By Lucy Gordan Rastelli

Pizza is one of the simplest and most flavor-intense expressions of the culinary arts,” Giovanni Melis, President of Italy’s National Association of Pizza Chefs, told me in a recent interview. “The more attention the chef pays to the freshness of each and every ingredient, the better the result”. Pizza is fundamental to the Mediterranean diet.

Second only to pastasciutta, it is the dish most beloved to Italians. So it logically succeeded last year’s primi piatti or “first courses” as one of the competitions (others being: blue fish, fruit and vegetables, best young chefs) during the 2nd Festival of Italian Cuisine held at Marina di Campo, on Elba, Italy’s third largest island, from September 26-29. Nazionale italiana pizzaioli (Italy’s National Agency of Pizza Chefs), alias NIP, chose the 20 finalists, one from each of Italy’s 20 regions, from over 900 contestants.

The first and foremost criterion: each finalist in the “First National Championship of Typically Regional Pizzas” had to use exclusively ingredients typical of his or her region. Before offering the sizzling mouth- watering product to the international jury to sample, each finalist had to present a platter of its ingredients to a “control table” which judged their aroma and freshness.

	Third Prize Winner: Angelo Conforti
Autumnal Velvet toppings: Truffles, Porcini Mushrooms, Capriolo and Castlemagno Cheese

Third prize for 2002 went to a strong and silent Calabria-born Piemontese: Angelo Conforti, Pizzeria “La Casita”, Piazza Vittorio Veneto 1, Borgaretto di Beinasco, (Torino), tel. 011-39-011- 2589944, closed Tuesday. He garnished his “Autumnal Velvet” with truffles, porcini mushrooms, capriolo and Castelmagno cheese.

	Second Prize Winner: Leonard Todisco.
La Cima Bianca toppings: Turnip Greens, Sausages, Tomato, Ricotta and Alta Murgia Cheese.

The runner-up is gregarious pugliese Leonardo Todisco, Pizzeria Poquito Mas, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele 5, 70052 Bisceglie (Bari), cellphone 338-4695151. His toppings for “La Cima Bianca” or “White Summit” were turnips greens, sausages, tomato, ricotta, and alta murgiacheese.