translucent |
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add fennel seed, garlic, fennel bulb |
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deglaze w/ a little white wine if needed |
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add back pork on a 275 oven for 45 min per Lb |
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Spoon liquids and rotate |
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please please please please god let them keep this on the menu. I’m in Mexico for another 5 days and I was heartbroken when I got the pizza of the week email last Friday detailing this beauty because I knew I wouldn’t be able to eat it =(
one more week for pizza porchetta… thanks john!
Yummy! Yes, Settebello is the best pizza in town. Perhaps it’s even the best pizza in The West. Seriously, it held up quite well against David Myers’ pizza at Pizzeria Ortica in Orange County (which I tried last month when I visited there). IMHO. Settebello’s pizza may even beat Molto Mario’s and Mad Baker Nancy’s famous pie in LA (which I tried earlier this year).
Who knew my new hometown of Henderson would also become home to the best pizza in the entire West?
i love you rafael
Dropped by Settebello yesterday and had the wonderful Porchetta pizza. It wasn’t listed anywhere, I had to ask for it. Everything about it was perfect, too bad it isn’t on their regular menu.
My daughter & grandslons introduced me to SETTEBELLO last time I was in Henderson– Can you make pizza old Calabrese style, –thick dough–good sauce di pomodori, NO melted cheeses , but sprinkled after removal from oven with grated romano, or other grated pasta cheese– good sausage as a side dish–
NOW-for the real southern Italian, Calabria, Sicilia etc key answer–? who knows or remembers ‘Pitta Fritta’ in the A.M. after making Bread and Pizza ????
Ciao,
Luigi
I truly loved reading your blog. It was very well authored and easy to undertand. Unlike other blogs I have read. I also found it very interesting. In fact after reading, I had to go show the wife and she ejoyed it also!
Any chance of getting their dough recipe?? Living in Alaska yet jonesing for the authentic soft crust is killing me! THANK YOU!
Damn JC, this is great pizza. We just finished here. Pinot Grigio out of a tumbler glass, seems so Italian. We tried a couple of great pies here but the Bianca with fresh Arugola was outstanding, very peppery. Thanks again for another great tip for the people from the frozen north. Cheers Cam