Roman-style pizza, an opportunity you can't miss 

In an increasingly competitive market context, differentiating your offering is not just an added value: it's a necessityCustomer tastes are evolving, consumption opportunities are multiplying and success also depends on the ability to propose something that creates loyalty. 

We believe that, in this scenario, pizza by the slice is a very interesting solution which are worth investing in. Let's delve deeper into the topic.

Pizza alla pala, the identikit: what it is and why it's an opportunity

Pizza alla pala is a type of pizza of Roman origin, cooked directly on the refractory stone of the oven and served by the slice, designed to ensure a noticeable external crunchiness and a soft and well-hydrated interior. Its shape is typically wide and elongated, designed to be managed with the oven shovel.

Roman pizza is usually prepared with a highly hydrated dough (even over 75%) and with a long leavening, so as to have a highly digestible structure and excellent conservation even outside the oven.

Why is it called Roman pizza?

The name Roman shovel pizza derives directly from the tool used for its creation: the shovel, or oven shovel. We are talking about a wooden or aluminium instrument, flat and elongated, which allows you to shape the dough easily making it take the characteristic shape before transferring it from the pastry board to the refractory surface of the oven. 

This method is not only functional, but also affects the shape of the product, typically rectangular or oval, and its final characteristics: a crunchy crust at the base, a soft crumb and a well-honeycombed structure.

How to make a pizza by the slice

Making a perfect pizza alla pala requires precise technical knowledge, starting from the dough. In fact, a specific flour is usually used, suitable for withstanding high hydration – often around 75%-80% – and a long leavening, which can easily reach even 48 hours. This process promotes the formation of a resistant gluten mesh, necessary to ensure excellent workability of the dough and to achieve a light and digestible final result.

After the first leavening, the dough is portioned and then delicately stretched to take on its typical elongated shape without compromising the alveolation. Baking It takes place directly on the stone, at high temperatures, to obtain the typical contrast between external crunchiness and internal softness.

Versatility as an opportunity for restaurateurs

One of the aspects that makes pizza by the slice particularly interesting for the restaurateur is its versatility: it can be a single dish for groups of friends, who can choose multiple flavors and have them all on the same pizza (to share, obviously), but it can also be offered at various times of the day - from a quick lunch to an aperitif, up to evening consumption - and is easily customizable. both in the fillings and in the serving method (at the counter, at the table, in delivery).

Pizza alla pala: how it differs from other pizzas and pinsa

To truly understand the essence of Roman pizza and enhance its value, it is useful to relate it to other categories of pizza and similar baked goods.

Traditional round pizza

The classic pizzeria pizza, round and cooked in a wood-fired or electric oven, has a less hydrated dough, often made with a single type of flour and a different management of leavening times. It is designed for the immediate consumption and is served wholeUnlike pizza alla pala, it has the typical very thin interior and a higher crust. 

Pan pizza

Similar in some respects to the shovel, pan pizza It has a rectangular shape but is cooked in a pan - precisely - often with plenty of seasoning already during the cooking phase. It has a crunchy base and a thicker dough than the classic round pizzaThe dough is rolled out directly into the greased pan, where it rises further before baking, developing a characteristic honeycomb structure.

Roman Pinsa

It could be confused with pizza alla pala, but in reality it is a product with its own very precise identity: a blend of three different flours (wheat, rice, soy), very high hydration (even above 80%) and long maturation, which make it extremely digestible and lightThe shape is oval and the internal consistency is very honeycombed, which is why consumers appreciate its lightness. 

Pizza by the slice: an opportunity to differentiate your offerings

Unlike traditional pizzas, the peel lends itself to a higher positioning, thanks to the its artisanal image, to the more technical workmanship and to the possibility of customization. It's a product that conveys attention to detail, quality, and originality, and fits perfectly into contemporary restaurant formats, including gourmet and street food.

From an economic point of view, Selling by the slice allows for finer control over portions and margins, allowing for the optimization of raw material use and reduction of waste. Not to mention the ability of pizza by the slice to generate a "window display effect": the eye-catching presentation, especially with creative or seasonal toppings, visually attracts the customer and creates opportunities for up-selling and storytelling. In an era in which the visual experience (including social) It matters just as much as the taste, the shovel is an effective tool for communicating value and identity.

The Di Marco offer for pizza by the slice

The Di Marco offering stands out for its breadth and consistency. Alongside its flagship product—the pinsa—the company offers solutions designed to support those who choose to include pizza by the slice in your menu, with targeted and versatile proposals.

For those who want to approach this format in a simple way and without upsetting their kitchen organization, the pre-cooked bases they represent a practical and reliable solution. We are talking about artisanal bases that require a few minutes of cooking at the moment and are in fact ready to be stuffed: ideal for restaurants, bistros and venues that want to offer the shovel as part of a much wider selection, without sacrificing quality.

Di Marco also offers a solution for those who want work the dough from scratch, perhaps in contexts where pizza by the slice is the protagonist or co-protagonist of the offer, such as pizzerias, pinserie or dedicated formats. There La Pala flour It was created precisely for this reason: a technical blend of four flours (0 wheat, rice, soy, wholemeal spelt) designed to obtain highly hydrated doughs, with excellent leavening resistance, boost in cooking and lightness to the bite. 

Whether you choose to start from a base or from a flourWe offer support for all types of production. And for any information, Contact us!