PORTLAND — When most people think of Portland, they think of lobster, but on Tuesday the city will get national attention for its pizza.

The Cooking Channel, a member of the Food Network family, will be in town Tuesday to film a segment on Otto Pizza at its 576 Congress St. restaurant.

A film crew will be shooting a segment for a show titled “Pizza Out of the Box” that will air in August. Shooting starts at 7:30 a.m. and is expected to last until 1 p.m. The segment will feature Otto’s signature mashed potato, bacon and scallion pizza, which has become a customer favorite.

The mashed potatoes on the pizza are mashed with whole milk and real butter. The pie is topped with a little cheese, too: asiago on the bottom, then some whole-milk mozzarella and, sometimes, a sprinkling of fontina on top.

A Portland Press Herald features writer is scheduled to be interviewed about a review of the pizza he wrote in 2009. According to a producer, the owners of Otto credit that review with helping to convince locals that they should give the unusual slice a try.

Filming will continue through lunchtime so the crew can interview customers about the pizza.

Otto is owned by Anthony Allen and Mike Keon. The pizzeria now has three locations, including one in Harvard Square in Cambridge, Mass.


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