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.
Tomato pie has been a favorite for decades in Utica, NY. It is usually eaten cold. Baked like
A focaccia with tomato sauce. Cut into squares. Usually eaten at room temperature. It was always available at small neighborhood grocery stores. Most often sitting right near the cash register for easy purchase. Also sold at local Italian bakeries
Mary, I am in Utica often for my kids hockey. We always go to O'Scugnizzo Pizzeria. Have you been? We love their pizza, but I don't think I've specifically tried their tomato pie, which is totally different than the tomato pie I'm writing about here... that was another thing I learned this week: "tomato pie" means different things to different people :)
Ali, amazing! I can buy cooked-down tomatoes in a jar from the best stand at my Farmer's Market. This recipe definitely calls out for that. Dreamy....am buying your book today! Yeah!
By decree or vote I think every day is Pizza Day because this morning I started a new batch of your pan pizza dough and have my eye on Grandmas potato and rosemary pizza and then maybe a Detroit style pizza on Sunday. The tomato pie will fit in on Sunday. 🙏🙇♂️ Go Chiefs! Go 49ers!
OMG, National Pizza Day....that's awesome. I love so many different cuisines and dishes, but Pizza is the best. It's heartwarming, fun, cozy, and tastes so good, especially when homemade. Thank you for this awesome ongoing email and your book. A little side note: My Grandfather was from Poland and he would often say - a meal isn't a meal without bread.
Looks delicious! Are you baking all of your pies in a pizza oven? Will your cookbook (can hardly wait) give directions for pizza oven AND regular oven?
Hi! All of these recent pizzas have been in my home oven with my Baking Steel on the top rack. All of the recipes in the book are written for the home oven, but there are instructions for how to cook your pizza in an outdoor oven should you wish to do so. So yes: both!
Yes! Something else I learned this week was that "tomato pie" means different things to different people. When I googled "tomato pie," images of the pies you are describing from Philly dominated the search results. Embarrassingly, I'm not sure I ever had tomato pie when I lived in Philly!! I will for sure when I am there next.
Hi Alex, I plan on trying the pizza marinara and tomato pie soon and wanted to print recipes including the sauces/variations. I was figuring best way to print all of this and then realized your book will be out very soon. Are these recipes in the book, if not, I'll continue to cut/paste to print these things. Thank you.
Hi! The no-cook tomato sauce recipe and the cooked tomato sauce recipe are in the book. But the pizza recipes (marinara pizza and tomato pie recipes) are not in the book. Sorry for all the cutting and pasting! I wish Substack had a recipe card feature that made printing a little easier :)
This looks amazing. I’m wondering if you use parchment paper when you bake your pizzas in your outdoor oven? If not, do you do anything special to launch them without having them stick to your peel?
Hi! I do not use parchment in my outdoor oven. I really like using rice flour in my outdoor oven — it doesn't burn the way wheat flour does.
With my outdoor pizzas, I use dough with a slightly lower hydration: 70%. This makes the dough a little more manageable on the peel — it won't stick as easily and therefore will be easier to transfer to the oven.
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!
I am dying to go back!!
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.
Good to know! I'll ask about the sandwiches the next time I'm there.
Tomato pie has been a favorite for decades in Utica, NY. It is usually eaten cold. Baked like
A focaccia with tomato sauce. Cut into squares. Usually eaten at room temperature. It was always available at small neighborhood grocery stores. Most often sitting right near the cash register for easy purchase. Also sold at local Italian bakeries
Mary, I am in Utica often for my kids hockey. We always go to O'Scugnizzo Pizzeria. Have you been? We love their pizza, but I don't think I've specifically tried their tomato pie, which is totally different than the tomato pie I'm writing about here... that was another thing I learned this week: "tomato pie" means different things to different people :)
Love all the pizza talk! Could you please show us the bottom of your pizzas? Do they brown on the bottom? Thank you!
Yes! I always show the bottoms of the slices in the videos. I can add photos moving forward :)
Thank you!
Ali, amazing! I can buy cooked-down tomatoes in a jar from the best stand at my Farmer's Market. This recipe definitely calls out for that. Dreamy....am buying your book today! Yeah!
Jealous!! I bet they're fabulous. And thank you :)
By decree or vote I think every day is Pizza Day because this morning I started a new batch of your pan pizza dough and have my eye on Grandmas potato and rosemary pizza and then maybe a Detroit style pizza on Sunday. The tomato pie will fit in on Sunday. 🙏🙇♂️ Go Chiefs! Go 49ers!
YES!! I am making DSP too. Dough is in the fridge. Go TEAM!!! Hope the potato and rosemary pizza is a success too :)
Both look wonderful.
OMG, National Pizza Day....that's awesome. I love so many different cuisines and dishes, but Pizza is the best. It's heartwarming, fun, cozy, and tastes so good, especially when homemade. Thank you for this awesome ongoing email and your book. A little side note: My Grandfather was from Poland and he would often say - a meal isn't a meal without bread.
Couldn't agree with your grandfather more :) :) :) Thanks for all of this, Barbara!
Looks delicious! Are you baking all of your pies in a pizza oven? Will your cookbook (can hardly wait) give directions for pizza oven AND regular oven?
Hi! All of these recent pizzas have been in my home oven with my Baking Steel on the top rack. All of the recipes in the book are written for the home oven, but there are instructions for how to cook your pizza in an outdoor oven should you wish to do so. So yes: both!
Thanks, Ali! I am relieved that you've focused on both, but especially the home oven.
This was going to be my question too!
Hi Ali
The tomato pie reminds me of those we have had in Philly. They were popular there.
Cant wait for your pizza book to come out!
Xo
Yes! Something else I learned this week was that "tomato pie" means different things to different people. When I googled "tomato pie," images of the pies you are describing from Philly dominated the search results. Embarrassingly, I'm not sure I ever had tomato pie when I lived in Philly!! I will for sure when I am there next.
Thank you :)
Hi Alex, I plan on trying the pizza marinara and tomato pie soon and wanted to print recipes including the sauces/variations. I was figuring best way to print all of this and then realized your book will be out very soon. Are these recipes in the book, if not, I'll continue to cut/paste to print these things. Thank you.
Hi! The no-cook tomato sauce recipe and the cooked tomato sauce recipe are in the book. But the pizza recipes (marinara pizza and tomato pie recipes) are not in the book. Sorry for all the cutting and pasting! I wish Substack had a recipe card feature that made printing a little easier :)
I love making the sauce uncooked with tomatoes, salt and olive oil (learned from Mr. Falco)
This looks amazing. I’m wondering if you use parchment paper when you bake your pizzas in your outdoor oven? If not, do you do anything special to launch them without having them stick to your peel?
Hi! I do not use parchment in my outdoor oven. I really like using rice flour in my outdoor oven — it doesn't burn the way wheat flour does.
With my outdoor pizzas, I use dough with a slightly lower hydration: 70%. This makes the dough a little more manageable on the peel — it won't stick as easily and therefore will be easier to transfer to the oven.
Loved both the recipes.
Thanks for the video. :-)
Great minds think alike!