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PhrasesAt the PizzeriaLa preferisco con il cornicione alto.
B1informal

La preferisco con il cornicione alto.

I prefer it with a thick crust.

Pronunciation

cor-ni-CIO-ne — four syllables, stress on third. 'Ci' is like 'ch'.

When to use it

When expressing a preference for the puffy, high-edged Neapolitan crust style versus the thin Roman style.

What it means

'Cornicione' is the raised border/crust of a pizza. 'Alto' means high/thick. Neapolitan pizza has a famous high, airy cornicione. Roman pizza ('pizza scrocchiarella') has a thinner, crispier crust. This vocabulary shows knowledge of pizza culture.

Variations

La preferisco sottile e croccante.

I prefer it thin and crispy.

Roman-style preference — opposite of the Neapolitan cornicione

Com'è il cornicione da voi?

What is the crust like here?

Ask to understand the pizzeria's style before ordering

Fate la pizza in teglia?

Do you make pizza in a pan?

'In teglia' = pan pizza — square, thick, sold by the slice in Roman street food

Mini Dialogue

— La preferisco con il cornicione alto. — Siamo napoletani — da noi è garantito! Il cornicione è sempre ben gonfio. — Perfetto. E quanto ci vuole? — Circa otto minuti nel nostro forno.

— I prefer it with a thick crust. — We are Neapolitan — guaranteed here! The crust is always nicely puffed up. — Perfect. And how long does it take? — About eight minutes in our oven.

Cultural Note

The rivalry between Neapolitan pizza (soft, high-edged, foldable) and Roman pizza (thin, crispy, flat) is one of Italy's most passionate food debates. Neapolitans insist their version is the 'original' and only authentic form. Romans consider their thin version more refined. Both are correct in their own regional context.