I grew up in southern New Jersey. Food was and still is ethnic there. As a child and young adult, pizza was something we ate for lunch almost every day. The boardwalk in Wildwood, New Jersey was pizza central for me. I worked as a candy maker in my family’s business on the boardwalk. A morning of making fudge, caramels, toffee and all things sweet, prepares you like no other for something savory! Yes pizza! I would go next store, to Sabitini’s Pizza. The place was run by Mr. Sabitini and his family, the pizza was amazing. I guess I was much like a Roman in those days, grabbing a quick slice or two for lunch. In Rome, I would have many other choices, Pizza Rossa, Pizza Bianca, Pizza Napolitano and many other versions.
Let’s start with the Pizza Rossa, this is red pizza, very thin crust, all the way out to the edges. Those edges are crispy and a bit charred. The topping is just tomato sauce with some herbs and salt. It can be eaten hot or cold, although it loses it crispiness quickly due to the high moisture content of the sauce.
Pizza Bianca is made with no tomatoes and just has olive oil and salt for topping. It is covered with wonderful bumps from air inside and they get toasty brown and delicious. I could truly eat this stuff till I explode! It is great to split and put some mozzarella cheese and prosciutto. A great place to find both of these in Rome is just off the Campo di Fiori at Roscioli Antico Forno. This place is the real deal, where local Romans go for that mid-morning pizza lunch.
There are many different versions of pizza in Rome, so trying to describe them all would be too much here, one more though, Napolitano. This type of pizza is associated with Naples, but it is served all over Rome none the less. Generally made with a puffy, stand up crust on the edges and charred a bit. The sauce is tomato with buffalo mozzarella cheese. This is more of a classic style pizza for most Americans, in an authentic form still hard to find unless you live in an urban setting. So find your pizza where you will and enjoy the style you like, for me they are all binge-worthy!
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Fabulous start Charlie! I’m hungry just reading about these different types of pizza!
How fun for you and for us!!!
I feel like I’m reading a Classy Travel Guide with Great Pictures! About to board a plane for Medford. No lunch at Bambu without you two.