Everything You Need to Know about Pizza

Anyone who has ever seen Dan Richer in action knows that this is one passionate pizza maker. From the dough, to the sauce, to the cheese, to the toppings, he is famous for testing, tweaking, and fine-tuning every note that goes into composing an outstanding pie. His never-ending quest for perfection has earned him a dedicated following of pizza fans who travel from across the country as well as from across town to his Razza Pizza Artigianale, the Jersey City restaurant he opened in 2012. Rave reviews have flowed in from the media as well, the most memorable being the day in 2017 when Pete Wells, restaurant critic for the venerable New York Times, proclaimed that the best pizza in New York was actually to be found in New Jersey—at Razza.

Now, Richer has funneled all of that creative passion into The Joy of Pizza, a 288- page book to be released in late October. Beautifully photographed by Eric Wolfinger and co-authored with fellow New Jersey native and food writer Katie Parla, the book aims to share, as the sub-title indicates, “Everything You Need to Know.” Along with more than two dozen pie recipes, Richer takes readers on a deep dive into technique, ingredients, and every aspect of pie-making, even going so far as to share his Pizza Evaluation Rubric, a 60-point scorecard for evaluating a pizza straight from the oven in terms of its size, structural integrity, ingredient ratio, and other aspects.

It is always interesting to learn what led an artist to their creative path. Having watched Richer through most of his career, we appreciate his sharing some of that autobiographical insight in his introduction. Clearly, the chef has come a long way from the days when he and his mom, Robin (to whom the book is dedicated), shared pizzas at Pizza Village in an Aberdeen NJ strip mall. We’re glad he chose this journey and we have no doubt that this book will be a must-have for everyone who is looking to perfect their own pizza technique, immerse themselves in the pursuit, or just learn more about the art of the craft.

THE JOY OF PIZZA: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
by Dan Richer with Katie Parla.
Published by Voracious, an imprint of Little, Brown & Company.
Release date: October 26, 2021.
Learn more and pre-order at thejoyofpizzabook.com.