Henderson and east-side dwellers now have their very own Novecento Pizzeria. The traditional Neapolitan pizza spot originally opened by chef Marc Sgrizzi in the northwest Centennial Hills neighborhood just opened the doors of its Eastern Avenue location, adjacent to the new Smashburger. Novecento cranks out crispy, chewy pies in minutes from an almond wood-burning stone oven that holds steady at a blazing 900 degrees. The result is fast, flavorful pizza that only needs a few quality toppings to reach its potential, and I highly recommend eschewing traditional pepperoni for rich, spicy soppressata.
I'm not sure why every pizza joint doesn't keep this amazing pork salami on stock at all times. It brings plenty of heat and savory goodness, especially when crisped slightly in these scorching ovens. The combination of the sliced soppressata with the sweet San Marzano tomatoes used on all true Neapolitan pizza is one of the best pizza pairings possible. To balance things out, I added roasted mushrooms and fresh mozzarella. When you're creating your own Novecento pie, remember to keep it simple so you don't overpower the beautiful crust, and don't forget the salami.
Novecento Pizzeria 5705 Centennial Center Blvd. #170, 685-4900; 9460 S. Eastern Ave. #130, 485-2900.