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13 Place des Cardeurs, 13100 Aix-en-Provence
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Dough, hydration, baking, crust: discover what truly sets Neapolitan pizza apart from Roman pizza, and the style we craft at Di Micheli, on Place des Cardeurs in Aix-en-Provence.
To go further after this article, here are our pages dedicated to Neapolitan pizza and our craft.
Neapolitan pizza and Roman pizza are the two great traditions of Italian pizza, and yet everything sets them apart, from the dough to the baking. At Di Micheli, our family trattoria on Place des Cardeurs in Aix-en-Provence, we are often asked what the real difference between these two pizzas is. Rather than answering only in the dining room, we wanted to gather a clear guide here, so every food lover understands what is at play on their plate.
In this article, we review what separates the Neapolitan from the Roman: the thickness of the dough, the hydration, the fermentation time, the baking method and the final result in the mouth. We also explain which style we chose to craft at Di Micheli, and why. The idea is not to say that one pizza is better than the other, but to help you recognise each one and choose according to your cravings.
Neapolitan pizza is recognisable by its cornicione, that thick, airy rim surrounding a soft, thin base in the centre. Its dough requires high hydration and a long resting time: at Di Micheli, we craft a dough fermented for 48 hours at 70% hydration, then bake it for just a few seconds in a wood-fired oven heated to 450°. This very hot, very fast baking gives a soft pizza, slightly moist in the centre, with a supple rim marked by a few golden blisters. It is a pizza often eaten with a fork, so tender does it remain.
Roman pizza, in its "tonda" version served on a plate, stands out for a much thinner dough, stretched right to the edges, with no pronounced cornicione. It usually contains a little oil in the dough and bakes longer at a more moderate temperature, which gives it a dry, crunchy, almost crackly texture. Where the Neapolitan plays on suppleness and softness, the Roman bets on crispness and thinness. These are two philosophies of Italian pizza, each with its devotees.
At Di Micheli, we have chosen contemporary Neapolitan pizza. All our know-how is geared towards this tradition: long-fermented dough, a wood-fired oven and fresh produce, with no frozen pasta and a tight menu. If you are looking for a pizza with a soft, puffy rim, baked over a wood fire in the very heart of Aix-en-Provence, this is the style you will find on our plates, at lunch and dinner, both indoors and on the terrace.
Pizza is a rich and codified Italian culinary heritage. To explore its history and variations further, browse the page dedicated to pizza on Wikipedia, then come and compare for yourself at our table.
Whether you lean towards the soft Neapolitan or the crispy Roman, the best thing is still to taste it. Book your table at Di Micheli, on Place des Cardeurs, and let yourself be tempted by our wood-fired Neapolitan pizza. Happy reading, and see you very soon in Aix-en-Provence.
A few pages to go further after your reading, from Neapolitan pizza to booking your table.
The Neapolitan has a thick, soft rim, the cornicione, and very fast baking at high temperature, while the Roman tonda has a thin dough stretched to the edges, crispier and baked longer. The first focuses on softness, the second on crunch.
The Neapolitan owes its lightness to long fermentation and high dough hydration. At Di Micheli, our dough ferments for 48 hours at 70% hydration, which makes it supple and easier to digest. The Roman, being thinner, has its own lightness linked to its thinness.
We craft contemporary Neapolitan pizza, baked in a wood-fired oven at 450°. You'll find it on our menu, at lunch and dinner, in our trattoria on Place des Cardeurs, both indoors and on the terrace.
The Neapolitan wood-fired oven reaches around 450°, which bakes the pizza in very little time. This intense heat puffs up the rim and keeps the centre soft, the signature of a true Neapolitan.
At Di Micheli, at 13 Place des Cardeurs, right in the pedestrian centre of Aix-en-Provence. You can book your table online or by phone and come and taste our wood-fired Neapolitan pizza.
After the reading, time to taste: book your table at Di Micheli, on Place des Cardeurs, and compare for yourself.
