Best White Pizza Bianca Romana To Make At Home

This white pizza recipe, Pizza Bianca Romana, is a standout in the world of traditional pizza. Unlike regular pizza, this white pizza doesn't have any toppings at all, letting the homemade pizza dough take center stage with its crispy crust and classy feel. The lean dough, also known as pizza al taglio, is spread out in a square baking tray, ideal for making at home. Whether enjoyed on its own or as a base for a sandwich this pizza bianca recipe brings a slice of Roman bakeries into your kitchen.

Course Pizza

Cuisine Italian

Diet Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword focaccia Romana, pizza bianca, roman pizza

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 20

Resting time 1 5

Total Time 1 5 50

Servings squares

Calories 571kcal

Author Laura Tobin

Equipment

Ingredients

4 cups Manitoba flour 17.637 ounces you can also use All purpose flour or type "0"
1.6 cups water 75% of flour weight
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 package instant yeast 2 tsp
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon Semolina flour for dusting the base of the baking pan

Topping

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil for baking
1 pinch sea salt flakes optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Making the dough

Mix the flour and the dry yeast in a bowl of a stand mixer.
4 cups Manitoba flour, 1.6 cups water
Add 80% (1 ⅓ cup) of the total water, and mix
Let sit for 15 minutes for the yeast to activate
With the dough hook attachment, mix at a low speed and gradually mix in the remaining water, then knead.
Add salt and knead until incorporated.
1 teaspoon salt
Mix in olive oil until fully absorbed.
2 tablespoon olive oil
Let the dough rest for 1 hour covered in a warm place.

Reinforcement folds

Lightly oil the pastry board
Place the dough on it
Fold the top part of the dough towards the center
Rotate the dough 90 degrees and repeat the fold
Perform this fold-and-rotate action three times in total
After completing the folds, let the dough rest for 20 minutes in a warm place
Repeat the 20-minute resting process two more times, allowing the dough to relax and the gluten to develop.

Overnight fermentation

Place dough in an oiled large airtight container
Refrigerate 12-24 hours

Bench rest

Post-refrigeration, let the dough rest for 30 minutes to come to room temperature and improve its texture and workability

Making the portions

Gently invert the container to let the risen dough fall onto an oiled surface or a bowl.
Weight the dough to separate it into portions (see notes)

Final rise

Allow final rise in oiled containers 2-6 hours, depending on the room temperature (2 hours in a hot summer or 6 hours in a cold winter)
Mark the initial point and let it double or triple its volume.

Shaping and baking

Gently invert the container to let the risen dough fall onto a semolina-dusted surface, avoiding any force to maintain its airy structure.
2 tablespoon Semolina flour
Lightly press and shape the dough with wide fingertips, ensuring it does not deflate.
Oil the baking pan and dust with semolina flour
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Carefully transfer the stretch dough and let it rest for 30 minutes while the oven gets hot
Drizzle a bit of oil over the dough before it goes into the oven for baking.
1 pinch sea salt flakes
Bake at high temperature (480 F - 250 C) for 8 to 9 minutes in the lower part of the oven
Bake for another 7 to 8 minutes in the middle of the oven until golden brown.
Serve warm or at room temperature

Video

Notes

Bonci's method for making Roman pizza bianca utilizes the no-knead bread technique, which relies on a long fermentation period instead of kneading to develop gluten strands, which is crucial for the bread's texture.

This approach is marked by its use of minimal yeast and highly hydrated dough, resulting in a distinctive texture and flavor profile characteristic of traditional Roman pizza crust.

As a consequence, before you start, take these four precautions:

The dough needs to rest overnight, so you need to prepare the dough the day before. The process can be long and requires plenty of time. Although it is mostly resting time.
The dough is highly hydrated, do not add flour when folding. Maintaining the right percentage of hydration is very important. Use a bench scraper to ease the folding.
It is important to preserve the delicate air bubbles and structure formed during fermentation, which are crucial for the dough's light and airy texture. When removing the dough from its container, invert the container allowing the dough to slide out gently without direct pressure or manipulation.
For the same reason, do not use a rolling pin to stretch the dough.

Watch the video for visual instructions

Portions

This recipe is the dough quantity needed for a medium-thick pizza of 2 in - .06 cm high cooked in a baking tray with the following measurements:

Imperial USA: 12 in x 16 in x 2 in high = 1.3 lb

Metric: 30 cm x 40 cm x .06 cm high = 600 gr

Nutrition