Where to find the best pizza in Rome

Pizza is one of Italy’s main symbols and it is commonly associated with Naples and Campania Region. Indeed, its origins are here and they date back to the end of XVIth century. Something similar already existed in the Middle Ages, even if it was just a sort of “focaccia” baked in a wood-fired oven. Anyway, “focaccia” is still another typical Italian product and it is widespread in every Region, so that it can be considered as the “ancestor” of pizza. The modern version of this popular recipe derives from an ancient custom: bakers used to place a disc of dough into the oven to check its temperature. This disc of dough was called “pitta” and it was thrown away after use, because it was just a sort of thermometer. One day, someone in Campania had the idea to season it with some lard, black pepper and basil and eat it: pizza was born!

The turning point in pizza’s history was the beginning of XIXth century, with the introduction of tomatoes: someone thought to spread some tomato sauce over pizza to create a very cheap and “poor” dish that anyone could afford. Pizza spread very quickly throughout Italy during the XXth century and some specialized restaurants flourished everywhere: pizzerie. At first you could just find them in big cities, but they soon had a widespread diffusion. After Second World War, pizza was taken abroad by Italian emigrants.

What types of pizza are there?

Today, almost every pizzeria has its own particular types of pizza, sometimes very creative too, but there are some classical and traditional flavors that can be found everywhere:

Margherita: tomatoes, mozzarella and basil. It’s the most popular one, both in Italy and abroad. It was created during summer 1889, when Queen Margherita di Savoia was visiting Naples. A local baker invented a new type of pizza in her honor and chose these 3 ingredients. This tribute was very much appreciated, especially because it recalled Italian flag with its colors (Italy had recently adopted its national flag made of red, white and green). From that moment on, this kind of pizza took the name of the Queen.
Marinara (marine): tomatoes, garlic and oregano. This was the typical fishermen’s lunch: simple, cheap and made with common local ingredients.
Diavola (devil): tomatoes, mozzarella and hot salami. It’s one of the most popular types of pizza abroad, especially in the USA.
Quattro formaggi (4 cheeses): mozzarella, parmigiano, gorgonzola and provola. It’s the only type of pizza without tomatoes. Some versions include other cheeses, like fontina, asiago or pecorino, but mozzarella and gorgonzola are always there.
Quattro stagioni (4 seasons): tomatoes, mozzarella, artichokes, ham, mushrooms and black olives. Each condiment has its own slice of the pizza to symbolize the 4 seasons. If the ingredients are all mixed up, this pizza is called “capricciosa” (capricious).
Ai funghi (with mushrooms): tomatoes, mozzarella and mushrooms
Al prosciutto (with ham): tomatoes, mozzarella and ham
Ai frutti di mare (with seafood): tomatoes, mozzarella, mussels, clams, squids and shrimps

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There’s another peculiar distinction:

Roman Pizza
This kind of pizza is widespread throughout Central Italy. Its main features are:

Thin and crispy dough;
Low edges;
Olive oil in the dough;
Dough is rolled with a rolling pin;
Long cooking;
The typical condiment is made of tomatoes, mozzarella, anchovies, basil, pecorino and black pepper;

Neapolitan Pizza
This type of pizza has its origins in the tradition of the first Neapolitan “pizzaioli”. Its main features are:

Soft dough;
High edges (“cornicione”);
No fats in the dough;
Short cooking at high temperature;
The dough is flipped through the air by the pizzaiolo, then rolled with his hands;
The typical condiments are marinara and margherita;

Today, there’s another type of pizza which is quite popular: “gourmet pizza”. It is made with refined and high-quality ingredients, often mixed up in original and creative ways. It is usually served sliced, like a platter of samples, and culture yeast is always present.

Some examples?
Parmesan cheese and balsamic vinegar, pineapple and ham, prawns and lard or soft cheese and pork cheek.

What are the main criteria to evaluate a pizza and a pizzeria?

A part from personal preferences, there are some particular features that make a pizza good or bad and a pizzeria more or less pleasant. What are these criteria?

Flour: it should be high-quality and include a great amount of proteins, so that the leavening process is favored;
Leavening: it should be natural and not chemical, so that pizza will be more easily digestible;
Ingredients: they should be high-quality, especially mozzarella and other cheeses;
The pizzeria should be friendly and comfortable;
The service should be well organized and preferably fast.

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