When most people think of Italian pizza, they picture the classic Neapolitan style with its soft, puffy crust and minimal toppings. While Neapolitan pizza certainly deserves its fame, Italy's pizza landscape is surprisingly diverse, with distinct regional variations that reflect local ingredients, cultural influences, and culinary traditions. At Pizzaiolo, we celebrate this diversity by occasionally featuring regional specialties alongside our traditional Neapolitan offerings.
Naples: The Birthplace of Pizza as We Know It
Let's start with the most famous style as a point of reference. Neapolitan pizza (pizza napoletana) is characterized by:
- A soft, thin base with a puffy, airy cornicione (rim)
- Simple, high-quality toppings, often just tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, and olive oil (Pizza Margherita)
- Cooked at extremely high temperatures (430-485°C/800-905°F) for just 60-90 seconds
- Tender enough that it's typically eaten with a knife and fork
Authentic Neapolitan pizza is so significant that it has received EU protected status with specific rules governing its production. The Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (True Neapolitan Pizza Association) certifies pizzerias worldwide that adhere to traditional methods.
But as we journey through Italy, we discover that pizza takes on many other forms, each with its own devoted following.
Rome: Pizza al Taglio and Pizza Romana
The capital city offers two distinct pizza styles that differ significantly from Naples:
Pizza al Taglio (By the Cut)
This rectangular pizza is baked in large sheet pans and sold by weight. Customers indicate how much they want, and the server cuts it with scissors and charges accordingly. Characteristics include:
- A thicker, airy crust with a crisp bottom
- High hydration dough (up to 80% water) that creates a light, honeycombed interior
- Creative and abundant toppings that change seasonally
- Served at room temperature or reheated briefly
- Ideal for eating on the go
Pizza al taglio is Rome's answer to fast food—quick, affordable, and casual. Popular toppings include potato with rosemary, zucchini flowers with anchovies, or classic margherita.
Pizza Romana Tonda (Round Roman Pizza)
The sit-down restaurant version of Roman pizza differs from Neapolitan with:
- An ultra-thin, crispy crust that maintains its structure when held
- Lower hydration dough with added olive oil and sometimes a small amount of fat like lard or butter
- Longer fermentation time (24-72 hours)
- Baked at lower temperatures for a longer time
- Often larger in diameter than Neapolitan pizzas
The most traditional version is Pizza Bianca—a white pizza brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with salt, sometimes topped with fresh rosemary. Another Roman classic is Pizza con Patate, topped with thinly sliced potatoes, rosemary, and olive oil with no tomato sauce.
Sicily: Sfincione and Beyond
Sicily's pizza tradition shows clear influences from the island's complex history, including Arab, Spanish, and Greek elements.
Sfincione Palermitano
From Palermo, Sicily's capital, comes this spongy, rectangular pizza with:
- A thick, soft, breadlike base
- Topped with tomato sauce, onions, anchovies, oregano, and hard caciocavallo cheese
- A layer of breadcrumbs soaked in olive oil on top
- Traditionally sold in bakeries rather than pizzerias
The name comes from the Latin "spongia" or Arabic "sfang," both referring to its spongy texture. It's especially popular during Christmas and New Year celebrations.
Scaccia Ragusana
From Ragusa in southeastern Sicily comes this unique folded pizza:
- Thin sheets of dough layered with tomato sauce, caciocavallo cheese, and often onions or sausage
- Folded multiple times, creating layers similar to a lasagna
- Baked until the exterior is crisp while the interior remains moist
Scaccia is sometimes described as a "pizza sandwich" or "folded pizza" and demonstrates the creative variations that emerged as pizza evolved across Italy.
Pizzolo Siracusano
From Syracuse comes this "double pizza" consisting of:
- Two layers of dough with fillings in between
- Traditional fillings include cheese, anchovies, and oregano
- The top crust is brushed with olive oil and often topped with sesame seeds
Think of it as a pizza sandwich or calzone that isn't folded but rather constructed as two separate discs with fillings in between.
Liguria: Focaccia di Recco and Sardenaira
The Italian Riviera region contributes its own unique interpretations:
Focaccia di Recco
While technically a focaccia, this speciality from the town of Recco resembles a pizza and features:
- Two extremely thin layers of dough
- Fresh, soft crescenza cheese spread between the layers
- No yeast in the dough, creating a crisp, cracker-like texture
- Brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt
The result is a delicate, cheese-filled creation that's unlike any other Italian pizza variety.
Sardenaira (Pizza all'Andrea)
From San Remo near the French border comes this pizza that shows clear Provençal influence:
- A thick, soft base similar to focaccia
- Topped with tomato sauce, anchovies, olives, capers, and oregano
- No cheese, emphasizing the umami flavors of the sea
The name suggests a connection to Sardinia, but it's actually a specialty of western Liguria, demonstrating how regional foods often traveled and transformed along trade routes.
