Brothers-in-Law Launch Kosher Pizza Pop-Up
Pizzaly offers hot and fresh pies and slices using exclusively chalav yisrael kosher products.
Chana Shapiro is an educator, writer, editor and illustrator whose work has appeared in journals, newspapers and magazines. She is a regular contributor to the AJT.
Last summer, brothers-in-law Jon Farazmand and Shimmy Afrah made pizza for a backyard party at Shimmy’s house, and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the process, from start to finish. They had so much fun and received so many subsequent requests for their product, that they ended up acquiring portable ovens that can produce home-made pies in short order.
“What’s not to love about pizza?” asks Farazmand, a natural entrepreneur and cheerleader who also owns a landscaping business and a home cleaning company; partner Shimmy is a builder. “And now, with the ability to make great tasting stone-baked-style pies in just minutes, it was a no-brainer to share our passion with the public.”
Though it may appear a play on Italy, the pair named their pop-up business Pizzaly, meaning “my pizza” in Hebrew.
Growing up in Toco Hills in the 1980s and 1990s, kids would often stop by the local kosher pizza shop, which changed hands every few years, to grab a quick slice. That was exactly the kind of experience that Farazmand and Afrah wanted to bring back to the community.
Having tweaked their ingredients, improved their prep and set-up system and baking process, Farazmand declared, “We’ve got it down pat, and have been able to serve over 1,000 pies to the public over the past few months since we started after the worst of COVID. We’ve been lucky to work with Rabbi Adam Starr and his team at Ohr HaTorah to do a few pop-up pizza parties outdoors on the synagogue patio.”
Pizzaly currently operates three portable pizza ovens, though the number of ovens depends on the event and setup circumstances. Each oven makes one pie at a time.
Depending on the number of ovens required for the job and the number of hired team members working, Pizzaly can make anywhere from 35 to 100 pies per hour. Setup and prep requires about 30 minutes, including the time it takes the ovens to heat up to the correct temperature, between 700 and 900 degrees Fahrenheit. Each pizza takes about three minutes to cook from start to finish. This includes about 90 seconds in the oven. (Oh, and Pizzaly recently started making cheesy garlic bread sticks, too!)
Pizzaly is also bringing back the famous Pizza Palace ranch sauce. Many Atlantans will remember Wall Street Pizza’s famous “ranch,” which Pizza Palace later began to offer as well. The dipping sauce recipe was carefully guarded, but eventually the word got out.
Founded on Farazmand and Afra’s love for fresh pizza with a stone-baked oven taste, Pizzaly offers hot and fresh pies and slices using exclusively chalav yisrael kosher products.
All Pizzaly pizzas come as 10” personal pies, typically sliced into 6-8 slices. A plain cheese pie runs $10, while pizzas with toppings (mushrooms and olives) are $12. Pizzaly has made pizzas for synagogues, college events, birthdays and other festive occasions.
To book an event or to locate Pizzaly’s next pop-up, check social media, email them at hi@pizzalyatlanta.com or visit their website at PizzalyAtlanta.com.
comments