Altoona-style pizza

Last updated • 1 min readFrom Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

Altoona-style pizza
2023 Altoona Pizza from Dino's.jpg
A slice of Altoona-style pizza
Type Pizza
Place of origin United States
Region or state Altoona, Pennsylvania
Main ingredients Sicilian-style pizza dough, tomato sauce, sliced green bell pepper, salami, american cheese

Altoona-style pizza is a distinct type of pizza created in the city of Altoona, Pennsylvania, by the Altoona Hotel. The definitive characteristics of Altoona-style pizza are a Sicilian-style pizza dough, tomato sauce, sliced green bell pepper, salami, topped with American cheese and pizzas cut into squares instead of wedges. [1] [2] [3] [4]

Contents

Characteristics and preparation

Crust

The crust is made of a Sicilian-style pizza dough, giving the pie a thick and soft crust. Instead of the larger pie-like wedges typical of many pizza styles, Altoona Hotel pizza is typically cut into squares. [1] [3] [5] [4]

Cheese

While originally topped with Velveeta, Altoona-style pizza is popularly topped with yellow processed cheese known as American cheese. The yellow squares of American cheese are a staple of this dish, used instead of the mozzarella or provolone common to other styles of pizza. [1] [3] [5] [4]

Toppings

The traditional toppings included on a slice of Altoona-style pizza are a sliced green bell pepper and cooked deli style salami with peppercorns, notable for being underneath the pizza's cheese topping. [1] [3] [5]

History

Altoona-style pizza originated at the Altoona Hotel, which was noted as serving "a unique pizza" in 1996 by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . [6] Following the destruction of the hotel in 2013 by fire, other local restaurants began serving Altoona-style pizza. [1]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pizza</span> Italian dish with a flat dough-based base and toppings

Pizza is an Italian dish typically consisting of a flat base of leavened wheat-based dough topped with tomato, cheese, and other ingredients, baked at a high temperature, traditionally in a wood-fired oven.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chicago-style pizza</span> Styles of pizza developed in Chicago, including deep-dish pizza

Chicago-style pizza is pizza prepared according to several styles developed in Chicago. It can refer to both the well-known deep-dish or stuffed pizzas and the lesser-known thin-crust "tavern-style" pizzas. The pan in which deep-dish pizza is baked gives the pizza its characteristically high edge, which provides ample space for large amounts of cheese and a chunky tomato sauce. Chicago-style deep-dish pizza may be prepared either this way or stuffed. Chicago-style thin-crust pizza dough is rolled for a thinner, crispier crust than other thin-crust styles, and the pizza is cut in squares instead of slices.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Louis–style pizza</span> Regional pizza style

St. Louis–style pizza is a type of pizza in St. Louis, Missouri, and surrounding areas. The pizza has a thin cracker-like crust made without yeast, topped with sweet tomato sauce and Provel cheese, and is cut into squares or rectangles rather than wedges.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Italian tomato pie</span> Pizza-like baked good of Italian-American origin

Italian tomato pie is an Italian-American and Italian-Canadian baked good consisting of a thick, porous, focaccia-like dough covered with tomato sauce. It may be sprinkled with Romano cheese or oregano. It is not usually served straight from the oven, but allowed to cool and then consumed at room temperature or reheated. Like Sicilian pizza, tomato pie is baked in a large rectangular pan and usually served in square slices, although in Rhode Island it is cut into rectangular strips like pizza al taglio. Tomato pie descends from and resembles the Italian sfincione, although it is not the same dish. For instance, sfincione may have toppings, is usually served hot, and has a crust more like brioche than focaccia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New York–style pizza</span> Large hand-tossed thin crust pizza

New York–style pizza is a pizza made with a characteristically large hand-tossed thin crust, often sold in wide slices to go. The crust is thick and crisp only along its edge, yet soft, thin, and pliable enough beneath its toppings to be folded to eat. Traditional toppings are simply tomato sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese. This was a popular meal among poor Italian Americans due to the ratio of product from the limited produce.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California-style pizza</span> Style of single-serving pizza

California-style pizza is a style of pizza that combines New York and Italian thin crust with toppings from the California cuisine cooking style. Its invention is generally attributed to chef Ed LaDou, and Chez Panisse, in Berkeley, California. Wolfgang Puck, after meeting LaDou, popularized the style of pizza in the rest of the country. It is served in many California cuisine restaurants. California Pizza Kitchen, Round Table Pizza, Extreme Pizza, and Sammy's Woodfired Pizza are four major pizza franchises associated with California-style pizza.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sicilian pizza</span> Style of thick-crusted pizza originating in Sicily, Italy

Sicilian pizza is a pizza prepared in a manner that originated in Sicily, Italy. Sicilian pizza is also known as sfincione or focaccia with toppings. This type of pizza became a popular dish in western Sicily by the mid-19th century and was the type of pizza usually consumed in Sicily until the 1860s. It eventually reached North America in a slightly altered form, with thicker crust and a rectangular shape.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White pizza</span> Pizza without tomato sauce

