The award-winning Neapolitan pizzaiola, known for her leavened disc baked at Contrada di Aversa, has landed in Rome amid signature pizzas and homages to Capitoline tradition.
“Don't call it either Roman or Neapolitanpizza,” is the warning of Roberta Esposito, an award-winning pizzaiola with her family's restaurant-pizzeria, La Contrada in Aversa, who chose Rome as her first stop outside the borders of Campania to spread her gastronomic credo. “I was looking for a different product, one that was totally personal," the pizzaiola explains, ” so I cannot and do not want to frame it in the stereotypes of Roman or Neapolitan. Marita is thus Roberta Esposito's new project, born from the ashes of a restaurant in the Ponte Milvio nightlife area: a modern-designed space that accommodates 90 guests inside and 30 in the verdant outdoor area.
Opened in October 2024, the new sign can already be considered one of the best pizzerias in the Capital. It is a place where Neapolitan tradition meets the flavors of the Lazio region, also thanks to the collaboration with Jacopo Manganello, a young Roman chef who, together with Roberta, is in charge of both the fried line and the pizza topping. “As a good Campanian, the eye will always be on tradition, on the origins of things, dedicating to this concept the very name of the pizzeria. Marita was born, in fact, somewhat as a reminder, to always remind us that everything comes from the Marinara and the Margherita. As a female pizza maker, I strongly wanted the name to end in a” says Roberta Esposito.
Its leavened disc remains faithful to type 1 flour-with a 260g loaf, slightly smaller than the canonical Neapolitan of 270-280g-a choice that allows the dough to express itself in all its crispness. The beverage selection is also interesting, consisting of a still-evolving cellar - and a decent selection of bubbly and Champagne - and cocktails designed to accompany the pizzaiola's gourmet pizzas.
The pizzas
The Rome-Naples suggestion manifests itself at the first appetizer with the Frittatina cacio e pepe embellished with raw red shrimp and a coral powder from the same crustacean. The breading with panko gives the right crunchiness that well envelops the typical Roman sauce. On the other hand, it is decidedly “made in Campania” the Crocchetta di genovese served with a delicious raisin mayonnaise that mutes the flavor of the onion. Let's go back to Roman tradition with the Maritozzo flavored with chicory and lemon in which the texture of the yeast is excellent.
After a convincing trio of fried pizzas, we taste one of Esposito's signature pizzas: the Marinara Evolutiva, an upgrade of a great classic made with San Marzano Bio tomatoes, datterini confit, caper leaves, anchovy perlage, black olive earth and wild garlic. Despite the many ingredients, the leavened pizza remains light and elegant, invigorated by the savory note of the caper that emerges at the end of the tasting. Another pizza dear to the Neapolitan pizzaiola is the Summer Light with sautéed escarole, raisins, baccalà mantecato, smoked provola, potato rosti, candied lemon, caper flower and chickpea hummus. “ In my avvisa it tells a lot about our gastronomic culture,” says Roberta Esposito, who also confirms herself as a skilled chef with this combination of ingredients.
The savory course closes with the Formaggi, frutta e bollicine, a reinterpretation of the canonical four-cheese with Dop mozzarella, fresh Gioiella caciotta, provolone di grotta, blue buffalo, Parmigiano fondue, berries, and prosecco gel. An intriguing and balanced combination of flavors, supported by the acidity of the fruit and the bubbly gel.
The dessert is a tribute to Italian gastronomic culture, Bread butter and marmalade. Specifically, panettone is lightly toasted in a pan and accompanied by butter ice cream and mandarin marmalade. A dessert that we hope Roberta never removes from her menu.
Contact
Marita Pizzeria
Via Flaminia, 515, 00191 Rome
T. 376 270 3526
