The preparation of Easter pizza (or torta, in some parts of Umbria) is worth learning about.
Saragano is a castle with its own village, part of the Todi castle chain. Here, the ancient use of the communal oven for baking Easter pizza according to tradition has been revived. The Rocchi family invited me to watch them prepare the pizza, bake it in the oven, and enjoy a final tasting. A long-standing wish of mine had been granted.
The preparation is long and laborious and requires the participation of several people. Lorenzo Rocchi guided me through the various stages.
It begins with the oven, which is lit the night before. Stone ovens require a great deal of attention, unlike home ovens, which are electric and require just the turn of a knob. These are made of refractory stones that can withstand 400°F (180°C) of heat, and it takes a whole night to heat them. The oven is heated with olive and grape prunings, both for their aroma and because they bring good luck and heat well without making too much of a mess. When the embers are ready, the oven door is closed and left lit overnight.
The oven is ready when the internal dome turns white. The next morning, the oven is at maximum heat, the dome is white, and it needs to be brought to cooking temperature, which should be around 180-200°C (350-400°F), but it needs to be thoroughly cleaned first.
With stone ovens, nothing is obvious. In fact, cleaning is done according to ancient and well-established rules. First, the embers are pushed down the sides, then the residue is carefully removed with a broom made of sorghum, broom, or artichoke leaves. The oven is now spotless and awaits the pizzas.
Meanwhile, in the kitchen, they’ve kneaded the dough. Each family has its own recipe. The work is laborious, working by hand to make at least 20 pizzas. The only fat used is oil, typical of Umbrian peasant culture. Previously, the heavy work was done by women, but now young, strong men like Lorenzo have been recruited. When Grandma Ida, with her experience, declares the dough ready, it is poured into the molds, and that’s not all; there’s one more step.
The molds are all stacked on the table, with pots of boiling water placed between them, and two blankets are spread over the molds and the water to keep them warm. This is the final rising stage. We wait until the dough reaches the edges of the molds, and only then can we take it to the oven. Even thirty years ago, many women carried a peel with the molds on their heads. They could only carry a small number at a time, and they moved carefully, because the road to the oven is downhill. Poor women, and poor necks. Now all the molds have been loaded into the car and driven down.
In front of the oven, the Rocchi family has set up a small table, and Mariacandida has gone to get capocollo and Montefalco wine, while Caterina arranges the things on the table. We’re all there, but the cooking time seems like an eternity. Finally, Lorenzo says what we’ve been waiting for: the pizza is ready!
It’s still piping hot, but we’re all curious, and we cut it anyway. With a hot slice of pizza in one hand and a glass of wine in the other, we toast to the excellent result. Thanks to all the Rocchis, I had a great time and enjoyed a delicious meal.
