- The revered Smithsonian Institution is giving the nod to pinsa as an up-and-coming style with an event to be held May 22 at Via Roma in Camp Springs, Maryland.
- Via Roma partners Biagio Cepollaro and Tonino Topolino will host the event and offer up a three-course pinsa meal.
Related: Biagio Cepollaro shares the secrets to making great pinsa
The Smithsonian Institution houses a staggering collection of historical documents and cultural artifacts, including treasures such as Abraham Lincoln’s stove pipe hat, the ruby slippers from “Wizard of Oz” and Hawkeye’s maroon bathrobe from “M*A*S*H.” Could a pinsa exhibit be next on the list?
Maybe not, but Smithsonian Associates are celebrating the Roman-style pie in a live lecture titled “Pinsa: The Next Big Thing in Pizza,” at 12 noon on Sunday, May 22.
The event will take place at Via Roma, Maryland’s first “pinseria,” located in Camp Springs.
Pinsa is a Roman-style pizza made with dough that blends rice, soy and wheat. It proofs for 72 hours and contains 90 percent water, making it lighter than traditional pizza and highly digestible. Pinsa comes from the Latin word “pinsere,” meaning “push the dough by hands.” While the variety hasn’t achieved the fame of New York-style or Detroit-style pizza, it’s starting to catch on with fans around the country.
Via Roma partner and operator Biagio Cepollaro and chef partner Tonino Topolino both hail from Naples, and their passion for pinsa has culminated in a restaurant that reflects the ambiance, colors and vibrancy of their hometown’s beautiful thoroughfare, Via Roma. In addition to pinsa, Via Roma’s menu features homemade pasta and other Italian staples like arancini, meatballs and tiramisu.
For the presentation, Cepollaro and Topolino will offer a three-course lunch featuring what the Smithsonian calls “the next big thing in pizza.” Between courses, participants will hear about the origins of pinsa and why the partners brought it to the area, as well as how each dish is prepared and how it can be replicated at home.
Tickets are $75 for Smithsonian members and $85 for non-members.
