How to make Roman Pizza al Taglio at home

There’s nothing quite like enjoying the beauty of Rome with a slice of pizza in your hand. You can find delicious Pizza al Taglio on every street corner in Rome. Thick, light, and flavorful pizza topped with a colorful selection of toppings. Unfortunately, it’s hard to find good Pizza al Taglio outside of Italy. But the good news is that it’s easy to make at home!

Pizza al Taglio is the perfect home pizza. It’s easy to make, you don’t need a fancy pizza oven, and it’s fun to experiment with different toppings. Pizza al Taglio is also great for parties!

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What is Pizza al Taglio?

Pizza al Taglio is a semi-thick, crispy crust pizza sold in square slices. The name, al Taglio, translates to “by the cut,” which refers to the way the pizza is sold. The pizza is baked in large, rectangular pizza pans, and sold by weight (priced per 100g), cut to the customer’s desire. It originates in Rome, where it’s a popular street food found on every corner.

My first encounter with Pizza al Taglio was on a bustling street in Rome, where the aroma alone pulled me in. That experience sparked a passion that led me to explore the depths of this beloved street food’s history.

Various types of Pizza al Taglio exist. And unlike Neapolitan pizza, there are no strict regulations defining Pizza al Taglio. But generally, the pizza has a light and crispy crust and is baked in large, rectangular metal pizza pans. These metal pans are what make the crust of the pizza crispy. Traditionally Pizza al Taglio was baked in wood-fired ovens, but nowadays baking in electric ovens is more common.

The dough often has high hydration. 70-80% is not uncommon. This makes a playable and stretchy dough that puffs up and turns light and crispy in the oven.

Pizza al Taglio is usually topped all the way to the edge and, doesn’t have a distinct rim. It’s often served with a huge variety of toppings, ranging from only a simple marinara sauce to a range of different cheeses and toppings added before and after baking. So there’s a Pizza al Taglio for everyone!

Ingredients for Pizza al Taglio

This recipe makes 1 large, 16 x 12 inch (40 x 30 cm) pan pizza, but you can easily double or triple the recipe to make several pizzas.

• 500g pizza flour (100%)
• 400ml water (80%)
• 13g fine sea salt (2.4%)
• 3g active dry yeast (0.06%)

• A couple of tablespoons of olive oil for coating the raising container and the baking pan

Flour for Pizza al Taglio

A medium-strong Italian pizza flour with a protein content of 11-13% is the best choice for Pizza al Taglio. Long, slow fermentation is essential to develop the wonderful flavor in your crust. It’s also important for gluten development, which will make a light and bubbly pizza crust. So you’ll need flour with a medium-higher gluten content, that can handle the fermentation time. Bread flour is another alternative.

After experimenting with various flours over the years, I’ve found that a strong Italian pizza flour can handle the hydration better, resulting in an easier dough to work with and a better crust texture. My go-to flour for Pizza al Taglio (and most other types of Italian pizza) is Caputo Pizzeria. Caputo Pizzeria is an Italian Tipo 00 pizza flour and a favorite in its hometown of Naples. It has a gluten content of 12.5%, which is perfect for a 24-pizza dough.

High hydration makes a light, bubbly crust

This recipe has 80% hydration (yes, you read that right!). Hydration is the amount of water in the dough measured using Baker’s percentages. In short, hydration means the amount of water in the dough in relation to the amount of flour. For this recipe, you will use 400g water and 500g flour (400 is 80% of 500). In comparison, Neapolitan pizza dough typically has a hydration of around 60%.

The high hydration will make a wet and sticky dough. But don’t worry, you don’t need to knead it as much as most pizza dough. In fact, you don’t need to knead at all. We will use what’s called the Stretch and fold method, and let time take care of the rest. So even if the dough will get sticky it’s a great recipe for beginners!

A high-hydration dough will make a lighter and more open crust. When the dough hits the hot oven, water will evaporate and inflate bubbles inside the dough.

