Il Ferramenta Pizza Al Taglio
Il Ferramenta Al Taglio
Roman-style Pizza in Chester
BY LAURA OAKLEY
PHOTOS MICHELLE DOUCETTE
At Il Ferramenta, a small slice shop on the perimeter of downtown Chester, owner and pizzaiolo Sam Flinn goes about his routine of making pizza dough set for long fermentation. Using a technique taught to him in Rome, Italy, by master pizzaiolo Cristiano Garbarino, the two-day fermentation process results in a different kind of pizza dough than most people in this area are probably used to.
Roman-style pizza al taglio (which translates to “by the cut”) is a rectangular-shaped pie with a moister, denser and more robust body, cut into thick, square pieces served by the slice. The heartier crust, typically up to an inch thick, is the perfect base for a more generous amount of toppings than Neopolitan style thin-crust—what people usually associate with authentic Italian pizza.
On the streets of Rome, pizza al taglio is displayed in a case, cut to order, and charged by weight. At Il Ferramenta, Flinn pre-cuts the slices, and prices range depending on the toppings. “Pizza has been my favourite food since I was a little kid,” says Flinn. He opened Il Ferramenta in 2019 after getting inspired by time spent in Italy and studying pizza making in Rome. “[Pizza] was on such a different level than what was available in Nova Scotia at the time. I thought if I could make it even half as good as they make it in Rome, it would be worth it.” Flinn headed west to work construction for a while but eventually returned home and hosted some pizza pop-up events at his mother’s place, the Kiwi Café in Chester. “I always wanted to own my own business, and since I’ve been around the food industry for a long time, it fell into place.”
Raised in a culinary family with roots in Chester and New Zealand, Flinn says he’s been around the hospitality business “basically since he was an infant.” His mother, Lynda, ran a catering business before opening the much-loved, long-running Kiwi Café in Chester when Flinn was six. “I’ve just been around her cooking in the kitchen for a long time,” says Flinn. “I was always there, probably getting in her way a little bit.”
Il Ferramenta means hardware store in Italian. “The building was owned by my grandfather, and he ran a hardware store in the space back when they first moved to Chester,” says Flinn. Now running his business, Flinn works in the kitchen, getting the dough just right. “I make the dough two days in advance [of using it]. I make a bulk ferment, so I mix all the dough together in a large bin in the fridge, and it sits there for 24 hours, then I shape them into dough balls, one day,” says Flinn, “the next day I’ll use the dough balls, and make a pizza out of them.”
He offers a daily selection of pre-made pizza al taglio, for which he’ll choose four or five kinds, plus whole pizzas made to order (still rectangular-shaped) with six slices per pie. Whole pizzas can be half-and-half, too. The slice shop has limited seating since the kitchen takes up most of the space, but there are a few tables plus window counters with stools. Il Ferramenta is licensed and offers wine by the glass and bottle. Additionally, customers can grab a pizza slice or two from Il Ferramenta to enjoy at the microbrewery next door, Tanner & Co. Brewing. Unsurprisingly, slices from the shop have become a popular accoutrement to their tap list (and patio).
The menu for pizzas made to order is extensive and even includes vegan options. Flinn says the takeout business is good since Chester is near plenty of summer homes and cottages, where families gather and often look for group-friendly food. The shop is seasonal and opening hours for this year are skewed to the evening—since when that day’s dough runs out, he’s out—and most customers are looking for pizza around that time. On Fridays, he’s open for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. for slices only, serving nearby workers, and Tuesday through Saturday, he’s open from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
I stopped in for some slices on a Friday afternoon—the first Friday of the season. It was already steady with regulars from last year, excited that their Friday lunch routine was back in season. The two-deck Italian oven, one set for baking the pizzas fresh and one set for reheating the slices, was busy. “Because of the high hydration, the second time you heat [a slice] up, a little bit of extra moisture comes out, steams off, and it makes the dough a little bit lighter. Less water. And it’s crispier,” says Flinn. On the day of my visit, the pizza al taglio offering included pepperoni, Margherita, potato rosemary, and prosciutto fig.
Of course, I tried all four kinds. Potato-rosemary was a personal favourite (pizza bianco lover over here), the extra virgin olive oil drizzle gave the reheated crust extra crispiness, and the lack of tomato sauce made the dough airier. The Margherita was lovely with its classic flavours—I could smell the fragrant basil from my table prior to ordering. The combination of flavours on the prosciutto fig pizza was excellent: mozzarella, a small amount of blue cheese, prosciutto, fig jam, and a balsamic glaze offered the sweet, salty and tangy aspects that work well together with each bite.
SAM FLINN
Since the shop is closed for a few months per year, Flinn often heads to Italy during the time off. He spent this past winter in Florence, taking a culinary course. Inspired by the trendy flatbread panini sandwiches there called schiacciata, he’s recently added them to the menu for Friday lunches. Thin, crispy flatbread stuffed with prosciutto, fresh ricotta cheese, baby kale and house-made Tuscan-style salsa verde (a tangy, herby, garlicky green sauce). For dessert this season, he’ll be stocking tiramisu and likely a creme brûlée, made around the corner at his Mom’s café. His wine list will also grow to offer four reds and four whites from Nova Scotia, two international reds and whites, and budget-friendly house wines.
Il Ferramenta is located at 59 Duke Street and is the perfect stop for a slice and a leisurely glass of wine or grabbing pizza to-go for heading to one of the many nearby stunning beaches, provincial parks or campgrounds. If you have some time on your journey back to Halifax, follow the Lighthouse Route for winding roads, unbeatable coastal views, multiple beach stops, and a swing by Peggys Cove.
