Pinsa Romana - Just Another Style of Pizza?

[weinoo]

In their magnum opus "Modernist Pizza," Nathan Myhrvold and Francisco Migoya give short shrift to a style of pizza known as pinsa. They say, with some disrespect in my opinion:

 

Quote

Pinsa Romana is generally just a marketing scheme that aims to create an "ancient" flabread...as far as we can tell, this pizza is just an oblong Neapolitan pizza.

 

They go on to give us a recipe, using their classic Neapolitan Pizza Dough for the crust.

 

Well, I think they're wrong, as a little web research indicates...

 

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Pinsa may have an advantage in that it speaks to New Yorkers’ desire for foods that are healthier or, at the very least, less heavy on the stomach, establishments that offer the style say. Aside from its oval shape, pinsa is often distinguished by the fact it is made with a mix of flours—not just wheat flour, but also rice and/or soy—which are said to give it a lighter texture.

 

The style is becoming more popular here in NYC, as there are probably half a dozen places now offering this style of pie.  Last week, Significant Eater and I tried one of them, Montesacro, in Brooklyn.  In addition to some other delicious food, the pinsa we had was outstanding.

 

 

Simply topped with guanciale, red onion slices and tomato. Then sprinkled with a bit of Pecorino Romano. Extremely light - not as puffy as a classic Neapolitan pie, but not quite as crisp as what I call Roman-style. As can be seen on their website, they have a nice long list of different pinsa to try.

 

We'll be going back soon.

[Duvel]

Yeah … it’s a thing here as well, for the last year or so. Marketed as more digestible, fewer calories, less heartburn - you name it. I haven’t gotten around to try it yet, but there are frozen ones on offer and they seem to be pretty popular ☺️

[Anna N]

Here’s another take on its origin and a recipe for the dough. 

[blue_dolphin]

In his book, Mastering Pizza, Vetri's recipe for pinsa crust includes bread flour; spelt flour; rice flour; soy flour and he recommends a sourdough starter over yeast

[Margaret Pilgrim]

26 minutes ago, blue_dolphin said:

In his book, Mastering Pizza, Vetri's recipe for pinsa crust includes bread flour; spelt flour; rice flour; soy flour and he recommends a sourdough starter over yeast

I love that book.   (also his Pasta)

[Anna N]

To my surprise it is readily available in the GTA. 
 

Here.

As the only Toronto-based member of the Pinsa Romana Association, it was clear that a re-brand for his current smokehouse was necessary. In the fall of 2020, he purchased a pizza oven and opened up Venga Cucina, taking over at the same Junction address.….

Pinsa Romana is the Ancient Roman pizza. It's a lighter, healthier version of the authentic Italian pizza we've come to know and love. The dough is double-baked and is characterized by a crunchy outside with a soft inside, and is an artisan-stretched oval shape. The word 'Pinsa' actually comes from the Latin word "pinsere", which in Italian, means to stretch and spread.

It is no easy feat to uphold the prestigious status of the OPR Association. First and foremost, all flour must be purchased through the Di Marco Company in Italy, where they produce an exclusive mix of flour––the only one that can be used to make Pinsa Romana. For a business to be recognized as an original Pinseria, an expert examiner will have the task of viewing the meticulous procedure of all stages of processing starting from the dough.

 

My bolding (with tongue in cheek). The smarketing is embarrassing!  

And just in case you were wondering just how much the stamp of the Pinsa Romano Assoc. is worth:

Here.

Edited September 13, 2022 by Anna N
To add some additional information. (log)

[weinoo]

5 hours ago, Duvel said:

there are frozen ones on offer and they seem to be pretty popular ☺️

 

I think that's what got Myhrvold's dander up originally. If he still had dander. For sure, @Anna N still does!!!!!!

[weinoo]

The restaurateur who does the best job of recreating certain Roman classics at his restaurants in NYC is Danny Meyer, in my opinion. Marta is perhaps the more casual of the two; Maialino the fancier one - but trust me, dress-up is not required at either.

 

Last week, before a couple of shows we were going to see, we had the opportunity to dine at both. At Marta, we sat at the pizza counter.

 

 

With a salad and an order of meatballs, this was a nice, light dinner. That's the "Amatriciana" pie.

Edited February 13, 2023 by weinoo (log)

[weinoo]

We were back at Marta this week.  One of Significant Eater's favorite pies:

 

 

The pizza ovens...

 

 

They go back and forth between the ovens, as they clean and add wood to them alternately.  It's quite a dance, and there are usually 3 or 4 people on the pizza line.  

 

From 3 PM to 6 PM weekdays, a number of the pizzas on the menu are 1/2 price - place gets busy. The guy on the far left is the grill master; he's actually in front of a huge, wood-burning grill and oven.