Pinsa Romana Specifications, or how to make a product according to the rules of the art

The growing popularity of Roman pinsa has attracted the attention of many restaurateurs, making it an important choice for those looking to differentiate yourself in a very crowded sector. For this reason, there are more and more restaurants and pizzerias that have decided to offer Roman pinsa on their menu, and to these are added the real pinserie.

PINSA ROMANA REGULATIONS: WHAT IT IS AND WHAT IT IS FOR

The main issue that restaurateurs have to face is: How do you prepare a pinsa that respects Corrado Di Marco's original approach? The question is more than legitimate, since the worldwide success of pinsa is linked to a precise recipe, from which it would be good not to deviate. Exaggerating with creativity means that, beyond the shape, the customer then has difficulty differentiating pinsa from other products (such as focaccia), not understanding its charm and innovative charge.

To protect the good name of a food product and ensure its uniformity at the level of preparation, taste and nutritional specifications, the production specifications come to the rescue, which are regulatory documents that establish the rules and criteria followed in the production of individual food products. specifications set the production standards, indicating the permitted ingredients, processing methods and organoleptic characteristics you wish.

Large producers, consortia and associations develop production specifications with the aim of guaranteeing the quality and authenticity of the final product, which is thus associated with a recognized brand. The affixing of the brand guarantees compliance with the specifications, or the authenticity of the product, acting as a bulwark against counterfeiting and guaranteeing consumers the highest possible quality.

IS THERE A REGULATION FOR PINSA ROMANA?

On the subject of the specifications of Roman pinsa, we can turn our attention to that of theOriginal Roman Pinsa Association, the purpose of which is precisely that of safeguard the authenticity of the product. The association does not brand the product, but certifies all the businesses that operate it. they want to offer pinsa to their customers and they want to do it in the right way and respectful of the original recipe. The certification, represented by the specific brand, protects the consumer and, at the same time, gives a competitive advantage to the local, allowing it to attract a clientele that is very attentive to product quality and experience.

To be able to use the trademark, each business must pass rigorous checks, which carefully consider each phase of the production process, from the use of the right ingredients (one of the secrets of pinsa is the mix of flours) to the preparation of the dough, up to the leavening and the final cooking phase. “To finish – the Disciplinary Code reports – the final product will be examined to check that it is

in accordance with the provisions of this production specification. The person in charge of the pizzeria must demonstrate knowledge of the Pinsa Romana product (production specification) or must use a pizza chef recognized by the Original Pinsa Romana Association”.

HOW TO MAKE A PERFECT PINSA: THE ORIGINAL RECIPE

The existence of a specification means that the original recipe for Pinsa Romana is known, public and accessible to all. Practice is certainly another thing, but on a theoretical level the only secret is related to the composition of the flour mix: not by chance, Di Marco offers professional flours aimed precisely at making the dough for the original Pinsa.

As regards the preparation of the dough, the specifications are very precise and establish the exact doses for each litre of water, namely:

• Flour 1,250 Kg – 1,4 Kg 
• Yeast 2 g – 6 g depending on the season
• Salt 20g – 25g 
• Extra virgin olive oil 15g – 20g 

The dough rising times must be between 24 and 96 hours and maturation takes place in the fridge at 4°C.

The specification also defines the weight of the balls and the size of the final product, but above all it establishes a series of prohibitions that must be adhered to. In particular, in addition to the prohibition on using non-compliant flours and going below 24 hours of leavening, the use of a rolling pin is strictly prohibited: the pinsa is rolled out strictly by hand.

Finally, the product must aspire to, but above all achieve certain results, including high digestibility, crunchy exterior, the soft casing and a hint of ancient bread in the flavour of the pasta.

HOW TO FILLE A PINSA PROPERLY

The theme of filling goes beyond the intentions of a production specification. Here it all depends on the experience, the objectives of the restaurateurs, the public they address and their ability to mix respect for tradition (we still live in the homeland of pizza) with the desire to innovate, attracting different consumers in terms of taste and ambition.

The advice is simply to don't miss the opportunity: pinsa is a successful product, but it is also very young compared to illustrious competitors such as pizza, piadina and focaccia. For this reason, it has a capacity native to attract all those who want something new, original and who are not afraid to move away from their comfort zone. A pinch of innovation, in terms of combinations and type of proposal (e.g., have you ever thought of pinsa as a dessert?), we therefore feel like recommending it, but obviously without exaggerating.