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Brick Oven Pizza changes the flavor of the Boone County Fair
By Anne Eickstadt
ANNE EICKSTADT PHOTO Belvidere Daily Republican
The pizza being removed from Savino’s Brick Oven has baked at over 900 degrees
Also known as Savino’s Pizza, Brick Oven Pizza raises the flavor bar extremely high at the Boone County Fair.
Owned and operated by Matt and Dana (Savino) Shook, Brick Oven Pizza follows the Old World tradition for pizza. “We try to emulate the Old Italian style. In Italy,” Matt said, “Pizza is the crust. The toppings are just condiments.
“We bought the mobile oven over five years ago. From 2013 to 2015, Dana worked on developing the recipe for our crust. Her father, grandfather, and great-grandfather were all in the food business. Her father owned Junior’s Ice Cream Shop in Franklin Park. Her grandfather came from Italy and had a pizza place in Chicago.
“Dana’s recipe is one of the secrets of the great taste of our pizza,” he said. “The other is brick, wood fired oven. It cooks the pizza at over 900 degrees. You can’t beat that flavor. The quicker you cook the pizza, the more nutrients remain in the ingredients and the more flavor you retain.
“I have been with the Belvidere Police Department for 12 years. I am a Patrol Officer and, essentially, I have joined my wife’s family business as well.
“We are in our third season of doing weddings, catering graduations and special occasions.”
You can find out more by visiting their Facebook page at Savino’s Brick Oven.
