Ingenuity is the only similarity between the innovative square pizzas chef Michael Carter currently slings at Down North Pizza, the Detroit-style pizzeria on Philadelphia’s north side that’s causing a national buzz, and the prison-cell pies he improvised with crushed ramen noodles and Cheez-Its while incarcerated.
In addition to the thick, airy crusts and wildly creative toppings of Carter’s pizzas, Down North has won praise for owner Muhammad Abdul-Hadi’s community-minded mission: to reduce the city’s recidivism rates by hiring only those who have been incarcerated. Abdul-Hadi, a self-described “serial entrepreneur” who grew up in Philadelphia’s inner city, credits his own time in the justice system for making him even more empathetic to those needing a second chance.
Abdul-Hadi and Carter share their stories of transformation among the recipes in “We the Pizza: Slangin’ Pies and Savin’ Lives” (Ten Speed Press, $32.99), written with veteran cookbook author David Joachim.
Among Abdul-Hadi’s first hires was Carter, who’d honed his cooking skills in culinary school, restaurants and a prison kitchen. Carter spent two years perfecting formulas for Down North’s signature pies, each named for songs by Philadelphia musical artists — from Uptown Vibes (kale, mushrooms and red peppers) to My Part of Town (shaved beef, caramelized onions, homemade “Wiz Sauce”). Their recipes have been adapted for home kitchens, as have those for their equally imaginative wings, fries, lemonades and milkshakes. Historical facts and sober statistics about the U.S. criminal justice system are sprinkled throughout these pages, with resources for those wanting to learn more.
I recently enjoyed making — and eating — What We Do: Down North’s version of a meat lover’s pizza topped with fennel-seasoned ground beef, three cheeses, pepperoni, blanched kale and pickled banana pepper rings, then drizzled with Honey Chipotle Sauce.
Every bite reinforced what Abdul-Hadi means when he calls pizza “a feel-good food that people from all walks of life can get behind.”
Susan Puckett is a cookbook author and former food editor of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Follow her at susanpuckett.com.
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