Crunchy on the outside and super soft on the inside: roman white pizza – pizza bianca alla romana – is the quintessential street food in Rome.

If you have ever been in Rome you know what Roman white pizza is. When strolling through Rome, it’s hard to miss the unmistakable aroma of freshly baked Pizza Bianca. More than just a dish, this “white pizza” is part of the daily life and culture of the Eternal City. When I was a child pizza bianca was the best snack to have. Bought freshly baked from the bakery it was a real treat.

Roman white pizza: history

The origins of Pizza Bianca trace back to ancient Rome. Bakers would use a simple mixture of flour, water, yeast, and salt to create flatbreads that served two purposes. The first, test the temperature of their wood-fired ovens. The second was to provide an inexpensive, nourishing staple for the community. Brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with salt, these early breads were crisp, golden, and flavorful—an ancestor of what Romans still cherish today.

If you wonder what makes pizza bianca different from Focaccia, the answer is easy! Focaccia is thicker and spongier, the dough has a high hydration and contains more oil.  Roman white pizza instead is lighter, with an airy interior and a crisp, blistered crust. Its simplicity is its strength: no tomato sauce, no heavy toppings—just the purity of dough, oil, and salt. This minimalist approach highlights the quality of ingredients and the craftsmanship of Roman bakers.

For centuries, Pizza Bianca has been sold in Roman bakeries and eaten as a street food or as a substitute for bread in sandwiches. It’s often enjoyed warm, folded in half, or traditionally stuffed with mortadella.  Today, roman white pizza remains a symbol of Rome’s culinary identity.

Every bakery in town has its own recipe, and this recipe is still an everyday food that connects the modern city to its ancient roots. Simple yet soulful, it represents the Roman philosophy of doing more with less, turning humble ingredients into something unforgettable.

Pizza bianca: fillings and variations

While pizza bianca is usually enjoyed plain, with its salty and oily unique taste, there are another two classic variations.
The first one is white pizza with mortadella, commonly called “pizza co’ la mortazza” by the Romans. The other one is pizza with figs, which has a very strong connection with the past. Pizza was cheap and figs were readily available pretty much everywhere, and often for free, since figs tree are everywhere in region.

When I make pizza bianca at home I like to top it with roasted vegetables or fresh mozzarella. You can also top it with a simple sun-dried tomato spread, or with olives and cheese.

A very common variation for this recipe is the “scrocchiarella” – crunchy – white pizza that is thinner and, as the word says, crunchier than the classic one. Perfect as a quick snack or to be topped with cheese, vegetables, tomatoes or everything you prefer. It is usually seasoned with rosemary.

Where to eat the best roman white pizza in Rome

It is difficult to find a bakery or pizzeria in Rome that does not sell a very good white pizza, but there are some places that are absolutely the best in town. The first one I recommend is Panella. A very nice place that serves a lot of baked goods and one of the best white pizza I ever had. If you do not have the chance to come to Rome to enjoy pizza bianca, you can always go to Eataly. In the bakery section you’ll find the most iconic pizza from all regions of Italy. Another incredible place to eat white pizza is Antico Forno Roscioli.  You’ll find these places in the heart of Rome, so if you are visiting the eternal city don’t miss them!!

Key ingredients for the best pizza bianca

As usual, the quality of the ingredients use makes the difference. Especially when you’re preparing a very simple dish, quality ingredients are what elevate a dish from dull to a show stopper.

I must say that in recent years there has been a decline in quality in Rome too. The use of low quality extra refined white flour makes this pizza great only when warm. As soon as it cools down it becomes very gummy and chewy. That is because white refined flour develops a lot of gluten.

I prefer to use unrefined flour, that makes this recipe not only tastier but healthier as well. I also mix in other flours like durum wheat, soy or chickpea and rice. Actually soy and rice are usually used in the “pinsa” recipe that is very similar to white pizza.

Using sourdough will definitely deliver an easy to digest pizza but if you don’t have it, the recipe here will help you preparing a super light white pizza.

Print Pin

Pizza bianca alla Romana - Roman white pizza

Course Pizza, Snack, street food

Cuisine Italian

Keyword pizza bianca, roman white pizza, white pizza

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Resting time 12 hours hours

Ingredients

• 400 gr of bread flour
• 50 gr of rice flour
• 50 gr of soy flour
• 300 gr of water
• 10 gr salt
• 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons of water
• 2 gr granulated yeast (not the quick one)

Instructions

• Mix all the flour together in a bowl.
• In another bowl mix the water and the yeast then add 3/4 or the flour and start mixing.
• Add the remaining flour a little at a time. The dough should not be too dry or hard.
• When the flour is incorporated, let it rest for 15 to 30 minutes, covered with a cloth.
• After resting, add the salt and 2 tablespoons of oil and mix well. Fold the dough many times to create the gluten mesh.
• When the dough is smooth, cover it and let it rest for 12 hour or overnight at room temperature or in the fridge if your kitchen is very warm.
• At this stage, if you have let the dough rest in the fridge, take it out at least 1h before cooking it. It should be at room temperature.
• Pre-heat the oven to the maximum temperature. If you have pizza stones, put them in the oven to heat them up as well.
• When the oven reaches the temperature, spread the dough onto a well floured surface or directly into the tray, using your hand to poke small indentations on the surface.
• Brush with the remaining olive oil, sprinkle with salt and bake. If you have stones in the oven, transfer the pizza onto a flat tray well floured to slide it on to the stones.
• Cook for 8-10 minutes or until you see some golden brown spots on top.