What Is Italian Pinsa, And What Makes It Different From Pizza?

There are endless styles of pizza, with every region of the U.S. having adapted its own interpretation. New York and Connecticut represent the thin crust gang while Chicago-style pizza is defnitively deep-dish, but there's another pizza-looking item on many menus these days: pinsa. It might look (and sound) similar to any old personal pizza pie, but there are a handful of differences beyond the smaller, more oval shape. Given its newfound renaissance it may seem like pinsa is a fresh take on beloved pizza, but it actually has Roman roots dating back as far as the gooey cheese pull pizza we know and love.

The name pinsa, derived from the Latin "pinsere" — meaning to stretch, or more precisely to "push the dough by the hands" — is telling of the dish's centuries-old preparation. In Ancient Rome, bakers would use any grains available to make bread dough which they would then pull by hand into an oval shape, creating a flatbread. 

The final step is what really sets pinsa apart from pizza — the long rise time. In order to break down proteins and the complex carbs from the various flours, the dough must ferment anywhere between 24 to 72 hours. This results in a more digestible product that's much lighter and airier than pizza, its denser neighbor. Aside from the blend of flour, pinsa has characteristic air bubbles thanks to its high hydration percentage — 80% compared to pizza's 50% to 60%.

As popular as it was during the Roman Empire, with priests going as far as offering pinsa to the gods, the loose recipe faded into oblivion over the years. It wasn't until 2001 that pinsa returned as Pinsa Romana, thanks to Corrado Di Marco. The Italian chef wanted to develop a lighter, more digestible alternative to traditional pizza and he did so by paying homage to the original pinsa. Considering the technique, grains, and herbs utilized in Ancient Rome, Marco finalized a modern pinsa dough recipe using their sourdough starter, wheat, rice, and soy flour. 

Pinsa chefs use a variety of flour blends today. Australian-based pizzeria I Gladiatori Osteria Romana, for example, mixes soy, rice, and a bit of 00 flour to make its Roman-style dough before letting it rise for 72 hours. When compared to the standard hour or two it takes for pizza dough to properly rise, it may feel like eternity waiting for pinsa dough, but it's worth the wait. The extended rising time causes the dough to expand and create dozens of air pockets that make for a crisp yet tender bite. 

Today, pinsa has a new look that's hardly recognizable compared to its original. Initially topped with olive oil, rosemary, and some cheese, it's now familiar with gourmet toppings like cured meats and sun-dried tomatoes, but rarely tomato sauce.