Dish
Pizza Crunch Siculo Romana

Photo from
Forno Laamendola · San Giovanni Gemini
The story
Pizza Crunch Siculo Romana is a hybrid style that merges the airy, focaccia-like base of traditional Sicilian pizza with the thin, snappy crust of Roman *pizza al taglio*. The name reflects this dual heritage, and the texture is defined by a deliberate crunch that gives way to a soft, lightly charred interior. Key ingredients include a high-hydration dough often enriched with olive oil, topped with a reduced tomato sauce, mozzarella, and regional cheeses such as caciocavallo or pecorino. A great version is distinguished by its contrast: the bottom must shatter like a cracker while the crumb remains open and chewy, achieved through a long cold fermentation and a very hot oven bake. The toppings are kept restrained—typically a simple marinara or margherita—so the crust remains the star.
Regional variations are still emerging. In San Giovanni Gemini, Italia, Forno Laamendola—praised by local creator Salvo Guarneri—offers a rendition that highlights the Sicilian side with a thicker edge and a generous drizzle of local olive oil, while other pizzerias across Italy may lean toward the Roman crispness, baking the pizza in rectangular trays and selling it by the slice. The style is not yet widely codified, but its growing popularity reflects a trend toward textural innovation in Italian street-food pizza.
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Where to eat it
1 place reviewed by YouTube creators.
San Giovanni Gemini (1)
What creators say
Highlights from 1 creator review of Pizza Crunch Siculo Romana.
At Forno Laendola in San Giovanni Gemini, a historic bakery produces bread and pizza using traditional methods like 24-hour leavening and durum wheat flour. They offer both classic recipes, such as the camarata and artisan bread, and modern twists like the crunchy Siculo Romana pizza. The products reflect the local mountain ingredients, including bietole and extra virgin olive oil. It's a place where tradition and innovation meet, with a focus on quality and crunch.
