What the Romans Eat for Pizza

He wore a collared SS Lazio shirt tucked beneath his round belly, a sweatband on his wrist, and three pairs of glasses stacked on his head. He was our waiter, our pizza authority, and — as it turned out — our referee.

Our desire to experience the Romans’ Rome began our first night in Testaccio, two blocks from the Tiber at Pizzeria Da Remo — a modest, lively neighborhood pizzeria that our local contact had highly recommended. We arrived when it opened at 18:30 to ensure a table and settled in among the regulars. Then the whistle blew.

The quirky waiter produced a referee’s whistle from around his neck, then pulled a yellow card — the international football signal for a blatant foul, halfway to dismissal — and waved it at the American kids at the table next to us who had been playing on iPads during dinner with their family. Their penalty: devices surrendered for the duration of the meal. All of this was communicated in Italian, which they didn’t speak, but clearly understood. Meals are for the table. The waiter was playful, but his sentiments were real.

Food in Italy commands the same attention as the care that goes into making it — no matter how simple, even for a pizza. But this may not be the pizza you’re used to.

Pizza Romana

It isn’t an accident that Italy’s food is so good. Italians start with high-quality, seasonal ingredients. True Italian pizza celebrates each component with deliberate simplicity — most pies carry only a couple of quality toppings, allowing the dough to be the point. A light, airy crust is the foundation of any traditional Italian pizza.

Pizza in Rome comes in several distinct forms. Naples is its birthplace, but Rome has since developed its own regional versions. What you won’t find: thick deep-dish pies, grease-heavy toppings, or the American approach of loading every available surface.

Roman toppings bear little resemblance to American pizza. Peperoni means bell peppers, not cured meat. Canadian bacon and pineapple are not Italian. Loads of cheese are not Italian either. The most basic is pizza bianca — plain crust with extra-virgin olive oil and sea salt. Pizza rossa adds only tomato sauce, using the best possible tomatoes, without cheese. Marinara adds garlic and herbs to the tomato sauce, still without cheese. A classic Margherita adds fresh bufala mozzarella and basil — green, white, and red: the Italian flag in a pizza.

Beyond these classics, Romans favor light, fresh toppings: salmon and arugula, zucchini flowers and anchovies, sausage and olive, prosciutto and mushrooms. An egg in the center of some versions is not unusual.

Roman-style Pizza

Traditional Roman pizza has an extra-thin, slightly charred crust, served hot from the oven, whole and unsliced, eaten with a fork and knife. It comes either rossa or bianca, with only a couple of toppings extending to the thin outer edge.

I loved pizza ai fiori di zucca — pizza bianca with mozzarella, zucchini flowers, and anchovies. Cole gets excited about anything with bufala mozzarella; Aaron prefers his with sauce and meat; Caden orders a calzone, folded before cooking.

Pizza al Taglio

Pizza al taglio — cut and sold by the slice — has become a Roman street food staple, served in many bakeries as a quick lunch or mid-morning snack. Toppings on these pre-cut versions have become more experimental, often eaten at room temperature. Two methods: teglia, baked on a rectangular sheet, or alla pala, long hand-formed focaccia fired on the oven floor. Among Rome’s favorites: Forno Campo de’ Fiori, Antico Forno Roscioli, and Bonci’s original Pizzarium.

Neapolitan-style Pizza

Many Roman restaurants also serve Neapolitan-style pizza with its thicker raised edge. The AVPN (Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana) protects authentic Neapolitan pizza throughout Italy and worldwide. Their fundamental rules include: a 22-35cm round pizza with a 1-2cm raised edge; a rising time of at least 8-24 hours plus 4 hours of kneading; a ¼cm disc formed as the base; cooked in a 430-480°C wood-fired oven for 60-90 seconds. The best ingredients produce the best results — not a complicated argument, but one that requires actual commitment to execute.

The Pizza Crust

I was consistently struck by how much lighter pizza crust is in Rome than anything I grew up eating. Not once did I feel heavy after a whole pie. The doppio zero “00” ground soft white wheat flour used by professional pizzaioli, combined with a long rising time of at least 48 hours (ideally 72), produces a crust that is light, airy, and genuinely digestible. Many pizza makers maintain generations-old starter cultures of mother yeast. This is not a shortcut operation.

The waiter at Da Remo may have been theatrical, but his conviction was sincere. The pizza commanded full attention, and it earned it. Those American kids won’t forget the lesson. Neither will we.

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Italian Language Notes

Notes for English speakers: Though Standard Italian is the official language of Italy, there are thirty-four historical living languages and dialects throughout the country.

1. In Standard Italian, a ‘c’ before an ‘e’ or ‘i’ says [ch], while a ‘c’ before an ‘a’, ‘o’, or ‘u’ says [k], as in cacio [kah’-chyō] and guanciale [gwan-chya’-lay]. For ‘c’ to make a [k] sound before an ‘e’ or ‘i’, an ‘h’ is added as in chitarra [key-tar’-rah] and porchetta [por-kayt’-tah].
2. A ‘g’ before an ‘e’ or ‘i’ says [j], as in giudea [jew-day’-ah], while ‘gh’ before ‘e’ or ‘i’, or ‘g’ before ‘a’, ‘o’, or ‘u’ says [g], as in ghetto [gayt’-toe].
3. ‘sc’ before an ‘e’ or ‘i’ says [sh], as in prosciutto [pro-shoot’-toe]; ‘sch’ before ‘e’ or ‘i’, or ‘sc’ before ‘a’, ‘o’, or ‘u’ says [sk], as in bruschetta [brew-skayt’-tah].
4. ‘z’ makes a [ts] sound, as in calzone [kal-tso’-nay]; double ‘zz’ slightly extends, as in pizza [peet’-tsah].

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Pizza connects to the Italy Atlas → Rome and the Food + Table perspective. Read about Roman pasta and coffee →