Our shovel is to the pizza chef what the katana is to the samurai: it is an indispensable tool in the art of pizza, because it makes the work faster and more efficient. When there is a need to put a large number of pizzas in the oven in the same day, the peel in the correct size makes this activity quicker and avoids useless waste of time.
Then there are features that the shovel must have if it is used specifically in pinseria: we will talk about them in more detail at the end of the article. In the meantime, let's see together the main features of this tool.
WOOD OR METAL WHICH IS BETTER?
In the pizza tradition, whether Neapolitan or Roman, the peel used for baking is made of wood, but over time a more practical, thinner and lighter material was preferred to this one aluminum. In fact, the wooden peel, being thicker, makes it more difficult for the pizza chef to remove the pizza from the worktop and then from the oven, without having to lift it by hand.
The metal shovel is lighter to handle and has less thickness, making the act of baking and then taking out easier and quicker.
Another factor that has pushed the catering sector to favour the more practical aluminium is thehygiene: it is more difficult to clean wood thoroughly and safely than metal, from which it is easier to remove seasoning, dough and oil residue. To clean an aluminium shovel, simply wash the blade with soap and water and dry quickly in a hot oven. You should not use overly abrasive sponges because the aluminum of the shovel is often coated with a finish that makes it more slippery and prevents the dough from sticking to it.
Speaking of aluminum shovels, there are those on the market perforated and those with full blade: always for practical reasons, today the first type is preferred, which is easier to handle and allows you to easily shake off the excess flour from the base of the pizza, which would otherwise burn in the oven, to the detriment of the taste of the final product.
To store the shovel for long periods of inactivity (for example during a holiday closure) manufacturing companies often equip this tool with a practical fabric bag that will protect the shovel from dust and humidity.
THE MOST SUITABLE SHOVEL FOR PINSA ROMANA: SIZE MATTERS
Speaking of dimensions, every pizza chef or pinsaiolo must choose the peel with the handle length most suitable for the oven he works with: the important thing is to be able to carry the pizza or pinsa to the back, without creating too much clutter while it is being put in the oven.
Our shape of the blade it is very important, especially in the case of the Pinsa Romana, which requires a specific peel and not the classic one used for pizzas, which is too big and does not allow for baking multiple pinsas at the same time.
We spoke about it with the pizza chef Mark Montuori who explained to us the importance of choosing a shovel designed for Pinsa Romana: investing in a well-made shovel with a more elongated shape than round helps you work every day in a fast and practical way, allowing the pinsaiolo to remain concentrated during the cooking phase and thus obtain an excellent Pinsa.
By the way, chef Montuori told us that, at the beginning of his activity as a pinsaiolo, finding the common pizza peels uncomfortable for the reasons we explained above, he asked one of the supplier companies he worked with to create a peel specifically designed for the Pinsa Romana.
After many years, it is now easy to find Pinsa shovels in the restaurant tools market, but we like to think that Montuori was the one who first had the right intuition!
Which shovel do you prefer to use? Have you already tried one specifically for Pinsa Romana?
