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Pinsa romana
Oval Roman flatbread
Pinsa romana: Rome's oval, airy flatbread from a long-fermented mixed-flour dough
Pinsa is a modern Roman creation inspired by the flatbreads of ancient Rome: an oval base made from a mix of wheat, rice and soy flour (or in this home version, wheat and rice), with a lot of water and a long rest in the fridge. The result is crisp outside, light as a cloud inside and easy to digest. Pinserie in Rome top it with everything from buffalo mozzarella to courgette flowers; this version uses cherry tomatoes, mozzarella and basil. Mozzarella is usually made with calf rennet; vegetarian versions are easy to find. Chef's tip: shape the pinsa by pressing with your fingertips on a floured board, never stretching it; you want to keep all the bubbles.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the dough
- 14 oz strong white bread flour
- 2 ⅞ oz rice flourplus extra for shaping
- 1 ½ cups cold water
- ⅜ oz fine salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
For the topping
- 9 oz cherry tomatoeshalved
- 7 oz mozzarella or a vegetarian alternativetorn and drained
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 10 basil leaves
- ½ tsp flaky salt
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Mix 14 oz strong white bread flour, 2 ⅞ oz rice flour, 1 ½ cups cold water and ⅛ oz fast-action dried yeast into a sticky dough. Add ⅜ oz fine salt and 1 tbsp olive oil and squeeze them in. Fold the dough over itself four times every 20 minutes for 1 hour.
60 minStep 2: Cover and leave in the fridge for 48–72 hours. Then divide into four balls and leave at room temperature for 3 hours, until puffy.
Step 3: Heat the oven to 475°F (450°F fan) with a baking steel or heavy tray on a low shelf for 30 minutes.
Step 4: On a board dusted with rice flour, press each ball with your fingertips into an oval about 30 × 18 cm, keeping the edges thicker. Common mistake: stretching or rolling; it tears the dough and flattens the bubbles.
Step 5: Slide onto baking paper, drizzle with a little of 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and bake for 6 minutes, until set and pale gold.
6 minStep 6: Top with 9 oz cherry tomatoes, 7 oz mozzarella or a vegetarian alternative and ½ tsp flaky salt and bake for 5–7 minutes more, until the base is crisp and the cheese melted. Finish with 10 basil leaves and the rest of the oil.
7 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 20 g
- Carbs
- 70 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pinsa romana take?
- About 55 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of strong white bread flour?
- Plain flour, same amount (the dough will be softer and rise a little less).
- What can I use instead of fast-action dried yeast?
- Fresh yeast, three times the weight.
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