White pizza or white pie is a style of pizza that does not use tomato sauce. The pizza generally consists of pizza dough, olive oil, garlic, cheese, salt and, sometimes, toppings including vegetables such as spinach, tomato, and herbs. A béchamel sauce is sometimes used in place of tomato sauce, and sliced tomatoes may be added to top the pizza.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Detroit-style pizza</span> Rectangular pan pizza with a thick crust

Detroit-style pizza is a rectangular pan pizza with a thick, crisp, chewy crust. It is traditionally topped to the edges with mozzarella or Wisconsin brick cheese, which caramelizes against the high-sided heavyweight rectangular pan. Detroit-style pizza was originally baked in rectangular steel trays designed for use as automotive drip pans or to hold small industrial parts in factories. It was developed during the mid-20th century in Detroit, Michigan, before spreading to other parts of the United States in the 2010s. It is one of Detroit's most famous local foods.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cuisine of New Jersey</span> Cuisine of the State of New Jersey

The cuisine of New Jersey is derived from the state's long immigrant history and its close proximity to both New York City and Philadelphia. Due to its geographical location, New Jersey can generally be divided by New York City cuisine in the northern and central parts of the state and Philadelphia cuisine in the southern parts. Restaurants in the state often make use of locally grown ingredients such as asparagus, blueberries, cranberries, tomatoes, corn, and peaches. New Jersey is particularly known for its diners, of which there are approximately 525, the most of any state. Various foods invented in the state, such as the pork roll, and salt water taffy, remain popular there today.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pizza in the United States</span> American cuisine variant

Pizza arrived in the United States in the early 20th century along with waves of Italian immigrants who settled primarily in the larger cities of the Northeast, such as New York, Philadelphia, Boston, and Baltimore. After American soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II, pizza and pizzerias rapidly grew in popularity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quad City–style pizza</span> Style of pizza

Quad City–style pizza is a variety of pizza originating in the Quad Cities region of the states of Illinois and Iowa in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trenton tomato pie</span> Type of Italian tomato pie

Trenton tomato pie or New Jersey tomato pie is a type of circular, thin-crust Italian tomato pie created in Trenton, New Jersey, United States, around the early 20th century in which cheese and other toppings are added on first, then the sauce.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pizza Thief</span> Pizzeria in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Pizza Thief is a pizzeria in Portland, Oregon, in the United States. The restaurant has a "sibling" adjacent bar called Bandit Bar. Chef and co-owner Darby Aldaco opened Pizza Thief with partner Tony Pasquale in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baby Doll Pizza</span> Pizzeria in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Baby Doll Pizza is a pizzeria in Portland, Oregon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gladstone Street Pizza</span> Pizzeria in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Saint Pizza Lounge and Gladstone Street Pizza, more commonly known as simply Gladstone Street Pizza (GSP), is a pizzeria in Portland, Oregon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pizza in Canada</span> Pizza variants from Canada

Canada has many of its own pizza chains, both national and regional, and many distinctive regional variations and types of pizza resulting from influences of local Canadian cuisine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colorado-style pizza</span> Style of pizza

Colorado-style pizza, also called Colorado pizza or Colorado mountain pie, is a style of pizza made with a characteristically thick, braided crust topped with heavy amounts of sauce and cheese. It is traditionally served by the pound, with a side of honey as a condiment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ohio Valley–style pizza</span> Style of pizza

Ohio Valley–style pizza is a pizza made with cold toppings sprinkled over a square crust that has been covered with a savory or sweet tomato sauce. It originated in Steubenville, Ohio and is served in parts of Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, mostly in and near the Ohio Valley region of those states.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Deto, Ryan. "Altoona Hotel Pizza: The slice with yellow cheese from Central Pa. you've never heard of". Pittsburgh City Paper. Archived from the original on 2021-05-26. Retrieved 2021-05-25.
  2. Tracy, Jordan (2020-05-05). "Jordan Does It All Wrong!! Will the real Altoona Pizza please stand up?". WTAJ. Archived from the original on 2021-05-25. Retrieved 2021-05-25.
  3. 1 2 3 4 DiFilippo, Bill (2020-05-08). "Here's How To Make The Wonderfully Bizarre 'Altoona Style' Pizza". UPROXX. Archived from the original on 2021-05-25. Retrieved 2021-05-25.
  4. 1 2 3 "Hotel blaze hits home". Altoona Mirror. Archived from the original on 2021-05-25. Retrieved 2021-05-25.
  5. 1 2 3 Robicelli, Allison (6 May 2020). ""Altoona-style pizza" baffles the nation—including Altoona itself". The Takeout. Archived from the original on 2021-05-27. Retrieved 2021-05-25.
  6. "Altoona Hotel pizza". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 1996-10-13. p. 78. Archived from the original on 2021-05-25. Retrieved 2021-05-25.