DERITA'S ITALIAN DELI - AS AUTHENTIC SOUTH PHILLY AS YOU CAN GET!

by Lori Allen
My Wandering Fork
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Being from Boston and Irish Italian, I’m pretty familiar with what we call Little Italy or the North End of Boston and the typical food that Italians from that area love.  I was recently introduced to Philadelphia's "Southend"  or what they refer to as South Philly and the foods that those Italians are proud to share and have been made famous.


South Philly foods included cheesesteak, stromboli, hoagie, soft pretzel, water ice, and soda.Everyone has heard of (unless you live under a rock) of the Philly cheesesteak . But do you know the history behind the making of this fabulous sandwich? In the 1930s, the phenomenon as a steak sandwich began when South Philly's Italian-American brothers Pat Olivieri and Harry Olivieri put grilled beef on a hot dog bun and gave it to a taxi driver. Later, after Pat and Harry had started selling the sandwich on Italian rolls the cheese was melted in a separate container to accommodate their large clientele who followed kosher rules, thereby not mixing dairy and meat. Today, cheese choices in South Philly are virtually limited to American, Provolone, or Cheez Whiz. (After Kraft Cheese Whiz went on the market in 1952, Pat Olivieri realized he could heat up the entire can on the grill and put cheese on some of the sandwiches without contaminating the grill with dairy. Thus, the cheesesteak was born).


We are lucky enough to have our own authentic South Philly Italian Deli right here in our area. Stephanie and her husband Joe decided that they wanted to introduce South Philly to North Florida and so Derita's was born. Stephanie has a long history of working in the restaurant business so she knows quality and only orders the freshest and finest ingredients from around the world. Just about everything is imported from Italy or brought in from Philly thus making the food the very best at providing the true Italian flavor.


They, of course, have perfected the Philly cheese steak made with the tenderest of Ribeye, topped with either fresh onions or grilled (none of the other stuff that true Philadelphians would never put on a Philly cheesesteak), and of course the "wiz" but if you prefer to be a little fru-fru they will happily oblige with either cooper sharp provolone (sooo smooth and creamy) or cheddar.  These are only served on Wednesdays so get your order in early! You do NOT want to miss out!


Their daily menu consists of the finest of Italian imported meats as well as some amazing ones that you would not see in a typical sandwich (Hoagie) shop in North Florida.  Such as Soppressata which is an Italian dry salami (dry fermented sausage), a culinary specialty of Calabria, Southwestern Italy. It is one of the staple types of salami that has different variations specific to each region. In Northern Italy, it is called “sopressa”.


Soppressata’s overall savory flavor is from dry chili flakes, salt, and assortments of pepper used to season it. On the other hand, the most common salami variants are usually seasoned with salt, vinegar, and garlic. That is why its taste is more garlicky.  Derita's has many choices that include this meat but I would highly recommend trying the hot Soppressata, it's not as hot as you may think but it adds so much flavor to your already stuffed hoagie it's like adding icing on the cake!


Mortadella- is another meat that is not typically seen on the menu.  Some may call it the bologna of Italy, Mortadella is rich and fatty and the spices and pistachios are designed to give the meat several layers of flavor. The pistachios and spices (typically myrtle berries or black pepper) add freshness and vibrancy — and a bit of bite or spice — to the otherwise smooth, mild meat. Very rarely will you see this meat in any sandwich shop in this area but Derita's has come up with a combination of a Hoagie made with Mortadella, Fresh Mozzarell, and Pistachio Pesto! Are you kidding me Pistachio Pesto!? Something seriously unique ..give it a try!


These handcrafted, hand-sliced made to order Hoagies (Derived from  "Hog Island" sandwich; hence, the "hoagie". It was declared the official sandwich of Philadelphia in 1992)  also come with some flavor-packed toppings such as roasted red peppers, pistachio pesto, arugula, Sauteed Broccoli Rabe ( known in Italian as rapini, a green vegetable that looks like leafy broccoli but is more closely related to the turnip.  Broccoli rabe (Brassica ruvo) is also called rapini, raab, or rabe (both pronounced "rahb"), bitter broccoli, and turnip broccoli. It's botanically closer to turnips and the taste is more like mustard or turnip greens.) and their famous Long Hots.  I had to have a deep discussion about what a long hot was.  So here's the lowdown-  Long Hots - peppers are known for their mild to medium level of spiciness.  In terms of flavor, Long Hots offer a subtle sweetness with a hint of heat, making them a favorite among those who enjoy a milder spice profile and are imported from Italy (Stephanie suggested that it's like the datil pepper which is indigenous to here) . There is also a Long Hots pepper oil that Derita's keeps in stock so ask for it and you may just surprise yourself at how much you love the flavor!


A Philly-style Italian pork sandwich is a thing of beauty, or so the South Philly's think.. It is heaped with roasted pork, smothered in drippy broccoli rabe (or spinach, depending on who you’re talkin’ to), topped with peppers, laden with a base of gooey provolone cheese, and served on a perfectly crisp yet soft Italian roll. Some say that because it's layered with flavors it is far more satisfying than your average cheesesteak.  Let us let you decide!   Derita's serves this every Sunday. Sunday only you ask? This Italian roll sandwich popularized in Philadelphia by Italian immigrants is a variation of the Italian street food dish known as porchetta.   Roast Pork is commonly served during Christmas celebrations and on Sundays. So keeping up with traditions, Derita's serves this every Sunday.  But make sure you call ahead so that it doesn't sell out on you!


Last but not least the Chicken Cutlet.  Hand-breaded and deep-fried to a golden brown, this well-seasoned tender chicken cutlet is good on its own, but add some of Derita's special combinations and you have something like no other. My personal favorite is the DDD, tender juicy chicken cutlet, fried eggplant (yes and so good) Prosciutto, Fresh Mozzarell, Roasted Red Peppers, Broccoli Rabl, Long Hots, and a balsamic glaze.  This sandwich is packed with so much flavor that you can not stop taking bite after bite! And trust me the small is good enough for two but I ain't sharin!
My son is all about the  Cutlet Parm..that's right, a chicken parm dinner served up in the most perfect bread brought in from Liscio's Bakery(Philly) Soft on the inside and crusty on the out.  Just perfect to hold all the juicy chicken, melty mozzarell, and homemade tomato sauce.  Perfection!


Derita's food is as authentic as it gets and they are proud to serve the finest imported ingredients which make their hoagies a step above the rest!
Philadelphia became home to the second-largest Italian-American population in the United States. The legacy of the Italian and Italian-American identity endures in Philadelphia and it’s a testament to a strong beautiful culture filled with lasting traditions, deep community ties, and incredible pride, something that Stephanie and Joe have brought with them to Derita's and is hoping to share with you all!


Next time you order dont forget to ask for brah-zhoot, gabagool and mozzarell added to any Hoagie and the Derita's will know where you come from!


Until Next time #MyWanderingfork

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