Hello Pizza Friends,
Today we are talking about tomato pie, which, if you are unfamiliar, is the American version of the Neapolitan marinara pizza. I only just learned this. I had been flipping through Anthony Falco’s Pizza Czar when the recipe caught my attention. Anthony describes it as “something that lets great ingredients shine.”
He was right. Topped solely with tomato sauce (and a good amount of it), oregano, Pecorino Romano, and olive oil, this pie relies on the quality of each of these elements being excellent — without a blanket of mozzarella, nothing can hide.
I made the pizza using my favorite cooked tomato sauce and was surprised by how much I loved it. I was worried it would taste, well, too saucy, but it didn’t. The lack of melted cheese allows the sauce to concentrate and the generous amount of olive oil provides all the richness it needs.
The success of this simple tomato pie inspired me to make its predecessor, pizza marinara, the Neapolitan classic that calls for no cheese at all. It’s simply tomato sauce (uncooked), garlic, olive oil, and oregano. While the predominant herb flavor should be oregano, some recipes include fresh basil, too.
Guided by a number of different recipes, I made the pizza using my favorite no-cook tomato sauce, a generous amount of Sicilian oregano, and thinly sliced garlic drizzled with really good extra-virgin olive oil.
Friends: I love simple things so I’m not sure why I was once again surprised, but I loved this one even more than the tomato pie. As I ate my delicious, cheese-less pizza, many emotions flooded in, namely regret for never ordering pizza marinara when I was in Naples two summers ago and embarrassment for underestimating such a time-honored creation. Alas.
Incidentally, today is National Pizza Day, and I can think of no better way to celebrate than with either of these saucy classics.
The Video: Pizza Marinara & Tomato Pie
The Recipes: Pizza Marinara & Tomato Pie
For pizza marinara, you’ll need oregano, garlic, olive oil, salt, and an un-cooked tomato sauce. For the tomato pie, you’ll need cooked tomato sauce, oregano, olive oil, salt, and finely grated Pecorino Romano.
Pizza marinara ready for the oven:
Pizza marinara just baked:
Tomato pie, ready for the oven:
Tomato pie, just baked:
Any topic you’d like covered? Please let me know. See you next Friday 🍕🍕
NOW you’re talking! Pizza with no mozzarella! Che buono! I guess you just have to go back to Bella Napoli and give the original a try!
O’ Scugnizzo has been making tomato pie since 1914! One of many great pizzerias in the Utica area. They used to have great focaccia sandwiches, but I’m not sure they still make them.