Sicilian style pizza made to order at Gabriel’s, delivered to your home

Gabriele Ruggieri is worried about his family members in Italy, but there’s little he can do from more than 5,000 miles away. So he cooks.

His friends and neighbors in Cape Girardeau are like family to him, too. And he loves to take care of them at his riverfront restaurant, Gabriel’s Food + Wine, usually recommending an exquisite bottle of wine to go with a favorite recipe from southern Italy. But he’s closed the restaurant temporarily because of the coronavirus. Still, he cooks: to take care of anyone who wants a special meal, a change of pace from what they’re creating stuck at home.

This week he’s making a special Sicilian style pizza.

His “Balboa” features shaved prime brisket, caramelized onions, beli peppers and Pecorino Romano. Another one, which he calls “Wolf of Main Street,” has Spanish hot salame, Italian sausage, mortadella and smoked provolone.

He is also cooking up vegan pizzas. One of many, the “Madonna” is made with squash puree, spinach, wild mushrooms, garlic-charred broccoli and radicchio. And he offers a white pizza, too, which he calls “Pizza Bianca Style” with creamy garlic ricotta and mozeralla: no tomato sauce. One of his favorites is the “Scarface,” a tip to the movie, with Tuscan herb ham, Italian Asiago, arugula, raddichio and Calabrian Fig Marmalade.

Gabriele learned to cook in a small kitchen in Sicily, watching his mother make traditional meals for the family. He knew early on he wanted to build a life around cooking, and he began his career working in hotels and restaurants around the world before falling in love with Cape. An American citizen now, he seeks to bring joy to those who dine with him.

Even if it’s in their home.

Gabriele keeps praying for his families – here and far away. And he keeps cooking – with the utmost care for all. If you want to try something new, something special, visit Gabriel's website www.gabrielsfoodandwine.com to see what he’s cooking this week, available for pick-up or delivery. He’ll also be happy to recommend the perfect wine and send it along, too. Just ask! And then enjoy.

**

__Call to order and pick-up at Gabriel’s in Downtown Cape__

All of Gabriel’s pizzas are served on house-made, hand-stretched dough using unbleached, slow-ground flour imported from the best farms in Naples, with no added sugars. The pizzas come in three sizes: 10 x 5", 10 x 10", and 10 x 15". Call (573) 803-2449 to order. Pick up at 127 Main Street, downtown Cape Girardeau. While there, visit their Italian corner store of salumi, wine, cheese, chocolate, pasta and more to enjoy at home.

CALL (573) 803-2449 • www.gabrielsfoodandwine.com