Italian with twist

While the whole of Italy was glued to the World Cup final on TV last month, chefs Giorgio Locatelli and Cristian Nizzardo were learning the rudiments of cooking in a traditional wood-burning pizza oven near Milan.

Former head chef at SW1 restaurant Olivo, Locatelli was described by the Savoy's Anton Edelmann as "probably the best Italian chef in London". He agreed to be a consultant in the setting up of the Red Pepper restaurant, which opened at the start of the month, providing that he could cook authentic pizzas and northern Italian food "with a twist".

"It's our new toy," he says pointing to the stone oven - one of only a handful currently in use in the UK - nestled in the corner of the 70-seat restaurant. "You've got to rotate the pizzas around fire according to the temperature needed at a particular time during cooking."

With his usual skill and creativity he is already reinventing the wheel. "The problem with pizza is that once the toppings have been in the heat of the oven, you often can't taste them. We're doing it a bit differently," explains Locatelli.

For example, to prepare Pizza Favorita, the home-made dough is brushed with olive oil, followed by a layer of tomato and mozzarella before going into the oven. Once cooked, a fresh tomato concasse and rocket are sprinkled over the base "for real flavour", Locatelli explains. "So that the dough is perfectly cooked and for maximum flavour, we've really thought about the relationship between the base and its topping."

Equally creative home-made pastas feature on the short, but lively, menu. Nizzardo, former sous chef at Olivo, and Locatelli are proud of their newest creation: ravioli stuffed with a creamy, smooth mixture of potatoes, fresh mint, rosemary and clarified butter. A fine red pepper sauce provides a dramatic accompaniment.

For the strozzapreti red, white and spring onions and plum tomatoes are sautéd with olive oil to provide a sweet, rich sauce. "The name of the dish means the pasta that strangled the priest - he ate so much it probably killed him!" says Locatelli.

"Don't foget to mention Stephan Cavallini at the Halkin - the tiramisù was his inspiration," shouts Locatelli as he returns to light the fire of "his baby" in time for evening service.