Description
Pinsa Romana is a traditional Roman-style pizza dough known for its light, airy texture and crisp crust. This recipe combines Italian 00 flour, rice flour, and spelt or soy flour, fermented slowly for maximum flavor and digestibility. The dough is stretched into an oval shape and baked at high heat to create a crispy yet tender base, perfect for your favorite toppings or enjoyed simply with olive oil and sea salt.
Ingredients
Dough Ingredients
- 500 g Italian 00 flour
- 50 g rice flour
- 40 g spelt flour or soy flour
- 460 ml ice cold water
- 2.5 g active dry yeast
- 10 g salt
- 5 ml extra virgin olive oil
- Semolina flour for rolling out dough
Instructions
- Mixing the Dough: In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine all the flours with the yeast and whisk together to evenly distribute the yeast.
- Adding Water and Kneading: Using a Danish dough hook or mixer dough attachment, gradually add the cold water in three additions of about 100 g each, mixing well after each. The dough may initially appear dry. During the last water addition, add salt and olive oil, mixing until the dough comes together. Knead for about 12 minutes until smooth and elastic, either by hand or machine. The dough will be sticky; do not add extra flour.
- Stretch and Fold: Use a rubber spatula to stretch and fold the dough over itself several times to develop gluten, making it less sticky and more elastic.
- First Rise: Cover the dough and let it rest at room temperature until it doubles in size, about 1 hour. Then repeat the stretch and fold step, shape into a dough ball, place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for cold fermentation for 24-48 hours.
- Preheat Oven: When ready to bake, preheat your oven to its highest setting between 250-280°C (480-550°F). If available, place a pizza stone inside to heat; otherwise, a baking sheet will suffice.
- Portion and Rest Dough: Divide the dough into 2-3 portions depending on desired pizza size. Coil each portion a few times, form into dough balls, sprinkle with semolina flour, cover loosely with plastic wrap or cloth, and let rest for 15-30 minutes on a baking sheet.
- Shape Dough: Sprinkle semolina flour on a clean surface. Gently stretch each dough ball into an oval shape using your hands and gravity. Lay the dough on your work surface and dimple it with your fingers, similar to focaccia dough.
- Prepare for Baking: Transfer the stretched dough to an oiled baking sheet or a pizza peel dusted with semolina to ease transfer into the oven.
- Add Toppings: Add your favorite toppings, or simply drizzle olive oil and sprinkle sea salt for a classic flatbread. Use toppings sparingly to avoid making the dough too heavy.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes if baking plain, or up to 20 minutes with toppings, until the crust is golden brown and crispy.
- Slice and Serve: Cut the pinsa with scissors or a serrated knife to preserve the airy texture. Serve immediately and enjoy.
Notes
- The dough is sticky by design; resist adding extra flour to maintain light texture.
- Cold fermentation for 24-48 hours develops flavor and improves digestibility.
- Using a pizza stone helps achieve an evenly crisp crust.
- Semolina flour prevents sticking when shaping and transferring dough.
- Adjust toppings to avoid overloading and making the pizza difficult to handle.
- Cutting with scissors or a serrated knife prevents crushing the airy crumb.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12-20 minutes
- Category: Pizza Dough
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
