Trenton tomato pie

For similarly named dishes, see Tomato pie.

Trenton tomato pie

Sausage and mushroom Trenton tomato pie
Alternative names	New Jersey tomato pie
Type	Pizza
Place of origin	United States
Region or state	Trenton, New Jersey
Main ingredients	Pizza dough, tomato sauce, cheese

The "John's Original" pizza at John's of Bleecker Street in New York City

Trenton tomato pie^[1][2] or New Jersey tomato pie^[3] is a type of circular, thin-crust Italian tomato pie created in Trenton, New Jersey, United States, around the early 20th century in which cheese and other toppings are added on first, then the sauce.^[4][5]

Preparation

The distinction between pizza and Trenton tomato pies is in the process of making the pie. Unlike the thicker square Italian tomato pie, Trenton tomato pie is often circular, of the thin-crust variety and includes cheese. In this style of tomato pie, the mozzarella and toppings are placed on the pie first followed by the tomato sauce placed on top.^[6]

History

The first tomato pies in the United States were sold in New York City^[7] at Lombardi's which opened in 1905. Joe's Tomato Pie (now defunct), which opened in 1910, was the first Trenton-styled tomato pie.^[8] Papa's Tomato Pies, whose proprietor learned the trade at Joe's, was opened two years later in 1912.^[9]

The Trenton region is home to the two oldest currently operating New Jersey tomato pie restaurants in the United States, Papa's and De Lorenzo's. Trenton tomato pies have expanded across the region.^[10] In 1991, Palermo's opened in Bordentown, New Jersey. In September 2017, Classico Tomato Pies opened in West Windsor and won best Trenton tomato pie by the Bridgewater Courier News.^[11][12]

See also

• Pizza in the United States
• Italian tomato pie
• Sicilian pizza
• List of tomato dishes
• Pizza

References

1. Karen L. Schnitzspahn (16 October 2012). Jersey Shore Food History: Victorian Feasts to Boardwalk Treats. Arcadia Publishing Incorporated. pp. 131–. ISBN 978-1-61423-727-3.
2. Capuzzo, Jill (2010-01-12). "Trenton Tomato Pies Are Still A Staple of the New Jersey Pizza Scene". New Jersey Monthly. Retrieved 2017-11-29.
3. "The Dish: Chef Tony Gemignani". cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2017-11-28.
4. DK (2 February 2015). DK Eyewitness Travel Guide USA. DK Publishing. pp. 127–. ISBN 978-1-4654-3834-8.
5. Scott Wiener (2017-04-01). "The Trenton Tomato Pie". Pizza Today. Retrieved 2017-11-29.
6. Capuzzo, Jill P. (2018-03-06). "In the Classic Tomato Pie, Tomatoes are Still on Top". New Jersey Monthly. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
7. "The Trenton Tomato Pie". Pizza Today. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
8. Puzo, Daniel P. (June 19, 1991). "Yo! Trenton Has a Tradition – It's Called Tomato Pie". Los Angeles Times. p. H30. Retrieved January 30, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
9. A Slice of Heaven: American Pizza Timeline
10. Curcio, Frank (September 20, 2000). "Tomato pies a favorite dish at Giovanni's Pizza & Pasta". The Courier-News (Bridgewater, NJ). p. H-7. Retrieved January 30, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
11. Emanski, Joe (29 August 2018). "Classico Tomato Pies is setting a new standard for Trenton-style pizza". Community News. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
12. Jenna Intersimone; Sarah Griesemer; Tammy Paolino (2018-07-19). "10 of the best tomato pies in New Jersey". MY CENTRAL JERSEY. Retrieved 27 November 2018.