Does anyone have a good recipe for Roman Style Pizza Crust?

Question

I once visited a pizzeria in Rome and ordered a margherita style pizza. It was on very thin crust and cooked in a wood furnace. Does anyone have the recipe for the crust? I can't find it anywhere. Everyone in the US uses the typical "fat crust" or New York style crust.

Any help is greatly appreciated. Molto grazie!

Answer 1

ORIGINAL MATZOH CRUST PIZZA

Have you ever gone to a Pizza Restaurant and though their crust tasted like matzoh? The original pizza's were made from matzoh:
When the Jews were leaving Egypt, they didn't have time to bake the bread. The bread was baked in the sun, and didn't leaven. Every year since, Jews are not suppose to eat leaven bread, for the days of Passover. Through the ages, the Jewish People have moved around a lot, still eating matzoh every Passover, finding ways to improve the taste, through the countries they are in, still staying within the Passover Laws.
When the Jews were in Rome, again they were eating matzoh on Passover. Tomatoes and cheese were more abundant in Rome than in other countries. The Jews learned from the Romans how to make tomato sauce.

During Passover one year while the Jews were in Rome, one Jewish woman got tired of just having their matzoh plain or with butter on it. She decided to put tomato sauce on it. She liked it but, it wasn't good enough. Next she decided to add garlic and onions and spices to the sauce, but it was still not good enough. Finally she decided to add cheese on top. Mozzarella was the cheapest one at the time, so she bough that. She put all the ingredients on the matzoh, and baked it in the ovens. She tasted it and really liked it. She gave this new concoction to her family and friends. They all liked it. It became very popular, and the new fast food for the time. The only thing it was only eaten for Passover, because that was the only time one could get matzoh. Everybody couldn't wait for Passover to eat this Jewish delicacy.

Original Matzoh Crust Pizza.


1 box matzoh
1 (12 oz.) can tomato paste
12 oz. water
1 tbsp. Italian seasonings
1 tbsp. basil
1 tbsp. garlic powder
1/4 c. minced onions, dried
1 lb. Mozzarella cheese, shredded (cheese own option)
Vegetables or meat of choice (pork came from the Romans)

Mix the tomato paste sauce and water to the consistency preferred. Add the spices and minced onions. Lay out the matzohs on a greased cookie sheet. Probably need about 4 sheets. Lay out the sauce on the matzohs. Add cheese. Add vegetables and meat as desired. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes. Serve.

Answer 2

2 pk Fast-rising dry yeast
2 c Tepid (90F) water
2 tb Sugar
4 tb Olive oil
½ c Oil
1 ts Salt
5 ½ c Unbleached white flour
3 Cloves garlic, crushed
¼ c Olive oil for topping (if making focaccia only)
1 tb Whole rosemary (ditto)
1 tb Kosher salt (ditto)

From: Ted Taylor The following recipe is for "focaccia Romana," or Roman focaccia, from Jeff Smith's "The Frigal Gourmet Cooks Three Ancient Cuisines." He recommends it as the best dough for a pizza crust he's run across, and I must say it is both very easy and VERY good to eat. I halved the following recipe (but used the full amount of garlic, plus 2 c of meaty red sauce, about 4 oz. of pepperoni, 8-9 fresh mushrooms and 8 ounces of whole-milk mozzarella) and the results were great. Lacking quick-rise yeast, I used regular yeast and just ate a little later -- no problem there. And of course, I made the dough into a pizza instead of a plain focaccia (which is like a thick pizza (also round, but thicker) but without toppings. Dissolve the yeast in the tepid water. Add the sugar, olive oil, oil, and salt. Mix in 3 c of the flour and whip until the dough begins to leave the sides of the mixing bowl, about ten minutes [!!]. I [Smith] use my KitchenAid mixer for the whole process. Mix in the remaining flour by hand or with a dough hook and knead the dough until it is smooth. Allow the dough to rise twice, right in the bowl, and punch down after each rising. Oil 2 baking sheets, each 13 inches by 18 inches, and divide the dough between the 2 pans. Using your fingers, press the dough out to the edges of each pan. Allow to rise for about 30 minutes and brush with the crushed garlic mixed with the oil for topping. Sprinkle the rosemary and kosher salt on top. Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes.
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Curriculum Vitæ · Journal · Perl Modules · Photos · Recipes By Léon Brocard / Last updated August 2006