Read more about pizza dough hydration here.

Yeast for Pizza al Taglio

You can use any kind of yeast to make Pizza al Taglio. Personally, I use active dry yeast (Caputo Levieto). But if you want to use another type of yeast follow the conversion table below:

Type of yeast	Weight	Volume
Active dry yeast	3g	~1 tsp
Instant dry yeast	2g	~0.6 tsp
Fresh yeast (cake yeast)	6g	~2 tsp

What you need to make Pizza al Taglio at home

Pizza al Taglio is great to bake at home because you don’t need a fancy pizza oven or any special equipment to make it. All you need is:

• Kitchen scale
• Mixing bowl
• Metal baking sheet or pan
• Scissors for cutting

• Pizza stone or pizza steel (optional)
• Pizza peel (optional)

The key to good, consistent pizza dough is to measure your ingredients accurately, especially the yeast. So I recommend using a kitchen scale. You can read more about pizza scales and why it’s so important here.

Pizza al Taglio is typically baked on a sturdy, low-edge rectangular steel pan. A regular cookie sheet or home oven baking sheet will also do, but these are often thinner and make less crispy pizza. Finishing your pizza on a pizza stone or steel will solve this problem (I’ll explain in-depth later). But if you love Pizza al Taglio, and want to recreate true Roman pizza at home, I recommend a proper steel pan.

Since al Taglio is served by the slice, you’ll also want a pair of scissors to cut the right size slices for your friends. You can also use a pizza cutter or a knife, but scissors make cutting through the tall edge and crispy bottom easier.

How to make Pizza al Taglio dough step-by-step

1. Combine and mix yeast, water, and flour

1.1 Start by dissolving the yeast in lukewarm water. Add around 1/4 of the flour while mixing with your hand or a wooden spoon.

1.2 Add the salt.

1.3 Then slowly add the rest of the flour while mixing, until the dough comes together and has no more dry spots. You should now have a shaggy dough that’s pretty wet and sticky.

1.4 Let the dough rest in a bowl covered with a damp towel or plastic wrap for around 30 minutes.

2. Stretch and fold to develop strength and gluten

Instead of kneading the dough by hand or using a stand mixer, we’ll use the Stretch and fold method. The benefit of this method (in addition to less hard work!) is that it results in a less tight gluten structure. And this will create a more extensible dough and a more open crust.

To perform the stretch and folds, with wet hands, grab one side of the dough. Pull it until it almost tears. Then, fold it over the center of the dough. Turn the dough 90 degrees and repeat the same fold once more. Perform this 4 times, until you’ve stretched and folded all sides of the dough. Cover the dough with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes. Repeat 3 times. Each time the gluten will grow stronger allowing you to stretch the dough more.

2.1 Stretch and fold the dough the first time. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.

2.2 Stretch and fold the dough the second time. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.

2.3 Stretch and fold the dough the third time.

3. Place the dough in an air-tight container

3.1 Shape the dough into a smooth, round ball, and place it in an oiled, air-tight container, or a bowl covered in plastic wrap.

If you doubled the recipe to make 2 pizzas (or more), divide the dough and make one dough ball for each pizza. Then place the dough balls in separate containers. When the dough is done rising, the dough will be very soft and sticky, and much harder to divide.

4. Let the dough rest in the fridge for 18-24 hours

4.1 Let the dough sit and ferment in the fridge for 18-24 hours to develop its flavors and texture.

Cold fermentation is a way to slow down the yeast to allow a longer fermentation time and more flavor to develop in the dough. It also makes timing easier, since you can make the dough in advance.

Tip: If you want pizza the same day, let the dough rise at room temperature for 6 hours instead. This will also make great pizza, but not quite as flavorful.

5. Let the dough come to room temperature for 2 hours

5.1 Take the dough out from the fridge around 2 hours before pizza time and let it come to room temperature.

The dough should be nice and bubbly but will develop even more bubbles during these 2 hours.

