Make Michael Schwartz's Pizza at Home With the Cookbook Genuine Pizza

Michael Schwartz is dishing on how to make the perfect pizza. All you need is an apron, a few ingredients, and his new cookbook, Genuine Pizza, set to hit bookstands in April 2019.

Named for the James Beard award-winning chef's pizza empire, which includes five locations between Miami and Atlanta, the cookbook will outline Schwartz's approach to pizza. With it, you'll gain access to 75 step-by-step recipes, each crafted by the chef.

"The secret to good food is good food, and it starts with sourcing great ingredients," he says. "Pizza has always been an important part of all my restaurants. And I want the home cook to feel like they now have a great resource that they can turn to."

The book begins with the fundamentals of pizza-making, including techniques for gluten-free, rye-based, and traditional dough. The second part focuses on specific recipes, such as margherita and soppressata. Also included are some of Schwartz's lesser-known concoctions, including zucchini with ricotta, anchovy, and chili; the BLT with bacon and Taleggio; and pastrami on rye crust. You'll notice some of Schwartz's best-selling pies from his Miami restaurants too, from rock shrimp to slow-roasted pork.

"I'd have to say a standout is stracciatella with spicy roasted tomato sauce, caramelized onion, and scallion," he says. "Instead of fresh mozzarella, we use its creamy cousin, which is laid on the pizza just after it comes out of the oven. The temperature contrast of cool cheese with the freshly baked pie is unbeatable."
The cookbook includes Schwartz's other Italian-influenced recipes for snacks, soups, salads, main courses, desserts, and drinks, which are meant to be paired with pizza.

Genuine Pizza is Schwartz's second cookbook. His first, 2011's Michael's Genuine Food, published the greatest hits from his flagship in the Design District.

"Pizza is just the beginning," he says. "It's a jumping-off point to colorful, delicious meals at home."

In the meantime, Schwartz's restaurant brand, Genuine Pizza, expects to open three more locations in 2018: inside the Museum Garage in Miami's Design District, Shaker Heights in Cleveland, and near Lincoln Road in Miami Beach.