Born in Rome to an Egyptian father, Ramadan El Sabawy, who opened a pizzeria in the outskirts of the city during the 1980s, Sami grew up immersed in the family business. From a young age, he absorbed the fundamentals of pizza making and developed a deep passion for the craft.

In 2015, Sami took over the management of Gabriele Bonci’s renowned Pizzarium, a famous spot in Rome known for its pizza by the slice. This experience allowed him to refine his skills, especially in mastering leavening processes and working with premium ingredients.

Building on this foundation, Sami chose to focus on the Roman-style pizza known as “fina e crunchy,” which is rolled out using a rolling pin to achieve its signature thinness and crisp texture. In January 2020, alongside Marco Pucciotti, he launched A Rota in Tor Pignattara. The name refers to a Roman phrase describing a hearty appetite, reflecting their goal of offering an irresistible pizza experience.

Sami’s approach blends respect for tradition with contemporary techniques. He uses a mix of 00 and whole wheat flours from Molino Mariani, employs an 18-hour pre-fermentation (poolish) at controlled temperatures to enhance the dough, and rolls it thin with a pin to produce a pizza that is light, flavorful, and easy to digest.

Though A Rota opened just before the COVID-19 pandemic, it quickly attracted a dedicated following. The pizzeria is known not only for its warm, welcoming atmosphere but also for its menu that includes both classic pizzas like Margherita and Marinara and inventive, modern variations.