Pizza Today - August 2018 - 37

W

alking the aisles at International Pizza Expo last
year, it became clear that
one specific style of pizza was rapidly
gaining traction amongst attendees.
There was so much buzz about Roman
pizza, in fact, that there will be a Roman
division at the 2019 International Pizza
Challenge at Pizza Expo.
A few weeks after Expo, while on a
trip to Parma, Italy, for the World Pizza
Championship, the subject of Romanstyle pizza again played a large role in
industry conversation. Pizzeria owner
extraordinaire and Pizza Expo presenter
Tony Gemignani decided right then and
there that he wanted to do a Roman
pizza demonstration on the show floor of
International Pizza Expo 2019.
This pizza style is set to take off in a
big way. So, you might be asking yourself,
what exactly distinguishes Roman-style
pizza?
"I've been to Rome several times, and
for me I see there being about three
types of Roman pizzas done in about five
different ways," Gemignani says. "Pizza
al Taglio, or Trancio (by the slice/cut and

Roman Q&A
with Tony
Gemignani

cooked in a pan) can be thick or thin;
Pizza in Pala (on the board) thick or
thin; and last, Pinsa."
Pinsa Romana is typically oval-shaped
and made using a high-hydration dough
formula. It's not necessarily pizza, per
se. Its base is comprised of a mixture of
wheat, soy and rice flours and is lauded
as being lighter and more easily digestible.
But, as Gemignani explains, "the two
primary types are Taglio and Pala. They
can be thick or thin and they are typically cooked in an electric oven. Most
of the time the toppings are added at the
end of the bake as a finishing ingredient."
Taglio, often referred to as "pizza by
the cut," is rectangular shaped and baked
in a pan. It is commonly prepared in
advance and then re-heated to order. In
Italy, it is cut with scissors instead of a
pizza cutter. That tends to form a nice
conversation point with customers when
it is done here in the U.S.

column on page 26 that Roman-style
pizza is the next trend and can be easily
executed with standard equipment. He
writes, "these pizzas comprise a perfect
opportunity to offer your guests something fresh that can be easily customized
to create signature pies that are unique
to your pizzeria." Arena goes on to give a
recipe for Roman-style crust, so be sure
to check out the article.
For his part, Gemignani says he likes
to blend flours and go with a highhydration formula when making Pala
style pizzas. "The flavor and texture stand
out to me, along with the beautification
of these communal pizzas," he says.
While Gemignani says you can bake
in an electric or gas oven between 500 F
to 600 F, "the accuracy you can achieve in
the electric ovens are much more precise
than gas ovens." He also says that "a deep
brick oven is important. Although some
Pizza in Pala can be cooked in a wood
oven." n

JOHN ARENA OF METRO PIZZA IN LAS
VEGAS, an avid dabbler in various styles,

Today.

says in this month's Knead to Know

PT: How do you market these pizzas?
TG: These pizzas can be sold by the slice or
by the meter. They are great for delivery, carry
out or dine in. They are very versatile.
PT: Do they sell well compared to other
types of pizza?
TG: They sell well, especially if you see
these in a showcase by the slice or if a customer orders one for dine in. They are a show
stopper. Guests gaze as these come out of
your kitchen and hit a table. A nearly threefoot-long pizza is quite impressive.
PT: Are Roman pizzas any more difficult to
do than other pizza styles? If so, how so?
TG: The hydration and handling of the
dough takes some practice. It's important to
use the right flour. Customers in certain areas
with different demographics will need some
education on this particular style. A variety of
different ingredients are important for these
styles.

JEREMY WHITE

is editor-in-chief at Pizza

PT: What do your customers say about them
the first time they see or try them?
TG: They absolutely love our Roman pizzas.
They are blown away by the look of them, and
my thin-crust Pizza in Pala comes as three
different pizzas in one - your first, main and
sweeter course all in one pizza.
PT: Is this a style that pizzerias across the
country can add to their menu without having
to make big equipment purchases and other
major changes?
TG: You can make the dough in other mixers
as long as they have multiple speeds. This
helps a lot. The dough management and handling takes some time and sourcing the right
flour is important.
PT: It's hot right now - do you think this
style of pizza has staying power in the United
States?
TG: This style is here to stay and it's only
going to get bigger and better.
A U G U S T 2 0 1 8 / P I Z Z AT O D AY. C O M / 3 7
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Pizza Today - August 2018

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