Esposito’s Pizza and Pasta in Matawan – Slice of Jersey Stop 2 [VIDEO]

This might be considered a bit out of the norm.

Only because if you’ve ever eaten a hot piece of crunchy seeded Italian bread, then perhaps add some sauce, prosciutto di parma, parmigiano reggiano, and a few other ingredients, you’d have something akin to what you get at Esposito’s. That’s only scratching the surface!

Jim and Renee are the friendly faces that greet you and Jim will tell you straight up that he doesn’t fool around. But then again, you can say the same for any of the Slice of Jersey contestants. Jim tells us he recently placed second in a Northeast pizza competition, sandwiched between a couple of guys from Staten Island, so you know this dude is for reals!

His main feature on many of the pies he showcases is the sesame seed crust. Nothing brings you back home better than a thin slice of pizza with just a hint of nuttiness of sesame.

For our Slice of Jersey taste test, four pies were evaluated:

Since she lives pretty close to the place, my daughter stopped by and highly recommended the Clam Pie. The Clam Pie is sprinkled generously with diced clams and a Wisconsin based mozzarella. In fact, the pie was so good, Pinky our promotions coordinator and the rest of the prize patrol couldn’t keep their hands off it! It’s a great pie to eat, I'd especially recommend if you still do the meatless Friday “thing that swings!” (Don’t mind me if I lapse into ancient DJ mode, it’s an old habit!) The aforementioned clam pie will no doubt be a favorite for any seafood lover and for anyone who craves something a little different.

We also had a pie which I titled Pie 1 that features fresh mozzarella, tomato, slivers of parmigiano reggiano, some homemade pesto and the signature sesame crust.

For the meat and veggie lover, there’s Pie 2. Were I to pick a signature pie, this would be the one for me. By my estimation, the one featuring the “taste explosion”. Hot sausage, tomato, broccoli rabe, pesto, and the aforementioned slivers of parmigiano reggiano. You get the sweetness of the broccoli rabe and sesame, mixed with the richness of the tomato and hot sausage.  Truly an explosion for the taste buds!

Pie 4 features a base of mozzarella, arugula, parmigiano reggiano, prosciutto di parma, and Jim’s homemade virgin oil seasoning. Nobody ever tells you what their recipe is, but suffice it to say that Jim uses extra Virgin Sicilian Olive Oil, plus a special blend of seasonings; and the kicker is to allow the oil to ferment over a period of 2 months. One taste of Pie 4 will convince you that you still have sensation on your tongue…that’s the feeling that washes over you.

You can watch the video of my taste test of all these great pies at Esposito's here:

2 other pies that deserve honorable mention:

1. Grandma’s Sicilian Pie with tomato, mozzarella, a generous helping of fried eggplant (my mouth waters at the mention of it); atop his signature sesame crust.

2. And for dessert, if you're still hungry, there’s even a dessert pie featuring a spread of Nutella, plus banana slices.

Bring your appetite.  You won’t be disappointed.

Esposito’s

930 Route 34 South, Matawan, NJ 07747

REALTED: Slice of Jersey Esposito's Pizza & Pasta [PHOTOS]

Next week it’s on to stop number 3 in our Slice of Jersey tour:

Tony’s Tomato Pie, 228 Morris Ave. Long Branch, NJ 07740