Sami El Sabawy is an Egyptian-Italian pizza maker, known for being part of the movement that revived the traditional thin, crispy Roman pizza, founding his restaurant A Rota in the Tor Pignattara neighborhood of the Italian capital.
Sami El Sabawy was born in Rome to an Egyptian father, Ramadan El Sabawy, who opened El Sabawy in the suburbs of the capital in the 1980s. From a young age, Sami immersed himself in the family environment, learning the basics of the white art and developing a strong passion.
In 2015, he took the helm of Gabriele Bonci's Pizzarium, one of Rome's most famous pizzerias by the slice. This opportunity allowed him to deepen his understanding of leavening techniques and the use of high quality raw materials, expanding his skills in the industry.
After gaining solid experience, he decided to dedicate himself to the so-called fina e cruchy, rolled out with a rolling pin. In January 2020, together with Marco Pucciotti, he opened A Rota in the multi-ethnic district of Tor Pignattara. The name recalls a typical Roman expression referring to a gluttonous appetite and underlines the intention to create an irresistible product.
His philosophy is based on respect for tradition combined with modern techniques. He uses a blend of 00 and whole wheat flours from Molino Mariani, favors a long dough maturation through an 18-hour pre-rising (poolish) at controlled temperatures, and rolls out the dough with a rolling pin to achieve the characteristic thinness and crispness. This attention to detail guarantees a pizza that is light, digestible and rich in flavor.
Despite opening just before the COVID-19 pandemic, the restaurant quickly gained a loyal clientele and became a landmark, both for its welcoming environment and the consistent quality of its offerings, which range from classics like Margherita and Marinara to more innovative creations.
