Chef Jackie Mazza is hard at work in the kitchen at DeeDee’s, the new restaurant on 601 Raritan Ave. She emerges with a small pan of roni rolls—pepperoni-filled treats topped with cheese. Mazza hopes to perfect this dish for the menu.
For weeks, she has been refining her pizza crust recipe, testing different cheeses, and mastering the electric oven. When asked why she puts in so much effort compared to other pizza places, Mazza shrugs and says, “I’m not your typical pizza man. I mean, look at me,” as she gestures to her leopard-print UGGs and matching headband, a far cry from traditional chef attire.
As the staff prepares for the Tuesday ribbon-cutting ceremony at 3 p.m., which will feature Mayor Elsie Foster, they continue their search for the best flavors using the freshest ingredients. Last week, customers enjoyed various slices: a man in a trucker hat devoured sausage and pepper, while a woman in a bubble vest sampled eggplant parm. A high school quarterback in his game jersey had a plain slice. They were all unaware of the hard work that went into crafting the pizza for DeeDee’s soft opening on October 1.
Mazza, drawing on her baking background, gathered input from staff members, some of whom worked at Highland Pizza, DeeDee’s predecessor. She experimented with three types of dough, including one from her time at the now-closed Fatto Americano in New Brunswick.
“We kept weeding recipes out and tweaking things and playing with hydration percentages,” Mazza explained. “We landed on a 72-hour dough. It will sit for 72 hours in the walk-in refrigerator before we use it.”
The dough will be combined with biga, a mixture of flour, liquid, and yeast that enhances flavor and creates a lighter crust. With a crisp crust, sweet chiao tomatoes from Naples, and high-quality cheese from Grande, owner Doug Schneider believes it is a winning combination.
“I’m confident that Chef Jackie’s pizza really stands out, even surrounded by such quality shops,” Schneider said. He is known for his successful restaurants, including Tavern on George, Taka Taka, Clydz, and the Olive Branch. “I think people could really taste the difference.”
DeeDee’s also boasts a fun 1990s vibe, featuring a bright mural by project manager Mike Simko on the building’s side and a playlist of nostalgic music inside. As one popular 1990s hip-hop hit suggests, “more pizza, more happy people.”
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