Francesco Arena confirm the two wheels in the Gambero Rosso Pizzerias of Italy Guide 2025, which was presented last September 25th at the Mostra d’Oltremare in Naples. The score in the guide is growing, awarding the bakery with a score of 86/100 and recording an ever-increasing appreciation for the bakery products of theAmbassador of Messina Tastewith one special mention for the traditional focaccia made to perfection.
Gambero Rosso’s Pizzerie d’Italia is the only sector publication to have votes: the scoring system in hundredths which awards with wheels (1, 2 or 3, depending on the level of excellence) the best pizzerias by the slice/by takeaway, awarding Three Wheels to those who obtain a numerical score of 90 and above.
Francesco Arena, a passionate expert in baking with ancient Sicilian grains with which he also prepares an excellent focaccia, gets closer every year to the top of the ranking, while in the Bread and Bakers Guide has already obtained the highest recognition of the 3 Breads, the only master baker for Messina.
In his bakery Francesco Arena feels free to create and offers every day many baked products, focaccias, flat breads, pizzas on the shovel and in the pan with fresh, seasonal ingredients.
FRANCESCO ARENA’S SATISFACTION
“I want to thank Gambero Rosso once again. We are happy with this recognition – commented Francesco Arena – which encourages us to work harder and better. We improved the score compared to last year and this is thanks to teamwork and I want to thank all the boys and girls who work with me for this.”
THE GAMBERO ROSSO REVIEW
“Son of art, in love with native grains and the study of leavening, Francesco Arena opened this elegant bakery and pizzeria with a slightly retro flavor a couple of years ago in a very central street. Here it produces many excellent products every day, including a Messina focaccia made to perfection. High and soft, cooked in an electric oven, it is obtained from a dough composed of a blend of flours, seasoned with great raw materials. The classic one is unmissable, with escarole, cheese, cherry tomatoes and anchovies, but the variations are also excellent, such as those with seasonal vegetables, with sausage and potatoes or the inevitable Norma, with fried aubergines and baked ricotta. Schiacciata is also very good, a thinner and more closed disc of dough, richly stuffed for example with ham, cheese and mushrooms or with sautéed vegetables, raisins and pine nuts. The service is prepared and available.”
THE RECIPE OF FRANCESCO ARENA’S AWARD-WINNING FOCACCIA
On the history of Messina focaccia Francesco Arena says: “It is a not very ancient preparation, it was the housewives, after the Second World War, who put together ingredients that were easily available at low cost (such as tomatoes, escarole, anchovies and tuma), to season the bread advanced. In the 1950s, bakers began offering focaccia with the same ingredients.” Focaccia is a must of Messina street food that originates from poor cuisine and still represents today one of the most loved foods that has a strong link with parties, anniversaries and moments of conviviality. There is no football or national team match that is not accompanied by these specialties in Messina.
THE RECIPE FOR TRADITIONAL FOCACCIA TO MAKE AT HOME
- 1 kg 0 flour
- 600g of water
- 10 g brewer’s yeast
- 30 g of lard
- 20 g of Trapani sea salt
- 5 g of sugar
For the seasoning:
- 1 head of curly escarole
- Salted anchovies
- Pachino cherry tomatoes
- Tuma
- Salt and pepper
- Evo oil
Preparation:
Mix the flour with the yeast, sugar and water. Add the lard and salt and continue kneading until you obtain a soft and smooth dough which you will leave to rise until it doubles in volume. Dust the surface with a little flour and roll out the dough on an oiled baking tray, spreading it with finger movements. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce: wash the escarole and cherry tomatoes well and cut them. Also chop the tuma and the desalted anchovies. Distribute the anchovies evenly, pressing on the pasta and cover with plenty of tuma, then make a generous layer of curly escarole and finally add the cherry tomatoes. Salt the surface and season with extra virgin olive oil. Cook the focaccia in a preheated oven at 200° until golden. Remove the focaccia from the oven, add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper.
THE RECIPE FOR PIZZA IN PALA BY FRANCESCO ARENA
FOR THE CHARIOT:
1 kg Flour 0
450 g Water
10 g fresh brewer’s yeast
Mix the ingredients in a tub and leave everything for 16 hours at 18 ºC
FOR THE DOUGH
After 16 hours add:
1 kg Flour (You can also use different types of flour)
950 g water
80 g extra virgin olive oil
50 g salt
20 g malt
Knead the ingredients in the following mode. Biga, flour and part of the water, malt, salt, remaining water and finally add the oil. Once we have obtained a smooth and homogeneous dough, we place it in a tub previously greased with oil and let the dough rest for about 60 minutes. We break into the desired weight (e.g. for a 60 cm long pizza on a shovel you need to use 600 g of dough), we shape and let it rise either at room temperature for a short time or in the fridge for a little longer. We roll it out using the tips of our fingers and put it in the oven at a temperature of 240/260 ºC. As soon as it is ready we can taste it with a little extra virgin olive oil and salt or if we want to excite our taste buds to the maximum we can fill it with buffalo stracciatella, raw ham and slightly caramelized figs, or, with buffalo stracciatella, mortadella and a pesto of pistachio. The fillings always depend on your taste and pleasure.