Grandma pizza

Last updated

Grandma pizza
Grandma-pizza-01.jpg
Type Pizza
Place of origin United States
Region or state Long Island, New York
Main ingredientsPizza dough, tomato sauce, cheese, tomatoes

Grandma pizza is a distinct thin, rectangular style of pizza attributed to Long Island, New York. Typically topped with cheese and tomato sauce, it is reminiscent of pizzas baked at home by Italian housewives who lacked a pizza oven. [1] The pizza is often compared to Sicilian pizza.

Contents

A grandma pizza is typically rectangular, with the cheese placed before the tomato sauce, baked in a sheet pan in a home oven, and cut into small squares. [2]

History

The origins of grandma pizza can be traced back to the early 20th century when immigrants from southern Italy developed a pizza that would be made at home with simple ingredients with standard American cooking equipment (including a standard kitchen oven and sheet pan). [3] The pie's humble roots left it dubbed "grandma pizza", since it was mainly made by first-generation immigrants in their own kitchens. [1]

Despite having existed for generations, the term "grandma pizza" was little known outside of Long Island. Around 1994, Umberto Corteo introduced "Sicilian Grandma pizza" at his Long Island pizzerias; unlike typical thick-crusted Sicilian pizza, his Grandma Sicilian pizza had a thinner crust, though not as thin as Neapolitan. [4] Within a few years, "Grandma pizza" began being advertised by other Long Island restaurants. [5]

By the late 2000s and early 2010s, the name caught on and numerous pizzerias began to offer the pie. [6] [7] [8] [9] Rather than being derogatory, the name indicates both respect for tradition and the simple rustic pizza eaten at home growing up. [10]

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 a dish of Italian origin consisting of a usually round, flat base of leavened wheat-based dough topped with tomatoes, cheese, and often various other ingredients, which is then 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 more popular with locals. 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 in the deep-dish style and as a stuffed pizza. Chicago-style thin-crust pizza dough is rolled for a thinner crispier crust than other thin-crust styles. The thin-crust pizza is cut in squares instead of slices, and is also referred to as a "tavern-style" pizza.

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

St. Louis–style pizza is a type of pizza popular in St. Louis, Missouri, and surrounding areas. The style has a thin cracker-like crust made without yeast, generally uses Provel cheese, and is cut into squares or rectangles instead of 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 in half to eat. Traditional toppings are simply tomato sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese. This was a popular meal amongst poor Italians due to the ratio of product from the limited produce.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana</span> Restaurant in Connecticut, United States

Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana, commonly known as Frank Pepe's or simply Pepe's, is a popular pizza restaurant in the Wooster Square neighborhood of New Haven, Connecticut, at 163 Wooster Street. Opened in 1925, it is one of the oldest and best known pizzerias in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Haven–style pizza</span> Regional Pizza Style from New Haven, Connecticut

New Haven–style pizza is a style of thin-crust, coal-fired Neapolitan pizza common in and around New Haven, Connecticut. Locally known as apizza, it originated in 1925 at the Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana and is now served in many other pizza restaurants in the area, most notably Sally's Apizza and Modern Apizza. This geographically limited pizza style has been favorably regarded by national critics.

<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, pizza bianca or a 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. Ricotta is a common type of cheese used on white pizza in the United States. Sometimes, white sauces, such as bechamel, are used.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of pizza</span> History of the food known as pizza

The history of pizza begins in antiquity, as various ancient cultures produced flatbreads with several toppings.

<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 and/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 iconic local foods.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lou Malnati's Pizzeria</span> American pizza chain

Lou Malnati's Pizzeria is an American Chicago-style pizza restaurant chain headquartered in Northbrook, Illinois. It was founded by the son of Rudy Malnati, who was instrumental in developing the recipe for Chicago-style pizza, and it has become one of the Chicago area's best-known local lines of pizza restaurants. Lou Malnati's operates a division of its company called Lou Malnati's Presents Tastes of Chicago, a partnership with Portillo's Restaurants and Eli's Cheesecake, which ships Chicago-style cuisine nationally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pizza al taglio</span> Pizza baked in large rectangular trays, sold by the slice

Pizza al taglio or pizza al trancio is a variety of pizza baked in large rectangular trays, and generally sold in rectangular or square slices by weight, with prices marked per kilogram or per 100 grams. This type of pizza was invented in Rome, Italy, and is common throughout Italy. Many variations and styles of pizza al taglio exist, and the dish is available in other areas of the world in addition to Italy.

<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 large cities of the Northeast. It got a boost both in popularity and regional spread after soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II.

<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">Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder Company</span> Restaurant in Illinois, United States

Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder Company is a restaurant located in Chicago, Illinois. The restaurant was founded in 1972, and specializes in a signature dish called the "pizza pot pie." It enjoys local popularity and has appeared in many publications and television shows.

<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 by the slice</span> Fast food sold by pizzerias

Pizza by the slice is pizza sold in individual portions as a fast food by a restaurant or street vendor. Some restaurants and pizza stands only sell pizza by the slice, while others sell both slices and whole pizzas. The jumbo slice is a large-sized slice of New York–style pizza made in areas of Washington, D.C. Pizza al taglio is a style of rectangular slice of pizza that originated in Rome and is typically sold by weight.

References

  1. 1 2 Rosengarten, David (August 15, 2013). "Za-Za-Zoom: The 'Grandma Pizza' Forges Ahead In New York". Forbes. Retrieved March 6, 2019.
  2. Spiegel, Alison (December 18, 2014). "Grandma Pie May Be the Best Thing to Ever Come out of Long Island". HuffPost. Retrieved March 6, 2019.
  3. Marcus, Erica (October 8, 2003). "Pizza alla grandma". Newsday. p. B20. Retrieved January 28, 2022 via Newspapers.com.
  4. Bianco, Marie (November 30, 1994). "Pizza: A Long Island Tradition". Newsday. p. B33. Retrieved January 28, 2022 via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Advertisement, D'Cocco's Pizza and Pasta Restaurant". Newsday. April 5, 1998. p. G26. Retrieved January 28, 2022 via Newspapers.com.
  6. Reminick, Joan (March 3, 2000). "Food Day News & Notes". Newsday. p. B33. Retrieved January 28, 2022 via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Advertisement, Angelo's Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria". Clifton (N.J.) Journal. August 21, 2009. p. G16. Retrieved January 28, 2022 via Newspapers.com.
  8. "Small Bites: Emilio's". Newsday. November 3, 2002. p. 48. Retrieved January 28, 2022 via Newspapers.com.
  9. Marcus, Erica (September 10, 2008). "Grandma Pizza: The Full Story". Newsday. Archived from the original on August 22, 2015. Retrieved March 6, 2019.
  10. Shott, Chris (March 12, 2015). "Hip to Be Square: Grandma Pizza Is a New York Original". Food Republic. Retrieved March 6, 2019.