Italian cuisine enthusiasts have a new gourmet address to discover in Limoilou. The Morso pizzeria aims to democratize Roman pizza.
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Unlike the Neapolitan pizza which is always round, the one that originated in Rome is distinguished by its rectangular shape. The dough of the latter also contains more water and is fermented longer, which gives it a crispy side. As a bonus, it heats up very easily at home.
Another peculiarity: it is served in slices, to the cutwhich encourages people to share and try slices of several pizzas.
Photo Ludovic Gauthier, provided by Brouillard
The Roman pizzeria Morso has been open since April 7
Little sister of the NO.900 pizzeria chain, the new brand – which was born in Montreal – relies on this little delicacy still little known here.
“It’s a people’s pizza, a bakery’s pizza. It’s a pizza made with very simple ingredients,” says Mirko D’Agata, the executive chef of the two chains.
He explains to me that the effort is put on the finish and the presentation of the pizzas which, placed next to each other, form the menu that we devour with our eyes.
A world champion pizza
Renowned pizza maker, Mirko was crowned world champion of Roman pizza in 2019 in Naples and took second place for his Neapolitan pizza in another competition the same year.
Photo Ludovic Gauthier, provided by Brouillard
Executive Chef Mirko D’Agata
“I did a lot of things in the kitchen, but pizza is my whole career, my whole life”, confides with passion the one who settled in Quebec in 2012.
I meet him during the opening night of the Quebec branch, when he demonstrates all his know-how and shares the recipes he has created for Morso with his team.
You will be able to taste his pizza which has won top honors, with pancetta coppota and grilled hazelnuts, a real delight!
Roman pizza classics are also on the menu: the four cheeses, the one with zucchini, ricotta and lemon zest, and the margherita with its homemade burrata. But the most authentic in the eyes of the chef remains the pizza with potatoes, fior di latte, mozzarella, rosemary and olive oil. I loved the taste of rosemary which enhances the more subtle flavors of the potato.
Photo Ludovic Gauthier, provided by Brouillard
Charcuteries from here
Mirko, originally from Turin, Italy, was so taken with the quality of our pork that he set out to create deli meats here for the chain.
“Quebec pork meat is the best I have ever tasted. Even better than in Italy”, he says.
He spent months developing, with Biological Meats of Charlevoix and the Gaspor Farm, a complete range of Italian-inspired deli meats. Almost all of the pork on the menu at NO.900 and Morso is made here, be it prosciutto, speck or the lightly spiced ventricina salami.
Of course, some basic products for the pizzas of both chains are imported from Italy, including flour, tomato sauce and olive oil.
Several of these products are also on sale in the shop section of the pizzeria Morso.
Photo Ludovic Gauthier, provided by Brouillard
The pizza fight
Marie-Michelle Berger, who heads NO.900 3rd Avenue, is one of the co-owners of this friendly restaurant with around twenty seats.
Photo Ludovic Gauthier, provided by Brouillard
“What brought me to the project, among other things, was the beauty of the pizza. I’ve been to Italy several times and, even though I have a Neapolitan pizzeria, it’s really the Roman that I fell in love with,” she enthuses.
Chef Mirko also has a weakness for romaine. It is the latter who would win the pizza fight if he had little time left to enjoy one.
“I would go for the Roman potato pizza. On the other hand, if I’m really on the verge of death, the Neapolitan is quicker to cook!”, he says with a big burst of laughter.
Bite
1099, 3e avenue, Quebec