The Word That Sounds Fancy But Isn’t
Cornicione is an Italian word. You pronounce it like “cor-nee-CHO-nay.” I know it sounds fancy, but it simply means the edge or rim of the pizza. That raised border that frames your pizza.
Here is something interesting. In Italian, cornicione actually refers to the decorative molding at the top of a building, like crown molding. So when we call the edge of a pizza the cornicione, we are basically saying it is the crown of the pizza. I like that image. It shows respect for this part that deserves attention.
Now, in America, people call everything the crust. The bottom, the edges, all of it. But in Italy, especially in Naples where pizza traditions run deep, we are more specific. The crust is the base of the pizza, the thin layer underneath all the toppings. The cornicione is that raised edge around it.
Why does this matter? Because they are completely different things that require different techniques to get right.
What Makes a Perfect Cornicione
A proper cornicione should be puffy and raised, crispy on the outside but soft and airy on the inside, full of those beautiful air bubbles, and maybe have a few charred spots from the high heat of the oven.
When you bite into a good cornicione, you should hear a little crunch on the outside, then your teeth sink into this light, chewy interior. It should taste like quality dough, fermented properly, with depth of flavor. Not just bland bread that you leave on your plate.
At MaMeMi, I see people eating our entire pizza, cornicione and all. That makes me proud. It means we did our job right.
The Neapolitan Standard
If you want to talk about cornicione seriously, you have to talk about Neapolitan pizza. This is where the concept really comes from. The Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, which is basically the authority on traditional Neapolitan pizza, has very specific rules. According to their standards, a true Neapolitan pizza must have a raised edge that is about one to two centimeters high. It should be soft, elastic, and easy to fold.
This cornicione is not just decoration. It is an essential part of what makes a pizza Neapolitan. Without that puffy edge, you do not have real Neapolitan pizza, period.
But What About Roman Pizza?
Now here is where I need to be honest with you. At MaMeMi, we do not make Neapolitan pizza. We make Roman style pizza. And our cornicione is completely different.
Roman pizza does not have that big puffy edge. Our pizza is thin and crispy all the way through, including the edges. We roll our dough thin, and the cornicione is there, but it is subtle. It is still raised slightly, but not in that dramatic Neapolitan way.
Some people might say Roman pizza does not have a true cornicione. I would argue we do, it is just a different style. The edge of our pizza is still special. It is still carefully crafted. It just reflects a different tradition, one that comes from Rome instead of Naples. Both are authentic Italian pizza. They are just different expressions of the same love for good dough and quality ingredients.
The Science Behind the Puff
You might wonder, how does that edge puff up like that? It is actually pretty fascinating.
It all starts with the dough. You need flour with the right protein content, usually around 10 to 12 percent. This creates strong gluten networks that can trap air bubbles. When you mix flour and water and knead it, you develop these gluten strands that give the dough structure and elasticity.
Then comes fermentation. This is where the magic happens. The yeast in the dough eats the sugars and produces carbon dioxide gas. This gas gets trapped in the gluten network, creating bubbles throughout the dough. A Neapolitan pizza dough typically ferments for 8 to 24 hours, sometimes even longer.
The longer the fermentation, the more complex the flavor becomes. The dough also becomes easier to digest because the fermentation breaks down some of the gluten proteins. This is why people often tell me they feel lighter after eating pizza at places that use proper fermentation compared to quick commercial pizza.
Now here is the crucial part. When you shape the pizza, you have to leave the edge alone. You press down in the center to flatten it for the toppings, but you never touch the outer rim. If you press on the edge, you burst those precious air bubbles, and your cornicione will be flat and dense. This is also why traditional Neapolitan pizza makers never use a rolling pin. It would destroy all those bubbles. Everything is done by hand, gently stretching the dough while protecting that edge.
The Baking Makes It Happen
Even with perfect dough and perfect shaping, you still need the right oven to create a great cornicione.
Neapolitan pizza goes into an incredibly hot wood fired oven, around 450 to 485 degrees Celsius. At that temperature, the pizza cooks in just 60 to 90 seconds. The intense heat causes the trapped gases in the dough to expand rapidly, making the cornicione puff up dramatically. The outside gets crispy and even a bit charred, while the inside stays soft and airy.
This is hard to replicate at home. Most home ovens only go up to about 260 degrees Celsius. But there are tricks. You can use a pizza stone or pizza steel, preheat it for at least an hour, and position it in the top part of your oven. This gets you closer to those professional results.
At MaMeMi, our oven is calibrated perfectly for Roman style pizza. We bake at lower temperatures than Neapolitan pizza, around 300 to 340 degrees, for about three to four minutes. This gives us that even crispness throughout the pizza, including a subtle but delicious edge.
Different Styles, Different Edges
The beautiful thing about pizza is that there are so many styles, and each one treats the edge differently.
Neapolitan pizza has that signature puffy cornicione. New York style pizza has a thinner, crispier edge that you often fold. Chicago deep dish has a thick, buttery crust all around. Roman style like ours is thin and crunchy throughout.
None of these is wrong. They are just different approaches to the same basic idea of flatbread with toppings. The cornicione reflects the tradition it comes from.
When you eat pizza, pay attention to the edge. Notice how it is made. Notice the texture, the flavor. It will tell you a lot about the pizza and the person who made it.
Come Taste the Difference
Whether you want a dramatic Neapolitan cornicione or the crispy Roman edge we make at MaMeMi, the most important thing is that it is made with care.
Come visit us in Vesterbro at Enghave Plads. Order any pizza on our menu. When you get to that last bite, the edge without any toppings, I hope you taste the quality of our dough, the time we gave it to ferment, the care we took shaping it.
That is what cornicione is really about. It is not just the edge of the pizza. It is a reflection of everything we put into making pizza the right way.
And if you are one of those people who always leaves the edge behind, I challenge you. Next time, take a bite. Really taste it. You might be surprised.
See you soon.
Francesco
Visit MaMeMi in Vesterbro, Copenhagen for authentic Roman style pizza made with a secret blend of five organic flours. We offer the best Italian pizza in Copenhagen with over 400 carefully selected wines. Book your table or order delivery today.
