St. Louis–style pizza facts for kids
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| Type | Pizza |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | United States |
| Region or state | St. Louis, Missouri |
| Main ingredients | Pizza dough, tomato sauce, usually Provel cheese |
St. Louis–style pizza is a special kind of pizza that is very popular in St. Louis, Missouri, and the areas nearby. This pizza has a super thin, crunchy crust that feels a bit like a cracker. It's made without yeast, which is different from most other pizzas.
Instead of the usual mozzarella cheese, St. Louis pizza often uses a unique cheese called Provel cheese. Another cool thing about it is how it's cut. Instead of triangle slices, it's usually cut into squares or rectangles! You can find this pizza at many local restaurants, like Imo's Pizza and Cecil Whittaker's. You can even buy frozen versions in local supermarkets.
Contents
What Makes St. Louis Pizza Special?
The Unique Crust
The crust of St. Louis pizza is very thin and crispy. It's made without yeast, which means it doesn't rise like bread. This gives it a firm, cracker-like texture. You can't easily fold a slice of St. Louis pizza, unlike a New York-style pizza.
Most pizzas are cut into triangle slices, but St. Louis pizza is usually cut into small squares. This style is often called a party cut or tavern cut. Sometimes, the pizzas are even made in a rectangular shape instead of round. People aren't totally sure why it's cut this way.
Some say that Ed Imo, who started a famous St. Louis pizza chain, used to be a tile layer and cut his pizzas like tiles. Others think it helps the thin crust hold up all the toppings without breaking.
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A St. Louis–style pizza being sliced into squares.
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The Special Cheese
A big part of what makes St. Louis pizza unique is the cheese. It often uses a white processed cheese called Provel. Provel is a special mix of three different cheeses: provolone, Swiss, and white cheddar.
This cheese was created in St. Louis in the 1950s by Costa Grocery. It's mostly made in Wisconsin and sent to the St. Louis area. You won't find Provel cheese easily outside of St. Louis, which makes this pizza even more special!
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A block of Provel cheese ready for pizza.
The Flavorful Sauce
The tomato sauce on St. Louis pizza often has a lot of oregano in it, giving it a strong, herby taste. Some sauces also have a bit of sweetness. This sweetness might come from the influence of Italian immigrants from Sicily who settled in St. Louis.
Even though the crust is thin, it's very strong. This means you can pile on lots of different toppings without the crust getting soggy or falling apart.
See also
