Philadelphia tomato pie

[kaneohegirlinaz]

[Mod.edit: this and several following posts moved to form a new topic (MG)]

Table of contents for my pizza cookbook:
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My DH has been asking me to make Tomato Pie for more than 30 years now... I have no clue as to what that is nor do I know how to make it !!!!
He's from just outside of Philadelphia and I'm from Kaneohe

 

[TastyReuben]

My DH has been asking me to make Tomato Pie for more than 30 years now... I have no clue as to what that is nor do I know how to make it !!!!
He's from just outside of Philadelphia and I'm from Kaneohe

Tomato pie is the official pizza of Philly. It's a thick crust, usually rectangular (so grab that cookie sheet), and topped with a somewhat herby-spicy tomato sauce, with maybe a light dusting of parm cheese or even no cheese at all. That's it.

 

[flyinglentris]

Tomato pie is the official pizza of Philly. It's a thick crust, usually rectangular (so grab that cookie sheet), and topped with a somewhat herby-spicy tomato sauce, with maybe a light dusting of parm cheese or even no cheese at all. That's it.

Oh sh..., I'll have to take tomato pie off my list.

 

[flyinglentris]

Oh sh..., I'll have to take tomato pie off my list.

Oh wait, nobody is yet to make it a tomato recipe challenge entry. It's still on my list.

 

[Morning Glory]

Tomato pie is the official pizza of Philly. It's a thick crust, usually rectangular (so grab that cookie sheet), and topped with a somewhat herby-spicy tomato sauce, with maybe a light dusting of parm cheese or even no cheese at all. That's it.

Looking at photos it seems to commonly have a very thick rather spongy base (though not in all cases). I also read that it is served cold or room temperature?

 

[TastyReuben]

Looking at photos it seems to commonly have a very thick rather spongy base (though not in all cases). I also read that it is served cold or room temperature?

I've only ever had it hot to order, but you can get it out of the display case at room temp.

The first time that ever happened to me was back when I was in my late-20's, before I became so worldly and sophisticated.

We were on our one-and-only trip to Italy, and we took a little boat ride out to some island (of which I can't remember the name of, though I well enough remember a display stand of postcards of beautiful Mediterranean women, who all happened to be topless ).

The idea was to have lunch on the island, and there was a little place set up and they had a display case full of big squares of pizza, already baked.

I assumed that they'd take one and throw it back in the oven somewhere, because that's what shopping mall pizza chains (like Sbarro's) do here - all their pizzas are out on display, it's generally sold by the (giant) slice, and they reheat it for you.

Nope. I ordered, she wrapped it up, handed it to me, and that was that, and as someone who loves pizza but can't abide room temp or cold leftover pizza, it was a bit of a letdown, to say the least.

 

[Rocklobster]

Yes..the small pizza places cook the pizzas in the morning and sell it all day..They sold it on the big, rectangle trays and cut it in strips and fold it over..The one place near my house would offer sliced meats you could stuff into it and eat the pizza like a sandwich..Another thing I learned to eat there which kind of freaked me out at first was cold fried egg sandwiches..to this day I'll eat cold left over anything and my wife just stares at me...

 

[kaneohegirlinaz]

I too have only ever had Tomato Pie once, when we were visiting our Nephew who was living at the time in Grosse Point Michigan. There was this fabulous Italian Bakery that had full sheet pans of Tomato Pie served at room temp... we bought the entire tray! The shop gal thought we were nuts until she saw the two teenage boys with us! That pie was gone in a hot minute. But I still want to learn how to make it... I tried it once, it was thrown out and I never throw out food!!!

heh Rock!

 

[garlichead]

Looking at photos it seems to commonly have a very thick rather spongy base (though not in all cases). I also read that it is served cold or room temperature?

That sounds very Sicilian to me.

 

[TastyReuben]

That sounds very Sicilian to me.

It's a variation on a Sicilian/grandma pie (and by Sicilian, I'm referring to a NYC pizza style, brought over by Sicilian immigrants, not a direct reference to Sicily).

That said, the thick crust isn't a hard and fast rule. There are round and thin crust ones as well. The big thing is that it's topped with sauce and a sprinkle of parm or Romano cheese, and that's about it.

