Ridgewood’s From Scratch Expands With Dedicated Roman Pinsa Takeout Spot
A popular Ridgewood Italian restaurant is expanding with a Roman-style pizza concept.
Next month, popular local restaurant From Scratch will establish a sibling location serving Roman pinsa and stuffed focaccia. Pizza by From Scratch, a takeaway and delivery restaurant, will serve lighter, more unique pizza.
The new restaurant is being built at 192 E. Ridgewood Ave., a short walk from From Scratch at 44 Ridgewood Ave. The business hopes to satisfy its present customers and recruit Roman-style pizza fans by keeping the expansion close.
Chef Claudia Rovegno, owner of both restaurants, believes Roman pinsa’s ingredients and preparation method distinguish it from regular pizza. The soy, rice, and wheat flour dough rises for 48–72 hours. This long fermentation process makes the food lighter and easier to digest. Oval pinsas appear different from spherical pies most Americans are used to.
To maintain authenticity, several toppings will be imported from Italy. Traditional ingredients include prosciutto, mortadella, salami, and mozzarella. The restaurant uses Italian ingredients to replicate Roman cuisine.
Rovegno invented Roman pinsa during the COVID-19 epidemic, when indoor eating regulations caused many restaurants to reassess their business models. Pinsa helped From Scratch serve consumers despite limited seating. However, handling a full-service Italian cuisine and heavy pizza demand in the 28-seat restaurant became problematic after regular dining resumed. Thus, the pinsa was briefly withdrawn off the menu.
According to Rovegno, customers have repeatedly requested its return. The high demand for this pizza led to the opening of a dedicated outlet. A standalone takeout and delivery idea lets the business focus on efficiency while maintaining its great reputation.
In 2013, Rovegno emigrated from Italy to America. She started From Scratch, an online Italian supper ordering service, shortly after arrival. The venture opened a Ridgewood restaurant within a year. Over the past decade, the restaurant has been noted for its traditional Italian cuisine and hands-on cooking workshops.
Today, From Scratch promotes its slower-paced Italian cuisine. Rovegno’s Pizza by From Scratch launch appears to be building on that idea while adjusting to client demand for convenient, high-quality takeout.
Ridgewood supports local businesses and specialty dining, so a Roman pinsa-focused establishment might boost the town’s food scene. The imminent debut shows customers that their pleas for the lighter, oval-shaped pizza were noticed.
The new facility should open next month.
Sources
NJ.com
From Scratch (Ridgewood, NJ)
