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Although 2020 is almost gone..there are some delicious food trends we will be remembering thanks to this year. Thanks to influencer foodie bloggers the year was filled with delicious food trends. Some of my favorite trends for this year are the innovative ways of making lasagna and gnocchi with different flours and styles from gluten free to vegan to using lots of trendy ,non traditional ingredients. But my favorite take away trend from 2020 is the pinsa.
Pinsa
So are you hungry yet? Hungry for a pinsa? Let’s begin with something you all know and love..the pizza. Well, as legend has it, the pinsa datres back to Ancient Roman times. It is noted as a healthier fluffier ,easily more digestible version of a pizza. What makes a pinsa different from a traditional Neapolitan pizza?
A Peasant Food
Pinsere is a Latin word that means to stretch. So it is definitely stretched thinner than a traditional pizza. And we can thank cucina povere (the peasant kitchen) for the invention of the pinsa. Peasants in the countryside are credited with making a pinsa from a few different grains, not just wheat. So you may find rice flour, millet flour, oat flour, barley flour and even farro flour mixed with water and stretched into an oval shape. The pinsa was then topped with fresh herbs, salt, spices and then cooked over hot coals.
Modern PInsa Today
Today’s modern pinsa, considered the Roman relative to the Neapolitan pizza, is made from a mix of flours usually soy, rice and spelt. But it is a flexible recipe based on the fact that ancient Roman peasants had to use whatever flours were available to them. And because it uses less wheat and is stretched thin it is not as springy as the traditional pizza and yet more crispy.
Pizza Versus Pinsa?
So what’s the verdict? Pizza is,well, pizza, and in my opinion nothing can compare to a real traditional artisan Neapolitan pizza with a freshly made tomato sauce. But the pinsa can stand on its’ own in that it is in its’ own category. Rather a crispy version of the pizza is what a pinsa is. in my opinion, a pinsa is not to be compared or substituted for a pizza , but to stand on its own
Recipe. for a Pinsa
Here’s my recipe for a delicious pinsa if you want to try one of the trendy foods of 2020 before year end. Be a food influencer, try my pinsa or make your own and hop on this year’s trend.
Dough
5 1/4 cups (660 g) all purpose flour or 0 flour
1/4 cup (30 g) soy flour
2 cups (500g) water
1/4 cup (30g ) rice flour
3/4 tablespoon (10 g) extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp dry yeast
Topping
2 cups chopped cherry tomatoes
1 cup shaved pecorino romano cheese
fresh or dried oregano
handful fresh arugula leaves
salt and pepper to taste
Extra virgin olive oil to drizzle on top
*Chopped fresh parsley
DIrections
*Place all flours in a large bowl with yeast, Whisk flours together
*Slowly add in cold water, continuously whisking
*Add in olive oil and salt mix by hand, mix well. Form into a ball and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Place in fridge and let rise for 24 hours.
*After 24 hours, remove from fridge, place on floured surface and divide dough into 4 balls. Cover each one with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for 3 hours.
*After 3 hours, place parchment paper on a baking sheet for each pinsa. place each pinsa ball on baking sheet. Stretch and knead into long oval shape, Cover with linen towel and let rise for 1 hour before topping. repeat with all 4 pinsa balls,
*Chop cherry tomatoes and place in bowl with olive oil and salt. Let marinade for a few minutes.
- After dough has risen for an hour, bake in a preheated oven at 450 degrees for 10- 15 minutes or until edges have browned.
- Remove from oven, top with chopped tomatoes, pecorino romano cheese, arugula leaves,fresh oregano, salt and pepper to taste and drizzle with olive oil
- Serve with fresh chopped parsley on top