New Haven pizza (apizza) is very similar, and another version of a tomato pie. New Jersey also has a strong tomato pie culture.

The funny thing (to me, anyway) is that as a teenager, if I ever wanted pizza, it had to come from one of those Chef Boy-R-Dee box kits, which included a dry dough mix ("let rest five minutes to proof"), a can of pizza sauce, and a little packet of grated parm.

I didn't know it at the time, but I was eating a tomato pie! As many pizzas as I make now, and I make a lot, I will occasionally buy one of those box kits, make it, and relive a little happy part of my childhood. It's a sh!t pizza, but the memories are gold.

 

[garlichead]

It's a variation on a Sicilian/grandma pie (and by Sicilian, I'm referring to a NYC pizza style, brought over by Sicilian immigrants, not a direct reference to Sicily).

That said, the thick crust isn't a hard and fast rule. There are round and thin crust ones as well. The big thing is that it's topped with sauce and a sprinkle of parm or Romano cheese, and that's about it.

New Haven pizza (apizza) is very similar, and another version of a tomato pie. New Jersey also has a strong tomato pie culture.

The funny thing (to me, anyway) is that as a teenager, if I ever wanted pizza, it had to come from one of those Chef Boy-R-Dee box kits, which included a dry dough mix ("let rest five minutes to proof"), a can of pizza sauce, and a little packet of grated parm.

I didn't know it at the time, but I was eating a tomato pie! As many pizzas as I make now, and I make a lot, I will occasionally buy one of those box kits, make it, and relive a little happy part of my childhood. It's a sh!t pizza, but the memories are gold.

One of my life friends is 1st generation Canadian with Sicilian born and raised parents where I spent many long days in the kitchen and basement making tomato sauce, stuffing peppers with anchovy or cheese, making sausage then cooked for hours in a tomato sauce, making both red and white wine. The pizza resembles a foccacia kind of, nicely thick, springy, covered in tomato sauce and grated parmigiana Reggiano.

 

[kaneohegirlinaz]

There's an American-Italian joint in town that both DH & I just adore and they serve what's called Grandma's Pizza:
"grandma's pizza
Rectangle pizza with fresh whole milk mozzarella, roasted garlic, and chunky pomodoro sauce topped with basil."

It's good, but DH said that's not Tomato Pie, in his eyes (or is it taste buds) anyways.

So could anyone share their recipe?

 

[TastyReuben]

There's an American-Italian joint in town that both DH & I just adore and they serve what's called Grandma's Pizza:
"grandma's pizza
Rectangle pizza with fresh whole milk mozzarella, roasted garlic, and chunky pomodoro sauce topped with basil."

It's good, but DH said that's not Tomato Pie, in his eyes (or is it taste buds) anyways.

So could anyone share their recipe?

Yeah, it's the mozz that keeps that from being a tomato pie.

Not to push you off, but only because they're so accessible on the 'net, I'll suggest this one:

Homemade Philadelphia Tomato Pie-Style Pizza Recipe

Now, I haven't actually made this one, but SE's recipes for other pizza styles are very good. I'm making a Detroit pizza tomorrow using their recipe.

 

[kaneohegirlinaz]

Yeah, it's the mozz that keeps that from being a tomato pie.

Not to push you off, but only because they're so accessible on the 'net, I'll suggest this one:

Homemade Philadelphia Tomato Pie-Style Pizza Recipe

Now, I haven't actually made this one, but SE's recipes for other pizza styles are very good. I'm making a Detroit pizza tomorrow using their recipe.

Ya know TR, I have to say that ever since we got our very first computer I've been searching for a recipe for Tomato Pie and when ever I'd mention this to anyone, foodie or not, I'd just get a blank stare... "what's that?"

I pulled up SE's recipe and showed DH the photo ... "THAT'S IT!!! "

I will be trying this recipe very soon (I just made a huge batch of my homemade Pizza dough, so we need a break from it for a bit).

MAHALO!!!! Thank you so very much (from DH)

 

[TastyReuben]

Ya know TR, I have to saw that ever since we got our very first computer I've been searching for a recipe for Tomato Pie and when ever I'd mention this to anyone, foodie or not, I'd just get a blank stare... "what's that?"

Well, I have a, ahem, passing interest in pizza, especially American pizza styles, so I'm glad I could help!