Bertucci's to showcase brick oven in new menuBertucci's to showcase brick oven in new menu

Paul Frumkin

Italian casual-dining operator Bertucci’s Corp. said it will roll out a new menu this week showcasing a line of dishes that emphasize the chain’s signature brick oven heritage.

The menu, which is set to debut Thursday at all 93 Bertucci’s locations, will feature 17 new pizzas, baked pastas, appetizers, entrées and baked desserts. The new dishes are expected to return some of the brand’s culinary focus to the centrally located ovens, which have been a key component of Bertucci’s cooking equipment since the chain was founded in 1981.

“The brick oven helps create a warm, inviting experience in our restaurants today, and it’s what established Bertucci’s almost 30 years ago,” said David Lloyd, chief executive of the Northborough, Mass.-based company. “It is truly the centerpiece of every Bertucci’s restaurant.”

The new line includes:

Artisan Brick Oven Pizzas
• Sofia: white pizza with mozzarella cheese, roasted artichoke spread, sausage and fresh thyme topped with shaved cheese.
• Pizza Verde: Fresh mozzarella, prosciutto and arugula topped with a drizzle of balsamic nectar.

Baked Tortas
• Tuscan Vegetable with Chicken or Shrimp: Grilled chicken breast, roasted eggplant, zucchini, peppers, garlic, artichokes, caramelized onions, roasted tomato sauce and goat cheese served in a baked dough shell.

Entrées
• Seafood di Mare: Baby cod, shrimp, scallops and mussels with plum tomatoes and baked crostini.
• Baked Merluzzo: Baby cod with flavored oil, bread crumbs, diced tomatoes and baked crostini.

Appetizers
• Roasted Artichoke Fonduta: Artichoke spread blended with mozzarella, Asiago and Romano cheeses, baked and served with crispy flatbread brushed with flavored oil and grated Romano cheese.

Desserts
• Apple Cranberry and Chocolate Hazelnut Crostata: warm homemade tart filled with apples, cranberries and honey or with organic chocolate hazelnut spread. Baked in the brick oven and sprinkled with powdered sugar.

“It really is an art to cook with a brick oven,” said Stefano Cordova, Bertucci’s vice president and executive chef. “It creates an intense heat that locks in freshness and enhances the flavors of fresh vegetables, pasta and seafood.

“The restaurant built its original menu around innovative, signature pizza and brick oven creations. In this new menu, we have expanded our specialty items with unique, creative recipes that can only be prepared in our brick oven by our specially trained brick oven chefs.”

Contact Paul Frumkin at [email protected].