New York–style pizza <!-- Please use en dashes instead of hyphen through the article, as this is a compound modifier. --> is a pizza made with a large hand-tossed thin crust, often sold in wide slices to go. The crust is thick and crisp only along its edge, yet soft, thin, and pliable enough beneath its toppings to be folded to eat.

This style evolved in the U.S. from the pizza that originated in New York City in the early 1900s, itself derived from the Neapolitan-style pizza made in Italy. An immigrant pizzaiolo () from Naples, he opened a grocery store in 1897; eight years later, it was licensed to sell pizza by New York State. An employee, Antonio Totonno Pero, began making pizza, which sold for five cents each. Many people could not afford a whole pizza and instead would offer what they could for a correspondingly sized slice, which was wrapped in paper tied with string. In 1924, Totonno left Lombardi's to open his own pizzeria on Coney Island, called Totonno's. Totonno's, Patsy's Pizzeria and John's Pizzeria inspired a renaissance in the growth of pizzerias such as Grimaldi's.

thumb|[[Totonno's, an American pizzeria in Coney Island, Brooklyn, was established in 1924 by Antonio "Totonno" Pero.]]

By 2010, over 400 pizza restaurants existed in New York City, with hundreds more of varied cuisine also offering pizza. Pizzas are typically around 18 to 24 inches (45 to 60 cm) in diameter, and commonly cut into eight slices.

New York–style pizza gets its distinguishing crust from the high-gluten bread flour with which it is made. Minerals present in New York City's tap water supply are also credited with giving the dough in metro area pizzas its characteristic texture and flavor. Some out-of-state pizza bakers even transport the water cross-country for the sake of authenticity.

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File:20140704-0570 Balboa Peninsula.JPG|Large New York–style pizza ready to go into the oven

File:NewYorkSlices.jpg|New York-style plain cheese pizza by the slice

File:New York Pizza Slices.png|Slices of New York-style pizza on right, with fresh instead of dried mozzarella cheese on left

File:Slices NewPark.jpg|Three New York-style slices from New Park Pizza

File:Joes Pizza 2021.jpg|A New York-style slice from Joe's Pizza

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Regional variations

New York–style pizza is most prevalent in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, District of Columbia, and Connecticut, but can be found throughout the Northeastern region and beyond.

See also

  • Pizza in the United States
  • Pan pizza
  • Jumbo slice – very large slice of pizza
  • Pizza Principle – comparison between the cost of a slice of pizza and a subway ride in New York City

References

  • A detailed recipe for the domestic production of authentic New York–style pizza by Jeff Varasano