Philadelphia Tomato Pie appears as a signature dish in 1 United States cities. See each city's local variant and where to eat it.
Philadelphia tomato pie · Philadelphia
Square-cut focaccia-style pizza, baked at room temperature, with a thick layer of seasoned crushed tomato and a dusting of grated cheese. No melted cheese. Served at room temperature.
Philadelphia tomato pie is a distinct genre from New York pizza or Trenton tomato pie. Square-cut, focaccia-thick, baked on sheet pans without melted cheese, the pie was a 1920s South Philly bakery snack: a way for the Italian Market bread bakers to use leftover dough. Sarcone's, Iannelli's, Marchiano's and Cacia's bakeries each kept a tomato-pie program running through the 20th century. The pie is sold by the square at room temperature, eaten standing at the counter or carried home in a folded white paper bag. The defining details: a sweet, oregano-heavy sauce baked into the dough; a fine dusting of grated pecorino or romano on top, never mozzarella; and no toppings, ever. Tomato pie at Sarcone's is the standard reference; Iannelli's the second.
Where to eat in Philadelphia:
- Sarcone's Bakery
- Iannelli's Bakery