The landscape of Italian urban gastronomy was truly revolutionized by the insight of Stefano Callegari, who in 2008 created the Trapizzino: a triangle of white pizza, crisp outside and soft inside, conceived to make the great classics of Roman cuisine “to-go”, turning the ritual of wiping the plate into an icon of street food worldwide.
The soul of the Trapizzino lies in its high-hydration pizza pocket, originally made with natural sourdough and long fermentations.
Its triangular shape is designed to hold generous fillings, typical of the Roman “fifth quarter” tradition.
In this gluten-free version, I propose a cult pairing: beef tongue in salsa verde.
While the Piedmontese tradition of the Bagnet Vert requires hard-boiled yolk, the Roman salsa verde is more direct and essential: a savory mince of parsley, anchovies and capers, egg-free, able to balance, with its acidity, the velvety fattiness of boiled meat.
I chose this recipe for the #mangiandosanremo 2026 menu to accompany Fulminacci and his song “Stupida sfortuna”.
The Tongue Trapizzino is the culinary translation of his music: a dish eaten at night, in the alleys, just like the atmospheres told in his lyrics, where melancholy is always broken by a spark of spirit—exactly as the salsa verde cuts through the sweetness of the meat.
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Rest time: 7 Hours
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 6 pieces
- Cooking methods: Oven, Electric oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 4 cups gluten-free flour mix
- 2 tsp xanthan gum
- 5.3 oz fresh gluten-free sourdough starter (lievito madre)
- 1 1/4 cups warm water
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2.2 lb whole beef tongue
- 1 unit carrot
- 1 stalk celery stalk
- 1 unit onion
- 4 whole whole cloves (clove spice)
- to taste salt and whole peppercorns
- 2 cups parsley (about 60 g) (chopped)
- 1 clove garlic
- 5 fillets anchovy fillets
- 1 tbsp capers, rinsed
- 3 tbsp gluten-free bread crumbs (about 20 g)
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (120 ml)
Tools
- 1 Baking tray 45×30
Steps
Dough: Dissolve the sourdough starter in the warm water. Add the flour mix and the xanthan gum. Knead for 5 minutes, then add the salt and oil. Work until the dough is smooth.
First Rise: Place the dough in an oiled container in a warm place (
for example, in the turned-off oven with the light on). Let rise for 4 hours.
Shaping: Flatten the dough onto a well-oiled baking tray. Ideally divide it into 6 squares about 6 in (15 cm) each using an oiled dough scraper. Brush with a water-and-oil emulsion (essential to create the internal pocket).
Second Rise: Cover with plastic wrap and let rise on the tray for another 3 hours. The dough should visibly double.
Shock Baking: Preheat the oven to 482°F. Bake on the lowest rack for 10–12 minutes (to make the bread puff into a “bubble”), then move to the center and bake another 8–10 minutes until golden.
For the tongue:
Boiling: Cook the tongue in an aromatic broth for about 2½ hours. Peel it while still hot, then let it cool in its strained broth.
For the salsa verde:
Soak: Moisten the bread crumbs in the white wine vinegar, let them rest and then squeeze them well.
Knife Mince (by hand): For a true Roman trattoria result, finely mince the parsley by knife together with the capers, anchovies and garlic. Avoid the food processor if possible, so you don’t warm the herbs or oxidize the color.
Combine: In a small bowl, mix the minced herbs with the squeezed crumbs. Slowly add the oil in a thin stream while mixing with a fork until you obtain a coarse but fluid sauce.
Rest: Let it rest for at least one hour before filling the Trapizzino.
Filling: Cut the cold tongue into cubes about 5/8 in (1.5 cm), toss them briefly in a pan with a splash of broth and place them inside the crisp pizza pocket. Top with plenty of salsa verde.
FAQ (Questions & Answers)
Here are the main differences between the Roman Salsa Verde (the Trapizzino version) and the Piedmontese Bagnet Vert:
1. Roman Salsa Verde
It is a more essential, savory and punchy sauce, perfect for “cutting” the fattiness of veal tongue in the heat of the Roman street.
Key ingredients: Parsley, garlic, anchovies in oil and capers (often in generous amounts).
Bread crumb: Less bread is used than in the Piedmontese version; the sauce should remain more fluid and oily.
The touch: It often doesn’t include egg, relying instead on the acidic strength of the vinegar and capers. It is a sauce with “character”, that asks no permission—much like the indie style.
2. Piedmontese Bagnet Vert
It is a more complex, creamy and balanced sauce, born to accompany the great mixed boiled meats of tradition.
The egg yolk: It is the distinctive ingredient. Only the cooked yolk is sieved and used, which gives a velvety texture and a matte, bright green color.
Bread crumb: More is used, soaked in red wine vinegar (not white), making the sauce almost spreadable.
Vegetables: Some historic versions include a piece of chili or sweet red pepper to add depth.
