We the pizza Slangin' pies and savin' lives

"This book is a testament to the creative output Black people give birth to, time and again, in the midst of oppressive machinations," Ajima Olaghere writes in the preface to this powerful debut from restaurateur Abdul-Hadi, who was on house arrest and wearing an ankle monitor when he launched Philadelphia's Down North Pizza, which exclusively employs formerly incarcerated people. Executive chef Michael Carter, who served seven and a half years for aggravated assault, contributes the recipes, including one for "jailhouse pizza" made with a crust of crushed ramen noodles and Cheez-Its. ("Prison forces you to get creative like that.") Local influence is strong: pies are named after songs by Philly musicians and are halal because of the large Muslim community in the area. These square pizzas are made with a flexible, no-knead dough, most featuring mozzarella, provolone, and cheddar and smoky tomato sauce. Toppings are unapologetically American and fiercely flavored, including a vegan buffalo mushroom pie and an option with ground lamb, jerk seasoning, and honey. A chapter on wings and fries and another on lemonades and milkshakes round out the recipes, which are studded with statistics about incarceration, personal stories from Down North's workers, and suggestions for getting involved. The result is both a bold culinary adventure and a stirring tribute to the strength of community. (Feb.)

Down North, the immensely popular Philadelphia pizza shop led by founder and entrepreneur Adbul-Hadi, is known for two things: original and delicious pies and their critical mission to hire formerly incarcerated people, giving them a path to change their lives and prevent recidivism. This compelling book shares important stories while showcasing the recipes for pizzas created by chef Michael Carter, each named after the title of a song by a famous Philly-based musician (Roc the Mic; Streets of Philadelphia). Many are vegetarian or vegan, while all the meat versions are halal, with options to make each vegetarian by preference. The accompanying photographs are mouth-watering and encourage home cooks to begin making their Norf sauces, doughs, and flavor combinations. Interspersed throughout are featured essays telling the often-painful path employees have traveled through the penal system and their eventual release with positive and successful outcomes. Footnotes across many of the pages tell the timeline of the history of incarceration in the United States, primarily focused on the laws targeting nonwhite people. This cookbook is the perfect combination of delicious culinary creation and important messaging. VERDICT A place should be made on all shelves for this deft book about food creativity and social justice.--Ron Block