Dr. Oetker Stories
Not pizza, but Pinsa!
Everyone knows pizza. But pinsa? The food trend from Italy is becoming increasingly popular. We clarify the difference to pizza, its origins and give an insight into the Pinsa range from Dr. Oetker.
7.6.2023 • Products and Services
Whether in catering or in the freezer - Pinsa is becoming increasingly popular and can be discovered more and more often! Dr. Oetker has been offering the delicious pizza alternative since 2021, making it the first brand provider in Germany. But what distinguishes Pinsa from pizza? And where does it actually come from?
Not as ancient as some claim!
It's not the home country that distinguishes pinsa from pizza, because both dishes have their origin in Italy. A pizza maker from near Rome first used the name pinsa in 2001 for a baked dough whose recipe had been created several years earlier. The story that the pinsa already existed in ancient Rome, however, is nothing more than a 'storiella' - Italian for little story.
The name of the pinsa goes back to the Latin verb pinsere, which means to crush and describes the production of flour. This is because flour is quite essential to the recipe of a pinsa. At the same time, the similarity of the name to pizza was explicitly desired.
What distinguishes the pizza from the pinsa?
One difference is obvious: the shape! The pizza? Round, of course! The Pinsa? More elongated-oval. Also different: the use of flour in the dough recipe. In most cases, wheat flour is used for pizza, whereas different types of flour are combined for a pinsa. At Dr. Oetker we use wheat, rice and spelt flour for our La Mia Pinsa. In combination with sourdough, the dough thus acquires its very own character and is particularly airy on the inside and wonderfully crispy on the outside.
The Pinsa range from Dr. Oetker
Vegan, vegetarian or with meat - there is a Pinsa for everyone.
Excellent vegan!
La Mia Pinsa Spinach from Dr. Oetker can call itself the "Best Vegan Pinsa". This is because the product won the Vegan Food Award 2023 in this category from the animal rights organization PETA Germany, which had already chosen our Ristorante Pizza Margherita Pomodori as "Best Vegan Pizza" the previous year. Harald Ullmann, co-founder and second chairman of PETA Germany, explains the decision for the award as follows: "With La Mia Pinsa Spinach, Dr. Oetker shows that vegan and animal-friendly taste sensations are possible at any time. A purely plant-based diet is enjoyable, creative and sustainable - for people, animals and the environment. We hope that many more companies and brands will follow this forward-looking example and also make their offerings vegan."
For more information please contact:
Matthias Hanigk
Media Spokesperson Frozen Pizza & Snacks / Dr. Oetker Professional