Spacciagrani - Forno indipendente

" As I stepped inside, the enticing aroma of freshly-baked bread, pizza, and their tavola calda greeted me: meatballs simmered in tomato sauce, curly pasta baked al forno, and a hearty lentil stew. I settled in with a slice of pizza and focaccia, savoring each alternating bite. The rich flavor of the mozzarella di Bufala, the freshness of the tomatoes, the bite of arugula, and, above all, the unparalleled crispiness of the pizza caught my attention—crispier than many of the pizza al taglio options I've encountered living in Rome. The focaccia was equally as crisp, with a fluffy, light dough dotted with tomatoes, olives, oregano and sprinkles of sea salt. Before leaving, I couldn’t resist ordering a few slices of their pane con farina di riso venere. Black or "Venere" rice is a distinctive Italian variety of brown rice known for its characteristic black color. The name "Venus" is derived from the Roman goddess of love, beauty, and fertility, as it was once believed that this rice variety possessed powerful aphrodisiac qualities. This soft bread was enclosed with a crunchy crust and studded with fresh noci, locally-harvested hazelnuts. Needless to say, I was seduced. The exceptional quality of Spacciagrani's diverse product range, including baguettes, Roman-style pizza, supplì, and maritozzi, becomes clear when you hear the story of the owner, Francesco Colella. Francesco honed his skills working as a pizza maker in Nice, France, and later in Germany and England. Upon his return to Italy, he underwent training under the guidance of two masters: Davide Longoni in Milan and Gabriele Bonci in Rome, before finally returning to his roots in Puglia. "