“GREAT PIZZA IN CUBA” PART 2
We have returned to Casa Nostra twice since our initial visit during the first week of February 2017, and it has been an all-around great experience both times. We had lunch and dinner there, and had the opportunity to interview the owner, Fabio Palazzo.
I have a thing for anchovies, and have had the pizza Napolitana with anchovies on both visits. Since Fabio operated restaurants in Cancun for several years, he offers great “micheladas” at Casa Nostra. If you are from an area of the U.S. where “micheladas” are not sold, they are basically a Mexican beer cocktail that includes a salted rim beer mug, ice, and spices. My wife tried the “caponada” on our second visit and the pasta a la Siciliana on our last visit. Casa Nostra offers three different fillings in their cannoli’s, and they are all awesome!
I spoke to Fabio briefly on our second visit, as he was preparing for a trip to Mexico to buy some much needed supplies, condiments, and food items that are not available in Cuba, for his restaurant.
F.G. “How long have you been living in Cuba?
F.P. “Just over two years, I moved here from Playa del Carmen, Mexico.”
F.G. “When did you open Casa Nostra?”
F.P. “About a year ago.”
F.G. “What part of Sicily are you from?”
F.P. “Catangia.”
F.G. “Is it difficult for you to find supplies in Cuba?”
F.P. “Yes, very difficult to find most things. We make our own cheese, and it is difficult to find fresh milk. We prepare all of our dishes from scratch, and it is hard. We grow many herbs here on the premises, as well as tomatoes and other vegetables. Our desserts are made by us here with our own ingredients. I make my own sausages, and ricotta and mozzarella cheese. We make the dough for the piazzas every day. Everything is fresh!
F.G. “What makes a pizza Sicilian?”
F.P. “Our pizza Sicilian is spongy on the inside and crunchy on the outside, but we also make other typical Sicilian dishes.
F.G. “Such as?”
F.P. “Pasta a la Siciliana, which we offer which here in Cuba we offer with swordfish from January through April, and with tuna from May through December. That is the season those two species are available in Cuba. We also prepare cannoli Siciliano, and “caponada. We are the only ones in Cuba offering these dishes.”
F.G. “The name of the restaurant is Casa Nostra, and in shadow Cosa Nostra, how did you come up with the name?
F.P. “My business partner at the time was also Sicilian, and whenever we met anyone and they found out they would ask us about the Mafia. Apparently, there is a notion that all Sicilians are in the Mafia, but it is simply intended to beat others to the joke, and let us carry on with our work.”
F.G. “Do you have any expansion plans.”
F.P. “Yes, we do. We hope to open a new restaurant in Old Havana in April. It will be near La Bodeguita del Medio, at Calle Juan de Dios #53, and it will also have a brick oven.”
F.G. “Have you noticed an increase in the number of Americans travelling to Cuba over the course of the year?”
F.P. “Not really, we have many clients from the U.S. Embassy, but the number of American tourists has not increased.”
F.G. “Where do you stand on the New York-Chicago pizza debate?”
F.P. “I have no idea, I haven’t had either.”
F.G. “Thank you!”