In Italy, Sundays and soccer go hand in hand. Going to the stadium and watching the game on TV are traditions that are sacred to many, and need to be continued after leaving the country. In New York, diehard soccer fans have created their own clubs and will religiously get together at sports bars to watch their teams play. Football Factory at Legends, headquarters for AC Milan fans, or Smithfield Hall, the N.Y. home for Inter Milan, are two such watering holes.
For others, watching the game has to be paired with authentic Italian food to truly feel at home. Ribalta, one of the top Neapolitan pizza restaurants in the city, is the perfect spot to enjoy lunch while cheering for your team. On Sundays, soccer fans flock to the Village restaurant, just south of Union Square, where games are showcased on a big screen. The owners, Rosario Procino and Pasquale Cozzolino, are fervent Napoli supporters, but will welcome fans of any team, as long as they also love pizza.
Pizza DOC
“When we opened Ribalta seven years ago, nobody was showing soccer games, except for British pubs. Naturally, we attracted the attention of Italian fans and became their headquarters during the World Cup,” Rosario recounts. “With the growing interest of soccer in the U.S., it didn’t take long for New Yorkers to join us. Between the Serie A and the European leagues, we now have a game every day of the week.”
For regulars, when watching the game, pizza and a glass of Aperol Spritz are a classic combination. The food is as authentic as can be, made with ingredients from Naples and the Campania region – everything from the flour and natural yeast, to the buffalo mozzarella used for the margherita-style DOC pizza. “Due to a very long fermentation period, more then 72 hours for our pizza in pala, our dough is quite unique,” Rosario explains. “It makes it very light and easy to digest.”
Crocchette di Patate
The menu, however, also includes tasty pasta dishes, such as the spaghettoni al pomodoro, prepared with “pomodorini del piennolo,” cherry tomatoes grown on the volcanic slopes of Mount Vesuvius. Small plates of potato croquettes, meatballs and the zucchini scapece (sautéed zucchini with a vinegar and garlic dressing) are perfect to share. “For Sunday 3PM games, the mafaldine al ragù Napoletano, is a must-have,” according to Rosario. The ribbon shaped pasta dressed with a slow-cooked pork and beef ragù is a traditional Neapolitan dish for Sunday family meals. “We also noticed that during games, people tend to order more dessert if their team is winning,” he adds. “I would definitely recommend our delicacy, the BabaMiSud, a southern Italian version of the classic tiramisù – mascarpone cream layered with babà and Nutella, topped with amarena, a sour black cherry. It’s to die for.”
Mafaldine al Ragù Napoletano
Sounds like the perfect game plan.