New York-style Pizza - Characteristics and Preparation

Characteristics and Preparation

The traditional toppings are tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese, with any additional toppings placed with the cheese. It is traditionally hand-tossed and light on sauce. The slices are often eaten as a fast food or "street snack" while folded in half, as its size and flexibility sometimes makes it unwieldy to eat flat.

The most notable difference between New York-style and other American pizzas is its thin hand-tossed crust, made from a high-gluten bread flour. The flavor and texture of the crust has sometimes been attributed to the minerals present in the New York City water used to make the dough. Some out-of-state pizza makers even transport the water cross-country for the sake of authenticity.

New York-style pizza is usually sold both by the slice and as a whole pie, hence, customers at pizzerias typically use the term "slice" to refer to an individual slice of the pizza, while "pie" denotes an entire pizza pie. Slices are taken from a large pie, which is typically around 18 inches (45 cm) in diameter, and commonly cut into 8 slices. Pizzas to be sold by the slice are sold with or without toppings. Pizza slices without toppings are called "plain" slices, although they are also sometimes referred to as "cheese" or "regular" slices. While many New York pizzerias also have slices with various toppings ready to serve, they invariably have plain slices ready to go and can provide slices with toppings by adding them on prior to re-heating. New York pizzerias generally have condiments that can be added to the pizza after serving. Common condiments include oregano, grated Parmesan cheese, dried red chili pepper, and granulated garlic.

Also served in the New York metropolitan area area are rectangular or square-shaped slices with much thicker dough called Sicilian slices, though they often differ considerably from the true pizza of Sicily. In some cases at shops offering both, normal New York-style is distinguished as "regular" or Neapolitan pizza, although the relationship is distant.