Roman-Style Pizza

Name: Roman-Style Pizza
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Ingredients: 3 ½ cups (450g) bread flour; 1 ½ tsp salt; 1 tsp sugar; 1 ¼ tsp active dry yeast; 1 ½ cups (350ml) cold water; 2 tbsp olive oil; For the Toppings (Classic Roman-Style Margherita):; ½ cup crushed San Marzano tomatoes; 1 tbsp olive oil; ½ tsp salt; ½ tsp dried oregano (optional); 1 cup shredded low-moisture mozzarella; Fresh basil leaves (for garnish)

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A thin, crispy, yet airy pizza, Roman-style pizza (Pizza Romana) is different from Neapolitan pizza in both texture and preparation. This crunchy, flavorful pizza is cooked at lower temperatures than Neapolitan pizza, resulting in a crispier crust while still maintaining a light and airy bite.

Contents

Origin of Roman-Style Pizza What I Love About This Recipe Roman-Style Pizza Ingredients Directions Notes

Origin of Roman-Style Pizza

Unlike its Neapolitan counterpart, which is known for its soft and chewy crust, Roman-style pizza comes in two main varieties:

Pizza al Taglio – A thicker, airy, and rectangular pizza, often sold by weight in Rome’s bakeries.
Pizza Tonda – A thin, round, and crispy pizza, traditionally served in Roman pizzerias.

This recipe focuses on Pizza Tonda, the thin, crackly, Roman-style pizza that is perfect for those who love a crispy base with a variety of toppings.

What I Love About This Recipe

I love how light and crisp the crust is while still having a slight chew. The dough is easy to work with, and because it’s baked at a lower temperature than Neapolitan pizza, it’s easier to make in a home oven without needing a pizza stone or an extremely hot temperature.

Roman-Style Pizza

Recipe by RecipeWikki

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Calories

413

kcal

Ingredients

3 ½ cups (450g) bread flour
1 ½ tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 ¼ tsp active dry yeast
1 ½ cups (350ml) cold water
2 tbsp olive oil
For the Toppings (Classic Roman-Style Margherita):
½ cup crushed San Marzano tomatoes
1 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp salt
½ tsp dried oregano (optional)
1 cup shredded low-moisture mozzarella
Fresh basil leaves (for garnish)

Directions

Prepare the dough:
In a small bowl, mix yeast, sugar, and ¼ cup water. Let it sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Add the yeast mixture, remaining cold water, and olive oil.
Mix until a dough forms, then knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Cover and let it rise in the refrigerator for 24 hours (this slow fermentation enhances flavor and texture).
Preheat your oven to 500°F (260°C).
Roll out the dough into a very thin circle (about 2-3mm thick).
Transfer to a lightly oiled baking sheet or pizza pan.
Spread crushed tomatoes evenly over the dough.
Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle salt and oregano.
Top with shredded mozzarella.
Bake for 8-10 minutes until the crust is crispy and golden brown.
Remove from the oven and top with fresh basil leaves.
Let the pizza cool for a minute or two, then slice and serve hot.

Notes

For extra crispiness: Use a perforated pizza pan or bake directly on a preheated pizza stone.
Alternative toppings: Try prosciutto, mushrooms, artichokes, or spicy salami for a classic Roman-style variation.
Make ahead: The dough can be made up to 3 days in advance and kept in the fridge.