Stretching and shaping Pizza al Taglio

When your dough is ready, lightly flour your countertop. Then, carefully move the dough from the rising container. You want to be careful to preserve all the nice bubbles and air pockets inside the dough produced during the fermentation process. Using a dough scraper makes it easier.

On the countertop, sprinkle flour over the pizza dough. This will prevent the dough from sticking to your fingers. Then, lightly press the dough to flatten it evenly, using the tip of your fingers. But unlike Neapolitan-style pizza, start from the edge and work your way into the middle. You want the pizza to have an event thickness, not just a tall and puffy rim.

The dough should be easy to stretch. But don’t work it too much, as this will both pop all the bubbles and tighten the gluten. If you find it hard to stretch and shape the dough, leave it to rest for 10 minutes to make it more relaxed.

When the dough is ready, lightly oil your baking sheet or sheet pan, then transfer the stretched dough onto the oiled baking sheet for the final shaping. if you want to finish the pizza on a pizza steel or baking stone, lightly flour your pan instead.

Baking Pizza al Taglio

Add sauce, cheese, and toppings, and bake your Pizza al Taglio in a baking pan for 20 minutes at 500°F (260°C).

Make the pizza crispier using a pizza steel

If you want the perfect Pizza al Taglio, I recommend baking the pizza in two steps: First, only add sauce to your pizza and bake it in the pan for 10 minutes at 500°F (260°C), then take it out and add the remaining toppings before finishing the pizza on a pre-heated pizza steel or pizza stone for another 10 minutes at 500°F (260°C).

Baking your pizza on a pizza steel or pizza stone will give it a perfectly crispy crust, just like in the pizza shops in Rome. And by adding the toppings mid-bake they will not overbake or burn in the hot oven.

Sauce for Pizza al Taglio

The most common sauce for Pizza al Taglio is a classic red sauce made from high-quality peeled tomatoes. Simply spread it evenly throughout the pizza, all the way to the edge.

Cheese for Pizza al Taglio

Al Taglio is found both with and without cheese. The classic cheese choice is fresh mozzarella, but hard cheeses such as Parmigiano-Reggiano and Pecorino (goat cheese) are also great for giving your pizza a flavor punch. You can also use creamy cheeses like ricotta for a milder flavor.

Toppings for Pizza al Taglio

One of the things I love about Pizza al Taglio is experimenting with various topping combinations. Unlike many other types of Italian pizza, you often find a lot more toppings. Often colorful and topped with fresh, flavorful ingredients. And combinations you’ll never find on a Neapolitan pizza.

Pizza al Taglio is also often topped with fresh ingredients after baking.

You can’t go wrong with classic pizza topping combinations such as Margherita, or a simple Marinara, but I would encourage you to play around with different flavors! Also, check out our guide to the most popular Italian pizza toppings for more inspiration.

Here are a few other topping ideas:

• Fresh basil: Brings a burst of freshness, perfect for topping off either red or white pizzas right out of the oven.
• Sliced mushrooms: Provide an earthy depth, great for adding texture and flavor to both red and white bases.
• Prosciutto: Thinly sliced, it lends a savory, rich flavor that pairs especially well with creamy toppings like goat cheese.
• Artichokes: Marinated and quartered, they add a tangy bite that enhances other flavors.
• Black olives: Bring a touch of bitterness and richness, great for adding contrast to the sweetness of tomato sauce.
• Spinach: Adds a fresh and slightly earthy flavor, excellent with white sauce for a lighter touch.
• Roasted red peppers: Offer a sweet and slightly smoky flavor that complements both types of pizza.
• Sausage: Crumbled or sliced, it adds a spicy or herby note depending on the variety used, suitable for both red and white pizzas.
• Anchovies: Deliver a salty kick, ideal for those who enjoy a bit of umami flavor on their red sauce pizzas.

Experiment and have some fun creating your favorite pizza!

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