Tomato pie

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tomato pie is a pizza-like food that is common in Italian-American populations, usually served at room temperature instead of hot. It is also known as "sheet pizza" since it is usually made from a pre-rolled rectangle of pizza dough placed in a tray before baking. It is significantly larger in area and less expensive than pizza and may be sold in quarters.

One piece of a typical tomato pie

"Tomato pie" is not made with fresh tomatoes, and the name "pie" most likely derives from the term pizza pie. Pieces are cut in squares, much like they are on a Sicilian pizza.

The basic recipe features pizza dough covered with a thick tomato sauce, and then sprinkled with grated romano cheese. Every bakery and pizzeria has its own variation on this basic recipe. Tomato Pie is most commonly found in the Northeastern United States, especially in the Italian bakeries of Utica, NY and Philadelphia, PA.

[edit] Tomato Pie Recipe

3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 28-to-32-oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 tsp. dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
1 lb. pizza dough
3 tbsp. grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Preheat oven to 450°F. Stretch the pizza dough to cover a greased cookie sheet. Dough should be fairly thick (about 3/4 inch). Allow the dough to rise a bit while the sauce is cooking. Heat a saucepan on medium, add the olive oil and garlic, and sauté until the garlic is just golden. Add crushed tomatoes and oregano. Cook until the sauce is thickened, about 15-20 minutes. Cool the sauce to room temperature. Top the pizza dough with the sauce and then bake in 450°F oven for about 15-20 minutes. After removing the pie from the oven, sprinkle with the cheese. Let the pie cool to room temperature before eating.

Recipe by Frank DuRoss Jr.