The internet, along with social media, constantly reminds us of the latest trends, with blogs suggesting recipes and presenting us with dishes from the latest chefs du jour.
I would like to venture a prediction: in Melbourne, 2023 will be the year of the modern pinsa romana. It is a reinterpretation of a historic recipe that dates back to Ancient Roman times, reworked with new ingredients and cooking techniques.
The original recipe for pinsa (from the Latin pinsere, meaning to stretch, to crush) came from the peasant populations living outside of the city’s walls, who combined ground up grains (millet, barley and farro) with salt and aromatic herbs, to prepare tasty flatbreads or focaccias, with a characteristic oval shape, crispy texture and wholesome digestibility.
The arrival of the modern pinsa can be credited to a pizza maker and baker, Corrado Di Marco, who, in his eponymous mill, began experimenting with scientific research and ancient bread-making techniques, learnt from his maternal grandfather. He was intent on improving the recipe’s nutritional value, combining a mix of wheat flour, maize flour, soy flour and sourdough starter, the latter of which, when paired with ample fermentation time, encourages fragrance in the dough, creating an exclusive product – a key determinant of all things considered ‘fashionable’.
The growth of the pinsa's success began in 2007, and today there are about 5,000 pinserie around the world, one of which is in Preston, Melbourne, and was opened by Fabio Vivarini and his wife four months ago.
Fabio had run a restaurant in Italy with his wife and her sister shortly before leaving for Australia. During a short holiday in the Eternal City, he happened upon the king of Roman street food: pinsa.
"As someone who has been in the restaurant business for 30 years, I immediately realised the great potential of this product, and I said to myself, this is the first major evolution since the invention of pizza," he said in an interview granted to Rete Italia's food program, Sapori ― Viaggio nel gusto.
Fabio started experimenting with pinsa in his restaurant in Ivanhoe, and received positive responses. He then opened Ari in Reservoir and dedicated half of the menu to the rectangular pizza.
Fabio’s pinse are crispy and highly digestible, as his dough is highly hydrated, with a 72-hour rising time and then two rounds of baking, which ensures that all liquids evaporate, and the pizza, or rather pinsa, becomes crunchy.
Pinsa should be served with few moist toppings, otherwise the crispness would be ruined, Fabio explained in the interview, revealing that to qualify as a 'pinsaiolo' he had to take an online course and undergo an examination by Mulino Di Marco's experts via video conference, who gave him the certification.
"A little tomato and mozzarella, and then a filling of the highest quality ingredients. We make a couple of them that have captured the imagination of customers, like the one with a mozzarella base, or with homemade porchetta, or stracciatella and fennel seeds, or the one with mozzarella, bresaola, parmesan shavings and very thin slices of orange,” added the pizzaiolo-pinsaiolo.
To cover all bases, Ari Pizzeria & Pinsa also offers a vast range of classic pizzas. In the interview with Rete Italia, Fabio said that to satisfy all needs, there are also traditional Italian regional dishes on the menu, with a focus on Abruzzo and featuring dishes from Tuscany and Puglia.
"We want to promote and give people a taste of the variety we have in Italy," he added.
“So we serve spaghetti alla chitarra, orecchiette with broccoli rabe, potato gnocchi, porchetta and, in the near future, we’ll offer arrosticini, one of the cornerstones of Abruzzo cuisine.”
Ari Pizza & Pinsa boasts a wine list that is representative of both many Italian regions and the country it operates in. This family-run restaurant also offers classic desserts such as tiramisù and bomboloni, and traditional Abruzzese sweets such as bocconotto pastry cake with a grape jam filling, which you have to try to believe.
As word starts to spread about Ari’s confections, even this traditional cake will have the potential to become fashionable.
