By Brian Hart Hoffman Pizza for breakfast? Yes, it’s a thing.When I visited Roma (Rome) to produce this issue, I was amazed by the number of people lined up for a slice of pizza to start their day.Pizza was only part of the reason I wanted to go on the ultimate Roman breakfast quest.

When the Rome episode of Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy aired, I learned about maritozzo and knew I had to discover it for myself.I turned to author Katie Parla as a trusted source of food in Rome and asked her to show me around her home city.Those of you who know me know I don’t get up early for much, but the bakeries we visited made the early alarm worth it.

First up was a trip to Panifi cio Bonci in the Prati neighborhood for its famed pizza bianca.Gabriele Bonci, owner and master baker, is one of Italy’s most important baking figures, and he’s essentially re-engineered Roman pizza, from the grain up.At first sight, you might think this flatbread is focaccia, but it’s not.

I learned that pizza bianca isn’t enriched and doesn’t have a second rise.You can enjoy it on its own as an incredible piece of bread or have it split and stuffed with mortadella before getting a generous douse of olive oil.Bonci has plenty of other sweet and savory items that will tempt you, including its supplì, the Roman version of arancini, a cheesy fried rice ball, and, of cou

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