What Is Tonda Romana?
Tonda Romana is Rome's answer to Neapolitan pizza: where Naples goes soft and puffy, Rome goes thin and crispy. Also called "scrocchiarella" (from the Italian scrocchiare – to crunch), this pizza shatters when you bite into it.
The Dough Philosophy
Everything about tonda romana dough is designed for crispness:
- ✕ 55–62% hydration – deliberately low for a tight, rollable dough
- ✕ Olive oil in the dough (3–5%) – creates tenderness within the crunch
- ✕ Strong flour (W 260–300) – provides structure during the aggressive stretch
- ✕ 24–72 hour cold fermentation – develops flavor without making the dough too elastic
Mixing and Fermentation
Shaping: The Rolling Pin Is Welcome
Unlike Neapolitan pizza, where a rolling pin is heresy, tonda romana embraces it:
- ✕ Start with hands to flatten the ball
- ✕ Use a rolling pin to achieve an impossibly thin disk
- ✕ The center should be nearly translucent – 2–3mm thin
- ✕ The edge (cornicione) is minimal – just a slight lip, not a puffy rim
- ✕ The final stretch often happens by draping over the fists and rotating
Baking
- ✕ Pizzeria oven: 300–350°C (570–660°F) for 2–3 minutes
- ✕ Home oven: Max temperature (250–280°C) on a preheated steel or stone, 5–7 minutes
- ✕ The pizza should have charred spots and bubble blisters across the surface
- ✕ When done right, you can see the toppings through the base in spots
Tonda vs. Neapolitan
| Feature | Tonda Romana | Neapolitan |
|---|---|---|
| Crust | Paper-thin, crispy | Soft, chewy, puffy rim |
| Hydration | 55–62% | 58–65% |
| Oil in dough | Yes | No |
| Shaping | Rolling pin OK | Hands only |
| Rim | Minimal | Prominent cornicione |
| Size | 30–35cm | 25–30cm |
| Texture | Crunchy, shattering | Soft, foldable |