San Matteo Brings Panuozzi — Not Panini — to the Upper East Side

Daniel Zemans/Slice

A panuozzo from Freddy's Pizza & Gelateria in Illinois.

New York just can't seem to eat enough Italian carbohydrates, regardless of whether they hail from a wood-fired oven, a tiella, or the mind of a former Ogilvy adman. And now, thanks to San Matteo, a new restaurant on upper Second Avenue, it seems we have another option: panuozzo.

Press materials from the restaurant, which will open this Friday, describe panuozzo as a "warm, flavorful dish" associated with a few towns in Campania's Salerno province. Basically, panuozzo is what happens when a section of raw, fresh yeasted dough is stretched and filled with various ingredients, and then baked in a wood-burning oven. The result is akin to a stuffed panino.

San Matteo's chef-owners, Fabio Casella and Vincenzo Scardino, are originally from Salerno, so apparently they know from regional specialties. In addition to panuozzi, they'll be serving 15 kinds of pizza, as well as Oré, a coffee bean blend that also comes from Salerno. Meats like coppa, soppressata, capicollo, pancetta, and salsiccia curata, will be made locally, and Parmigiano will come from Tino's Delicatessen on Arthur Avenue.

The restaurant is located at 1739 Second Avenue (212-426-6943) and will be open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The menu follows below.

Panuozzi e Calzoni

Panuozzo di Bartolomei: roast pork, homemade mozzarella, micro arugula 11

Panuozzo Prosciutto Bufalina e Peperoni: Prosciutto di Parma, bufalina mozzarella, roasted peppers 12

Panuozzo Mortadella e Melanzane: Imported mordadella, smoked buffalo mozzarella, marinated eggplant 12

Panuozzo Caprese: homemade mozzarella, tomatoes, fresh basil, evoo 9

Panuozzo al Cotto: Italian ham, smoked buffalo mozzarella, chiodini mushrooms 12

Calzone Salernitano: marinated escarole, anchovies, capers, black olives 12

Calzone Masaniello: tomato sauce, homemade mozzarella, fresh basil, mushrooms, ham, Parmigiano Reggiano, evoo 13

Calzone di Polla: tomato sauce, buffalo mozzarella, buffalo ricotta, sopressata, fresh basil, Pecorino Romano, evoo 14

Antipasti e Insalate

Prosciutto e Bufala: Prosciutto di Parma, buffalo mozzarella and ricotta, roasted peppers and green olives 14

Prosciutto e Fichi: Prosciutto di Parma, figs, Parmigiano Reggiano served with balsamic cream 12
Parmigiana di Melanzane: eggplant parmigiana with mozzarella, Parmigiano Reggiano and tomato sauce 12

Tagliere di Salumi: Prosciutto di Parma, mortadella, soppressata, capicollo, speck, and hot dried sausage 14

Tagliere di Formaggi: Parmigiano Reggiano, asiago, pecorino, primadonna, provolone served with truffle honey 16

Insalata Tonno e Pomodorini: Sicilian tuna, cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, oregano over frisella bread 12

Poker di Verdure: grilled marinated vegetables from Italy; peppers, artichokes, eggplant and mushrooms 14

Caciocavallo Arrostito: Melted Italian "figure 8" cheese, kissed by truffle oil, tucked with black olives, roasted peppers on the side 12

Pizze

Margherita: tomato sauce, fresh basil, homemade fresh mozzarella, evoo 13

Napoletana: tomato sauce, fresh basil, fresh garlic, oregano, evoo 11

Marinara: tomato sauce, fresh basil, fresh garlic, oregano, capers, black olives, anchovies, evoo 13

Regina Margherita: tomato sauce, fresh basil, buffalo mozzarella, Parmigiano Reggiano, evoo 16

Diavola: tomato sauce, fresh basil, fresh mozzarella, spicy soppressata, Parmigiano Reggiano, spicy evoo 14

Mariconda: tomato sauce, fresh basil, pancetta, Parmigiano Reggiano, Pecorino Romano, evoo 14

Capricciosa: tomato, fresh basil, mozzarella, ham, black olives, mushrooms, Parmigiano Reggiano, evoo 16

Quattro Formaggi: homemade fresh mozzarella, Gorgonzola, Swiss Emmental, Provolone, evoo 16

Prosciutto e Bufala: tomato, fresh basil, buffalo mozzarella, Prosciutto di Parma, Parmigiano Reggiano, evoo 16

Patate e Porcini: potato, porcini mushrooms, homemade mozzarella, Parmigiano Reggiano, evoo 16

Porcini e tartufo: homemade mozzarella, porcini mushrooms, Parmigiano Reggiano, truffle oil 14

Primavera: homemade mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, arugola, Parmigiano Reggiano, evoo 13

Tartufata: homemade mozzarella, truffle pate, Prosciutto di Parma, Parmigiano Reggiano, evoo 16

Anima e trucco: homemade mozzarella, panna, chiodini mushrooms, ham, evoo 14

San Matteo: Special of the week

Desserts

Pizza con Nutella: pizza with hazelnut spread 8

Panzarotto con Nutella: calzone stuffed with hazelnut spread 8

Tiramisú 8

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