By Maria Grusauskas

I always felt bad for friends who had gluten allergies. No pasta, no bread, and most tragically: no pizza! Then I stumbled upon the gluten free pizza crusts that Evette Lecce of Pensi Pasta sells at the Santa Cruz Community Farmers Markets. And I didn’t feel bad anymore.

Sold alongside her fresh pasta, raviolis and delectable homemade sauces, Lecce’s gluten free crusts are 12 inches of thin crust heaven and an affordable crispy base to your farmers market-sourced meal.

“People were asking for pasta, mainly, and so I started doing gluten free pasta,” said Lecce. “Then I thought, well nobody has gluten free bread or pizza crusts.”

A modern take on pizza bianca – which there are quite a range of different versions of anyway. The crème fraîche and ricotta give it that indulgent edge so you don’t miss the gooey cheese and tomato.

BY KATIE KUSTURA

Volusia County sheriff’s deputies are investigating an armed robbery that occurred shortly before 2 a.m. Saturday outside a DeLand Papa John’s Pizza.

An employee of the Papa John’s, at 1129 N. Woodland Blvd., was getting into his car when a man came from a nearby parking lot, pointed a gun at the employee through the passenger side window of the car and demanded money, spokesman Gary Davidson said.

The robber got away with the bag containing cash for the night deposit before hopping into the passenger side of a nearby car that fled east on Kensington Avenue, Davidson said.

by Patrick Buchnowski

WINDBER — A portion of Graham Avenue in Windber was closed Saturday when the front of D’Arc’s Pizza Shop collapsed, authorities said.

The balcony of the pizza shop, which is located at 2013 Graham Ave., where Graham meets 21st Street, collapsed around 3 a.m.

The sidewalk and street were covered with bricks, wood and other debris, Windber fire Chief Craig Cicon said.

Cicon said firefighters were unsure how many of the four apartments above the pizzeria were occupied.

I’m a bit of a purist when it comes to pizza. You can’t go wrong with the perfect margherita. The one place I’ll make an exception for is Gjelina in Los Angeles, which serves interesting toppings such as guanciale, green olive and Fresno chilli, as well as little dishes of dried chilli, Parmesan and thyme seasoning that you can spike your pizza with.

No one was injured early Saturday morning when the facade of D’Arc’s Pizza Shop collapsed onto Graham Avenue.

The world’s Pizza Olympics is underway in Naples as pizza artists from around the world compete to win top honours. The Pizza Napoletana Olympic Games, hosted from 3-5 July, is on its final leg to find the world’s best pizza chef.

Hosted by the Verace Pizza Napoletana Association (AVN) and held at the Città della Scienza, the Pizza Olympics is divided into five categories: the Classic Pizza (whip up a traditional Italian classic pizza!), the Fantasy Pizza (let your imagination run loose as long as it abides by the AVN regulations), the Artistic Pizza, the Fried Pizza, and of course the Mastunicola (a pizza made of dough seasoned with lard or extra-virgin olive oil, basil and pepper).

Two former Philadelphia police officers face charges in an off-duty shooting over a stolen pizza that led to a man’s death.

Prosecutors said Friday that 39-year-old Chauncey Ellison has been charged with voluntary manslaughter and other offenses. His now-former girlfriend, 44-year-old Robin Fortune, is charged with conspiracy and related counts.

Ellison and Fortune were off duty in 2008 when their 14-year-old sons said they were robbed of a pizza. The officers went searching for the suspect, and authorities say Ellison ended up shooting a 19-year-old bystander.

Victim Lawrence Allen was paralyzed and died three months later. Ellison and Fortune were fired in 2010.

The Olympics of the True Pizza is under way in Naples, famous the world over for its hallmark thick-crusted dough and some of the best pizza makers in the country. For the past three days, it has also played host to pizza makers from less predictable locations. “The biggest satisfaction is having Neapolitans at the end of the meal compliment you for the pizza,” says Masa, a Japanese pizza chef from Osaka, where he runs a restaurant with an Italian-sounding name, Masaniello. The name also happens to be that of a Neapolitan fisherman who became the leader of the revolt against Habsburg rule in Naples in 1647.

BRIDGEPORT — Nestled in a neighborhood of Bridgeport, Brooklawn Ave. Pizza — Delicatessen — Marketplace is more than just a convenience store. It has become a place where residents of the area can come together and enjoy one another.

“We wanted to bring something to the community that they needed,” said Ed Earp, co-owner of Brooklawn. Earp said that parents and youngsters enjoy the comfortable environment they have created.

Starting as a franchise, the business has been open for six years. Earp took over the company last December and since then has transformed it into a neighborhood place, he said.