Giuseppe Maviglia spent his younger years stretching the dough and stoking the fires of a pizza oven in his native Torino. Just over a decade ago he moved to the Hunter to work in the mines and raise his young family.

This week he returned to his roots when he left it all behind again, and opened Ometto Pizza Bar on High Street. 

“We opened on Saturday and Sunday, a soft launch for our friends and family. And on Tuesday we opened to the public. We were absolutely smashed,” he said.

Mr Maviglia said his orthodox recipes are a gamble in a market dominated by stuffed-crusts and masses of exotic toppings. His tomatoes, olive oil, beer, even the flour for the dough are all imported from Italy.

“When I was talking with my wife about opening I said ‘I won’t please everyone you know’,” he said.

And he was right. One client seemed taken aback by the simplicity of the toppings while the Italian chefs sitting opposite loved it.

Mr Maviglia said half his mission would be showing people quality pizza comes down to ingredients, process and passion – not speed and price.

“We’re not as cheap but we’re all fresh,” he said.

“If people want the other pizza style there’s plenty around here. There’s plenty of [traditional style] in Sydney and Melbourne, the culture up here is a little different.

“But that’s fine, and people are more aware of it now. I think the time is right.”

Ometto is located at 489 High Street Maitland. It is open Tuesday to Sunday.