Legendary | Worth driving from anywhere
Enrico Biscotti Co.
Review by: Michael Stern
If you like Italian cookies, scones, or coconut macaroons, or strawberry balsamic vinegar tortes, or chewy focaccias still warm from the oven, or artisan pizzas topped with sausage from the local Parma sausage company, you will love Enrico Biscotti Company. This storefront bakery, which Larry Lagattuta opened in 1995 as “stress relief” from his corporate job, has become a foodies’ Mecca in the food-focused Pittsburgh neighborhood known as The Strip.
Through the bakery’s screen doors wafts a come-hither smell of plum-filled crumb cake or cornmeal biscotti getting cut for its second bake. Step inside and confront an array of jars that contain a few dozen different kinds of extra-large, hand-cut biscotti, including classic anise-almond and black pepper walnut as well as white chocolate with macadamia nuts. If ever you walk in and Larry’s macaroons are still warm from the oven, buy some and eat them instantly! Macaroons are a regular part of the repertoire, sometimes dipped in chocolate; but they are not always available. When warm, they are food of the gods.
Behind the bakery, via a short sidewalk, there is a second part of Enrico Biscotti, a European-style café where Larry makes individual-size pizzas in his brick oven and great Italian meals. Here too is the espresso machine, as well as a handful of tables both inside and outdoors in a sort of makeshift patio along the sidewalk. We know of no nicer place to start the day with strong coffee and biscotti, or to have a leisurely lunch of expertly-made true-Italian food.
Directions & Hours
Information
| Price | $$ |
| Seasons | All |
| Meals Served | Breakfast, Lunch |
| Credit Cards Accepted | No |
| Alcohol Served | No |
| Outdoor Seating | Yes |
What To Eat
Enrico Biscotti Co. Recipes
Discuss
What do you think of Enrico Biscotti Co.?
One Response to “Enrico Biscotti Co.”
Al Stokes
December 1st, 2007
We went to Larry’s breakfast and bread making lesson. See their website. It was one of the most entertaining and educational three hours that I have enjoyed in years. The breakfast was more a lunch with several Italian dishes, cheese, and Enrico’s croissants and scones. All great.
Larry starts with a very entertaining rendition of the history of bread and how it influenced history. He does this with several humorous stories. In order to allow time enough for the bread to bake, we start with proofed dough and are shown, and then practice, the proper way to knead dough. We each then put our loaf in the oven. Then we were shown how to make the dough. Larry debunked several ideas we had had about making bread. We were told how to make a simulated brick oven so we can make authentic Italian bread at home. I can’t wait to try it out. We each took home our loaf. The whole experience was well worth the $50 fee.
Oh, bought some biscotti afterward and they were great, too.