June 20, 2007

God, I wish I liked food...

Hi there,

PizzaExpress has done something radical. For the first time in their 42 year history, they’ve introduced a new style of pizza in honour of Rome.

Now anyone who knows pizza, knows pizza in Rome is a serious business. In fact, the Romans are as picky about their pizza as they are about their football – and that’s picky.

A genuine Roman pizza is totally original. Characterised by the shape, ‘Pizza Romana’ is much bigger, thinner, crispier and topped with fewer ingredients – for a greater taste. Using only one or two simple ingredients, and a pinch or two of herbs, mean the flavours work together rather than over-powering each other. And because the dough is stretched much further, the pizza becomes blackened around the edges and blistered in the middle for a unique taste.

I’ve attached a release with further information, but the new menu stemmed from Antonio Romani, the PizzaExpress head chef who comes from Rome and has been with the business for over 20 years.

The new menu is an authentic example of an ancient tradition and serves up genuine Roman food that the genuine Romans genuinely eat.

But don’t take my word for it – if you’d like to review the new menu, please let me know and I’ll arrange a complimentary table for you at your local restaurant. Just drop me a line or give me a call on the mobile below.

Thanks very much – hope to hear from you soon

Rory

PS. And to show you just how seriously Antonio takes his pizza, here are his golden rule on what makes ‘pizza Romana’ so special…

Antonio Romani’s top tips on how to spot a genuine Roman pizza

SEE: Look at the cheese-to-sauce ratio. The sauce on a Roman pizza should be visible. The toppings should not dominate the pizza and not take away from the flavour of the sauce, crust or cheese. The rim should be slightly blackened and the pizza surfaced slightly blistered.

SMELL: The crust should smell like good bread, and the sauce and cheese should smell fresh. The smell of dried herbs or garlic should not overwhelm the pizza.

TOUCH: First look to see if there is any lip, or rim, around the crust. Tear off a piece and look at the dough structure - there should be holes from the gasses caused during the dough's rising period, and the dough should be cooked through. Then hold up a whole slice and take a good look at it from the side; the crust should be cooked through and stand up to the weight of the toppings. So perfect for eating with your fingers – just like we do in Rome.

TASTE: The crust should taste slightly yeasty and should ooze flavour. The perfect pizza will have a slight crunch and the tomato sauce will be vibrant, not sour or "cooked" tasting. The cheese will taste fresh, have character and blend appropriately with the toppings, which should be fresh, colourful and delicious.

Rory Scott
PizzaExpress – Press Office

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