My good friend, Rafi, accomplished pizzaiolo and sourdough master, again has a pizza pop-up this summer! So, friends in Berkshire county and neighboring areas of New York State, if you are looking for a delicious and different evening activity that’s still feasible during this time, head on over to Katchkie Farm in Kinderhook, NY for some wood-fired sourdough pizza! The pop-up will be open this Saturday, July 18, and then Thursday-Sunday beginning July 23 through mid-September.

Rafi has been studying pizza and sourdough intensively, and established his business, Hilltown Hot Pies, last year. We enjoyed last summer’s pizza pop-up at the Dream Away Lodge in Becket, MA on many occasions before the cooler temps arrived and Rafi headed to warmer climes to create more pop-up events and cater pizza parties through the fall and winter.

A large part of what makes Rafi’s pizza special is his commitment to wild-yeasted dough. There is no commercial yeast in the dough, and this creates a flavorful, chewy crust, carefully stretched so as not to inhibit those wonderful, charred bubbles around the edges. In addition, using wood to fuel the pizza oven imparts the crust with a gentle smokiness, yet not too much as these pizza cook so rapidly, almost instantaneously!

On our first visit to this year’s set-up we got two pizzas: the Beetza and Field & Forest. The Beetza is a phenomenal combo of thinly-sliced beets, pesto with walnuts, caramelized onion, mozzarella, and chèvre. I added the suggested prosciutto as well, but, honestly, this pizza would be just as wonderful without it. You might think it would be overly sweet with both beets and caramelized onions, but, in fact, the two different sweets play nicely off each other, punctuated by the strong taste of the pesto. The Field & Forest pizza offers just a hint of tomato sauce as the palette for roasted mushrooms and spicy sopressata with mozzarella. (Hank also opted for more meat with some optional pepperoni, in addition!) The brilliance of this pizza, though, is the pickled onions scattered on top that provide an acidic counterpoint to the richness of the meat. There are several other pizza options, both vegetarian/vegan and with meat, and if I know Rafi, he will continue to develop new, innovative topping combinations as different produce from the farm ripens over the rest of the growing season, so look for new ideas and fresh flavors to be added to the menu!

The pizza oven at Katchkie Farm is under a pavilion with picnic tables overlooking the farm’s fields. You can enjoy your pizza right there, or take it home in a box sturdy enough for a drive back to the Berkshires, which is what we did this past weekend. We warmed them up briefly in the oven, and they were none the worse for wear!

In order to maximize social distancing and minimize contact, you must order ahead of time. There will be no on-site ordering or exchange of payment. You can find all the information you need here. It’s a beautiful drive to Kinderhook, and Rafi’s pizza creations offer a wonderful way to enjoy the earth’s bounty on a perfectly-crafted wood-fired sourdough crust.

Buon Appetito!

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Hilltown Hot Pies – Pizza Pop-Up!