One of the most famous Lithuanian kitchen chefs, the head of a well-known Vilnius restaurant awarded with a prestigious “Michelin” star, says – the first acquaintance with authentic Roman pizza should start with the classic “Margherita”. And after tasting it, with pizza romana you will definitely want to weave a culinary romance every day.
No special occasions needed
Although Italian cuisine is no longer new in Lithuania, pizza is still a favorite on many menus and is primarily associated with high, fluffy, and soft crusts. And this image has probably been popularized the most by the traditional Neapolitan variant.
However, in Italy, and now in Lithuania, pizzas are baked in much more diverse ways. One of them – pizza romana, born in Rome, whose character M. Praškevičius describes simply – there is less of everything here: less dough, less heaviness, and more opportunities to taste the ingredients themselves.
“This pizza, unlike Neapolitan, is thin and has a narrow, subtly toasted, and crispy crust,” says the chef. “And the acquaintance with it,” continues the speaker, “like any first experience in an authentic pizzeria, should start with pizza margherita. Then it is worth continuing and tasting pizzas with more toppings – pizza pepperoni, pizza diavola, pizza capricciosa.”
According to M. Praškevičius, it is precisely the “Margherita” that simply allows you to understand whether the restaurant knows the art of pizza baking. When only a few ingredients meet on a thin base, it is no longer possible to hide behind complex flavor combinations – the dough, tomatoes, and cheese all reveal themselves.
“Our restaurant invites guests to enjoy tasting pizza and other Italian dishes not only on special occasions but to reward themselves even on an ordinary weekday. So drop by, don’t be afraid to get your shirt dirty, and indulge in quality food even without a reason,” smiles the chef of “Forno di Martino”.
Revealed where the ingredients come from
Asked whether the thin base of Roman pizza is purely a matter of aesthetics or tradition, M. Praškevičius notes – several rules are important here. According to him, to make the pizza crispy but not too dry or hard, the right amount of dough is needed first.
“One pizza romana dough ball weighs only 160–180 grams. It is rolled out wide and thin, and the pizza itself is baked at a lower temperature. Therefore, a few key things are important to us: the weight of the pizza dough, its thinness, and the baking temperature. We bake pizza romana in the oven at a lower temperature, trying to keep the base crispy and light,” explains the restaurant chef.
According to him, this also changes the whole eating experience. Since the dough does not overpower other products, the ingredients traveling on the pizza stand out more – you can better taste the flavor and quality of San Marzano tomatoes, Italian cheeses, cured meats, and preserved vegetables.
“To ensure exactly this, we get all the ingredients for the pizzas from a supplier who delivers them directly from Italy to ‘Ogmios miestas’,” notes M. Praškevičius.
These pizza components are mandatory
Having mentioned that the classic “Margherita” is a good start for a culinary romance with pizza romana, M. Praškevičius lists what delicious moments can be had with other pizzas.
“One of the guests’ favorite choices is ‘Marinara moderna’. Here, salted and marinated anchovies and garlic confit sauce complement the pizza base. Another option is ‘Funghi porcini’ with porcini mushrooms and Italian salsiccia sausage. For those who like bolder flavors, I would suggest ‘Diavola’. It features San Marzano (SKN) tomato sauce, spicy ‘Spianata’ sausage, ‘Mozzarella fior di latte’, honey made in the restaurant from fermented garlic and chili peppers, chili pepper jam, and ‘Pecorino Romano’ cheese,” the restaurant chef explains.
However, according to him, although the menu includes more modern pizza interpretations, the kitchen of “Forno di Martino” maintains respect for Roman tradition. Therefore, according to M. Praškevičius, the pleasure of eating here begins not with a multitude of toppings but with just a few very high-quality products.
“The secret of good Roman pizza, in my opinion, is quite simple – top-quality ‘Caputo’ flour, San Marzano (DOP) tomatoes, and Mozzarella fior di latte cheese,” emphasizes the restaurant owner.
So, to start a romance with Roman pizza, very little may be enough – a thin, crispy base, a few good ingredients, and the desire to taste slowly. And then, as with every good acquaintance, you can already embark on experiments that are born daily by the hot ovens of “Forno di Martino”.
Visit the “Forno di Martino” restaurant in “Ogmios miestas”, Verkių St. 27, Vilnius. Its working hours: Mon–Thu, Sun 11:30–21:00; Fri–Sat 11:30–22:00.
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