New York-style pizza facts for kids
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| Type | Pizza |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | United States |
| Region or state | New York City, New York |
| Main ingredients | Pizza dough, tomato sauce, mozzarella |
New York–style pizza is a type of pizza that's famous for its really big, thin crust. People often buy it by the slice. The edge of the crust is usually thick and crispy, but the part under the toppings is soft and thin. It's so flexible that you can fold a slice in half to eat it! The most common toppings are just simple tomato sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese.
This kind of pizza first appeared in the United States in New York City in the early 1900s. It came from the Neapolitan-style pizza that started in Italy. Today, New York-style pizza is super popular in the New York City area, including New York State and New Jersey. You can also find it in many other parts of the United States.
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History of New York Pizza
The very first pizzeria in the United States was thought to be started by Gennaro Lombardi in New York City's Little Italy neighborhood in 1905. Gennaro Lombardi was a pizzaiolo, which means a pizza maker, from Naples, Italy. He first opened a grocery store in 1897. Eight years later, he got a special license to sell pizza.
An employee named Antonio Totonno Pero started making the pizzas. They sold for just five cents each! Back then, many people couldn't afford a whole pizza. So, they would pay what they could and get a slice that matched their money. These slices were wrapped in paper and tied with string. In 1924, Totonno left Lombardi's and opened his own pizza place called Totonno's on Coney Island.
The first pizza shops in New York used special coal-fired ovens. They often baked their pizzas with the cheese on the bottom and the sauce on top. By 2010, there were more than 400 pizza restaurants in New York City!
What Makes New York-Style Pizza Special?
New York-style pizza is usually made by tossing the dough by hand. The basic pizza has a thin layer of tomato sauce with dry, grated mozzarella cheese sprinkled on top. Any extra toppings go over the cheese.
These pizzas are typically very large, about 18 to 24 inches (45 to 60 cm) wide. They are usually cut into eight big slices. Because the slices are so large and flexible, people often fold them in half to eat them. This also helps to catch any extra oil and makes it easier to eat with one hand.
The special crust of New York-style pizza comes from the high-gluten flour used to make it. Some people believe that the minerals in New York City's tap water also help give the dough its unique texture and taste. Some pizza makers even bring water from New York City to other states to make their pizzas taste more authentic! However, many pizza makers say that you can make great New York-style pizza anywhere with the right ingredients and equipment.
Compared to a Chicago-style pizza, which is usually smaller (about 12 inches or 30 cm), New York-style pizzas are much bigger. They are usually between 18 and 24 inches (45 to 60 cm) wide, and some can even be as large as 36 inches (90 cm)!
Common seasonings for New York-style pizza include dried oregano, garlic powder, dried red chili pepper flakes, dried basil, and grated Parmesan cheese.
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New York–style plain pizza
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New York–style pepperoni pizza, showing its thin, foldable crust
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A traditional New York–style pizza slice (on the right) and one with fresh mozzarella (on the left)
Where Can You Find New York-Style Pizza?
New York-style pizza is most common in New York State, New Jersey, and Connecticut. But you can find it all over the Northeast and even in other parts of the country. However, many pizzas sold as "New York-style" by big pizza chains might not be exactly like the real thing you'd find in New York City.
Images for kids
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A large New York–style pizza ready for the oven
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A New York–style slice from New Park Pizza
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Two New York–style slices from New Park Pizza
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A New York–style slice from Joe's Pizza
See also
In Spanish: Pizza estilo Nueva York para niños