Puglia: Focaccia Barese
In Bari, the capital of Puglia in southern Italy, the line between focaccia and pizza blurs with:
- A thick, soft, olive oil-rich dough
- Topped with fresh cherry tomatoes pressed into the dough
- Sprinkled with oregano and sea salt
- Sometimes featuring olives, onions, or potatoes
The high olive oil content in the dough creates a crisp bottom and edge while maintaining a soft interior. Local bakers often use semolina flour in the mix, giving it a distinctive yellow hue and slightly grainy texture.
Calabria: Pitta
From Italy's "toe" comes a pizza variation that's more like a stuffed bread:
- Round or oval-shaped with a pocket inside
- Filled with ingredients like greens, cheese, sausage, or vegetables
- Often featuring local 'nduja (spicy spreadable sausage)
- Sealed and baked until golden
While it resembles a calzone, pitta is typically flatter and features Calabria's characteristic spicy flavors, reflecting the region's love of hot peppers.
Abruzzo: Pizza Rustica
This central Italian region offers a deep-dish, savory pie that's between a pizza and a torta:
- A rich, egg-enriched crust that's more pastry-like than typical pizza dough
- Filled with layers of cheese, cured meats, and sometimes vegetables
- Traditional Easter dish, but enjoyed year-round
- Served at room temperature or warm, not hot
Pizza rustica demonstrates how "pizza" in Italian cuisine can encompass a broader range of savory baked goods than the typical round, flat dish most people envision.
Emilia-Romagna: Crescentina (Tigella)
From Bologna and Modena comes this unique interpretation:
- Small, round discs of leavened dough
- Traditionally cooked between round clay plates called "tigelle"
- Split and filled with soft cheese, cured meats, or spreads
While not always considered pizza in the strict sense, crescentine represent how flatbread traditions evolved differently across Italian regions, with similar base ingredients yielding distinctly different results.
Northern Italian Innovations: Pizza al Padellino
Turin in Piedmont offers its own distinctive style:
- Baked in small, round pans (padellino means "small pan")
- Higher-hydration dough with a focaccia-like consistency
- Crisp bottom and edges from olive oil in the pan
- Typically individual-sized and eaten with knife and fork
This style demonstrates northern Italy's pragmatic approach to pizza, adapting cooking techniques to suit the cooler climate and different available ingredients.
Pizza Fritta: The Fried Alternative
Found particularly in Naples, but with variations across southern Italy:
- Pizza dough that's fried rather than baked
- Can be topped after frying (like Montanara) or filled before frying (like a calzone fritto)
- Developed during post-WWII hardship when ovens were scarce
- Crisp exterior with an extraordinarily light interior
Pizza fritta exemplifies Italian cuisine's resourcefulness, creating delicious solutions even in challenging circumstances.
What Regional Variations Teach Us
Italy's regional pizza diversity offers several important insights:
Connection to Local Ingredients
Each style reflects what was historically available in that region. Coastal areas feature more seafood toppings, inland regions use more cured meats and cheese, and each adapts to local produce.
Cultural Influences
Many styles show the impact of neighboring cultures or historical occupations. Sicilian pizza shows Arab influence, northern styles show French and Austrian touches, and coastal regions reflect maritime trading connections.
Adaptability
Pizza has always been adaptable, evolving to suit different ovens, ingredients, and cultural preferences. This adaptability is what has allowed it to become a global phenomenon.
Beyond Purism
While we respect traditional methods, Italy's regional diversity reminds us that pizza has never been a static, unchanging food. It has always evolved, and continues to do so today.
Experiencing Regional Pizzas at Pizzaiolo
While our primary focus remains authentic Neapolitan pizza, we celebrate Italy's regional diversity through seasonal specials that showcase these different styles. Throughout the year, you might find:
- Our "Roman Weeks" featuring crispy, thin-crust Pizza Romana
- Sicilian-style square slices during our "Island Flavors" promotion
- Fried pizza specials that pay homage to Naples' street food tradition
- Regional topping combinations that highlight Italy's diverse culinary landscape
We believe that understanding these regional variations deepens appreciation for pizza's rich cultural heritage. Each style represents generations of bakers perfecting their craft, adapting to local conditions, and expressing their community's unique culinary voice.
So the next time you enjoy a slice, remember that you're participating in a diverse, evolving tradition that spans the entire Italian peninsula. Whether you prefer the soft elegance of a Neapolitan Margherita, the crisp precision of a Roman thin crust, or the hearty comfort of a Sicilian sfincione, you're experiencing a piece of Italian cultural history that continues to bring people together around the universal pleasure of good food.
