Utica Style Tomato Pie Recipe
Course: DinnerA Central New York regional favorite! A soft and spongy focaccia-like crust topped with a flavorful tomato sauce and grated Pecorino Romano cheese. Makes two approximately 16×12-inch pies.
Ingredients
- For Tomato Pie Dough
4 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
2 1/2 cups Hot Water
1 packet Rapid Rise Yeast
1 tsp Salt
1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
extra oil for greasing pans and bowl
extra flour for spreading out the dough
- For the Tomato Pie Sauce
1 29-ounce can Tomato Sauce (you may also use whole tomatoes with juice and puree in a blender)
6 cloves fresh Garlic, minced
2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
1 tsp Granulated Sugar
1/4 cup Fresh Basil, chopped
- Topping
5 ounces grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- Combine dry ingredients for dough in a large mixing bowl (can be mixed with an electric stand mixer, or by hand).
- Add hot water and olive oil, stirring until smooth. Note: this dough is very sticky compared to pizza dough. However, it should hold together like a dough rather than a batter. Add more flour if needed.
- Grease a large bowl with olive oil. Place the dough inside and cover with a towel. Set aside to rise.
- In a large saucepan, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Once heated, add garlic and stir until golden brown.
- Add tomato sauce, sugar, salt, pepper, and basil, stirring to combine. Simmer while you prepare the dough.
- Grease two baking sheets with olive oil, then sprinkle with flour.
- Divide dough in half and place on two baking sheets. Sprinkle dough generously with flour, then use fingertips to spread out onto pan.
- Divide sauce between two pies. Bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove pies from the oven and divide cheese between both pies, sprinkling over the sauce. Return to the oven for 5 minutes.
- Allow pies to rest for 10 minutes, then cut into square pieces to serve. May be served hot or cold.
What’s the Story?
Central New York is blessed with an abundance of delicious regional foods, many of them coming from our Italian-American ancestors. Utica Greens, Chicken Riggies and Pusties are just a few of my favorites. Today I’m sharing a Utica mainstay: Tomato Pie.
Growing up, my dad’s side of the family who hail from New Hartford, NY, near Utica, served this often. Whenever they mentioned “pizza,” this Tomato Pie recipe was usually what they were referring to.
My Aunt Maria makes this wonderful homemade version, but there are also a number of restaurants in the Utica area that sell this delicious treat.
In other parts of the country, Tomato Pie might be made in a pie dish with a pastry crust. Here in central New York, tomato pie is a close relation to pizza, but with a few key differences.
First, the crust is soft, thick and somewhat spongy in texture (think focaccia bread). Second, the sauce is the star of the show (hence the name). And, finally, it is topped only with a hard cheese like parmesan or pecorino romano, not mozzarella.
Tomato Pie is often served at room temperature, and I think it tastes best that way! This Tomato Pie recipe is inexpensive and easy to make in large quantities, and since it doesn’t need to be kept hot or cold, it’s the perfect food to bring to a picnic or to serve at a party.
If you’re living far from Utica and have a craving for Tomato Pie, fear not — this Tomato Pie recipe will give you your fix.
Fascinating, never heard of this before, Jen! I love that it’s best eaten room-temperature, how red and simple the sauce looks, and how little cheese is used. It’s making my mouth water!
Thanks, Amy. I’ve been researching a bit and it seems to be descended from Sicilian-style pizza. I imagine it might be a bit healthier than standard pizza since less cheese is used. I’ve been enjoying the leftovers today!
p.s. I just realized that I had the wrong oven temperature in my recipe. Oops! It should be baked at 400.
I grew up in the Midwest, but my mom used to buy something very similar from the little Italian grocer in our town. It was served at room temperature and it was breadier than pizza, and it was topped with tomato sauce and oregano. No cheese though. I’ve never even given it a thought since then, but now after reading this post, I’m craving it!
That sounds like the same thing! It’s very addicting–I already want to make more
Went to UCA high school. bought this for lunch for 50cents a slice at Deioro Bakery Traveled much but haven’t seen it since 1958. Thanks ! If its half as good as I remember its wonderful.
My aunt & uncle owned Angelo’s Bakery in Utica and Tomato Pie was one of their biggest sellers, it was delicious. I moved from the area years ago and haven’t had it since they both passed away. Will now try your recipe! Thanks so much.
Spent a year in upstate NY, Westmoreland to be precise, I am from the south and had never heard of it before. But let me tell you it is awesome, I worked next to Utica for a year and it became a staple in my diet.