Corrado Di Marco's recipe for the perfect Roman pinsa!

It's been since we launched our products on the market Flours for Pinsa Romana that we receive, especially from restaurant operators, questions like: “But with this mix of flours, will I also be able to offer customers an excellent Pinsa?”

We say it without too much hesitation: yes, with our flours it is possible to make an excellent Roman pinsa that will rise perfectly and that will have that fragrant smell that is so reminiscent of bread.

Our flours are addressed mainly to the professional market: pizzerias, bars, restaurants and pinserias. But nothing excludes starting from our flour mixes to make a perfect Roman pinsa even at home.

Let's start by choosing one of the Di Marco flour mixes, which range from the classic blend to the Expert lines, designed for high-quality doughs and high-hydration processes.
Once the mix has been chosen, let's get to the heart of the recipe.

HOW TO MAKE PINSA IN YOUR OWN LOCATION: CHOOSING THE INGREDIENTS

First, you need to make sure you have all the ingredients you need to do a great job. The secret is the flour mix, but you also need more.

• 720 g of Pinsa Di Marco flour
• 3 g fresh brewer's yeast
• 500 g water
• 15 g salt
• 10 g extra virgin olive oil

HOW TO MAKE PINSA DOUGH: INSTRUCTIONS

To make an excellent pinsa dough, some steps are necessary.

1. Put the flour in the mixer and then add the crumbled yeast. 
2. Pour little by little half cold water and start kneading. You can also work the dough by hand, it will just take a little longer.
3. Now add oil and salt and then the rest of the water and continue kneading for about twenty minutes, until you see the dough well bound.
4. Remove the dough from the bowl, helping yourself with a little flour if it sticks: for rolling out try using our dusting of heat-treated rice, which dries and makes even extremely hydrated doughs such as that of Roman Pinsa workable. Furthermore, it gives crunchiness and does not make a mess.
5. Put it in a bowl, cover with cling film and leave to rise in the fridge for at least 24 hours or even longer if you want. 
6. Transfer the leavened dough in a floured pan: now divide it into 4 loaves, cover everything with a cloth and let it rise for at least 3 hours.

When rolling out the Roman pinsa, forget about the rolling pin: everything is done by hand, making slight pins. Stuff the pinsa as you prefer. Now you can bake: cook at 200 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Your Roman Pinsa is ready, all you have to do is season it!

PINSA ROMAN RECIPES: TRADITION OR INNOVATION?

At this point it is a question of defining the seasoning, the actual recipe for Roman pinsa. And here we get very personal: we can take Inspiration from the great pizza classics, maybe just to feel the differences in taste and palate, or experiment. If we are preparing it for customers, we will obviously have to take into account (above all) their tastes.

Our choice of ingredients plays a fundamental role: a base of fresh tomato, high-quality buffalo mozzarella and basil can pay homage to tradition, while variations with raw ham, rocket and parmesan can add a contemporary note.

We like balance, and for this reason our advice is to start with consolidated pinsa recipes. In this way, it is possible to concentrate on the making of the pinsa, leaving the seasoning a secondary role. When “to make pinsa” will have become child's play, then you can experiment with some particular and innovative combinations.

6 PINSA ROMANA RECIPES, OF INCREASING DIFFICULTY

In this chapter, we propose six recipes for pinsa: three traditional and three more innovative, in strictly increasing order of complexity. The goal? To help professionals and consumers enter the world of pinsa as winners, immediately capturing the perfect balance between taste and lightness. For some vegan hypotheses, We suggest you read this in-depth article.

PINSA MARGHERITA, A TRIBUTE TO TRADITION

Let's start from here, from the dish that needs no introduction. The base of fresh tomato, mozzarella and basil leaves is a true pillar of Italian culinary tradition. Just two precautions: you have to balance the ingredients correctly and avoid excessive quantities of tomato, which could compromise the crispiness.

PINSA HAM AND MUSHROOMS, THE EVERGREEN

A base of tomato puree, slices of high-quality cooked ham and fresh mushrooms for an irresistible combination. Here the result depends on the distribution of the ingredients, but above all on their quality.

PINSA FOUR CHEESES, THE TRIUMPH OF TASTE

Easy to make but very tasty: the success of the four cheese pizza (and therefore of the pinsa) lies all here. Train and find a harmonious combination of cheeses like mozzarella, gorgonzola, fontina and parmesan, but be careful because the balance is not easy. The intensity of the 4 ingredients is very different, but all the flavors should be well distinguishable.

GOURMET PINSA WITH COOKED HAM AND PEARS, FOR A TOUCH OF REFINEMENT

Increase complexity with a gourmet pinsa that combines the saltiness of cooked ham with the sweetness of pear slices. Balancing sweetness and saltiness is not at all trivial (chef beware...), but the result can be truly surprising.

MEDITERRANEAN PINSA WITH OLIVES AND DRIED TOMATOES, FOR AN INTENSE FLAVOUR

It's a simple recipe, yet bold and tasty, with a variety of aromatic flavors. The challenge is to get the saltiness just right: do some experiments and learn to play with the ingredients to create the right balance. Experience is key here.

PINSA WITH MANGO AND PARMA HAM, FOR REAL CREATIVES

Conclude your culinary adventure with an exotic pinsa that combines the sweetness of mango with the saltiness of Parma ham, to which you can add a little rocket and a drizzle of mozzarella to give softness and creaminess. It is a bold combination, which works as long as you dose the ingredients well and that allows you to dare also from the point of view of presentation with bright and beautiful colors.

PINSA RECIPES, SPACE FOR IMAGINATION

The universe of pinsa recipes is a fascinating journey, full of creativity and innovation. Just take a tour of two pinserie to understand how different their proposal can be.

Creativity is essential because it allows you to experiment with flavors, ingredients and presentations, but above all it is experience that makes the difference, helping to find the right balance between the ingredients. This skill develops gradually and is an integral part of the fun culinary journey.

Finally, after having explained how to make a pinsa from scratch (that is, from flour) and how to season it best, we have just one piece of advice: Start today, you won't regret it!