Roman pizza alla pala is an inviting and tasty dish. It is called "Roman" because it is typical of Roman bakeries, even if it is now appreciated throughout Italy. It is called "alla pala" because it is fired with a shovel, a wooden or aluminum tool. Roman pizza has a shape rectangular which makes it suitable to be consumed on large tables. Similar to a focaccia, it is taller than the classic Neapolitan pizza and without a cornice.
"High hydration" dough
The Roman pizza alla pala has a dough that is defined as "highly hydrated", because it is rich in water (80 or 90% for each kilo of flour). For this reason, it is recommended to prepare it using very cold water, to facilitate its absorption. In addition, this particular pizza is left to rise in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. Once out of the oven, it is crunchy and light and can be stuffed to taste.
Roman pizza alla pala: ingredients and filling
To make the Roman pizza alla pala, you need:
1 Kg. Of flour 00
600 gr. of water
2 gr. of fresh brewer's yeast
In the recipe that we propose, the filling is made up of:
mascarpone to taste
cooked ham to taste
red radicchio to taste
extra virgin olive oil
garlic to taste
Salt to taste
Preparing a good Roman pizza alla pala takes some time, but it's worth it, because the result will be excellent. This simple video illustrates, step by step, all the steps necessary to obtain a tasty and original Roman-style pizza.
The procedure
To prepare a Roman pizza alla pala, we use a platenaria. In it we pour the flour, the crumbled yeast, the water and mix with the spiral hook. When the dough comes off the bottom of the bowl, we overturn it on a pastry board and, with the flour, we work it further with our hands until we obtain loaves that we leave to rest in the fridge for 24 hours. After this time, we take them out of the fridge and on the floured work surface we work the dough again to form other loaves which we leave to rest for another hour. When they have risen to the right point, we begin to prepare the first pizza. We take one and place it on the shovel, pour some flour on it and start crushing it with the fingertips, giving it a rectangular shape. We pour it on a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and bake at 350 ° C for 10 minutes. When the white pizza is cooked like a focaccia, it is cut in half to fill it. It begins with a layer of mascarpone cheese, continues with a second layer of cooked ham cut into small pieces and with a third layer of red radicchio and, if desired, some anchovies. You can also add garlic, depending on your taste. Once seasoned, the pizza is ready to be cut into slices and eaten. The Roman pizza alla pala is perfect for a dinner with friends. Enjoy your meal!
