There may be many pizza restaurants and takeaways out there (too many, all far removed from the Neopolitan original in my view) but none offer nearly as much variety, inspiration and quality as the family-run independent Dough Bath who remain passionate about the true origins of our favourite food whilst opening up a new world of flavour combinations that really work.
It’s all about the base, made on site by specialist artisans from Puglia including front man and pizza acrobat Emiliano Tunno who’ll you’ll generally find hard at work in the open kitchen. Co-founder Massimo Nucaro’s own gluten-intolerance meanwhile led their quest to find the best alternative ingredients that also offer health-giving properties you wouldn’t expect from a food that is often considered a guilty pleasure. For example, the Hemp is packed full of anti-inflammatory properties and Omega 3 & 6, while the slightly sweet and buttery Kamut is an organic ancient grain well known for its antioxidant qualities.
Dough’s speciality flours are sourced direct from Italy in small quantities, and with so many base options, including their perfected sourdough and a gluten-free range that won’t leave coeliacs with food-envy (I can vouch for the new purple corn), you may well find yourself needing an introduction by one of the informative front of house who’ll encourage you to mix things up a little, with advice on which base works best with their extensive list of fresh ingredients. This was not the time or place for my usual.
Before making any life-changing decisions, opt for a Negroni or Campari Spritz and one of the generous antipasti; a simple, yet beautiful Caprese salad with dreamy mozzarella and tomatoes, as good as any we sampled during a recent trip to Capri; a cauliflower souffle with a centre of Gorgonzola, served with crispy onions and parsnips, or the warm burratina cheese wrapped in Parma ham and served with salad leaves, pesto and balsamic vinegar. For those who are bracing themselves for the main event, there are plenty of appealing sharing dishes.
The spectacular-looking ‘The King’ pizza features not Elvis but a superfood seaweed base that’s savoury and salty in flavour, green in colour and a marriage made in heaven, so I soon discovered, with a topping of the finest Argentinian king prawns slow cooked in smoked paprika, along with sautéed porcini mushrooms in white wine, rocket pesto, mozzarella, pink pepper and truffle oil; a celebration of the sea which left me prepared to turn my back on pepperoni and sourdough forever.
It’s fair to say that my husband, a carnivore all the way, will never abandon pepperoni, while his way of being adventurous was to select the classic Quattro Stagioni (with extra pepperoni of course) on the Grano Arso base. Translated as ‘burnt grain’, it offers a smoky, nutty flavour like griddled bread that works especially well with meats, a classic tomato sauce, and a punchy Italian red wine such as the house Nero d’Avola. It’s also worth noting that there are plenty of classic, and not-so-classic, Southern Italian main dishes for any non pizza fans out there.
Desserts are good for the soul rather than the health but it’s worth the risk when you dive into Dough’s Kilner jar filled with berry and ricotta cheesecake, or their unpardonably naughty Tiramisu Alla Nutella. It’s probably wise to share the Dolce Pizza, hand-crafted from chocolate dough before being topped with Nutella, strawberries, banana and whipped cream; the stuff children, and certain people I know, dream about.
Dough Bath, 14-16 The Corridor, Bath BA1 5AP offers dine-in and takeaway. For more information and to reserve a table please visit the website.
