Tomato Pie Recipe • 4★

Recipe from Joe Beddia and Pizzeria Beddia

Adapted by Mari Uyehara and Cathy Lo

Updated October 11, 2023

David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

The Italian American tomato pie is an elemental dish that lets its simple components — a flatbread covered in tomato sauce — really sing. It comes in different forms in different cities. In Philadelphia, tomato pie is an institution unto itself, typically sold from old-school Italian bakeries. Joe Beddia of Pizzeria Beddia is among a younger generation of chefs in the city who are making their own version of tomato pie. His 24-hour fermented dough produces a focaccialike flatbread with a springy interior and a crunchy, golden-brown crust. He covers it with a thin spread of rich tomato sauce, and finishes it with a generous drizzle of fruity olive oil and restrained sprinkle of Sicilian oregano. Eat it at room temperature as they do in Philadelphia — it makes for an ideal, make-ahead buffet addition, especially on Eagles game days. —Mari Uyehara and Cathy Lo

Featured in: The Many Lives of Tomato Pie

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6 ¾ cups/830 grams bread flour, plus more for the surface

4 teaspoons/16 grams granulated sugar

1 tablespoon/15 grams fine sea salt

1 ½ teaspoons/5 grams active dry yeast

About ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving

Dried oregano (preferably Sicilian), for sprinkling

FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE

2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes (or whole peeled tomatoes crushed by hand or food mill)

1 tablespoon fine sea salt, or to taste

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Step 1Prepare the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer, using the dough hook, combine 2 ¼ cups/580 milliliters water with the flour and mix on low speed until well blended. Cover (you can detach the dough hook but leave it in the bowl) and let sit for 25 minutes.

Prepare the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer, using the dough hook, combine 2 ¼ cups/580 milliliters water with the flour and mix on low speed until well blended. Cover (you can detach the dough hook but leave it in the bowl) and let sit for 25 minutes.

Step 2In a small bowl, combine 2 ½ tablespoons/35 milliliters warm (not hot) water with yeast until well mixed; let sit for about a minute.

In a small bowl, combine 2 ½ tablespoons/35 milliliters warm (not hot) water with yeast until well mixed; let sit for about a minute.

Step 3Add the yeast mixture, sugar and salt to the flour mixture and mix with the dough hook on low speed until incorporated.

Add the yeast mixture, sugar and salt to the flour mixture and mix with the dough hook on low speed until incorporated.

Step 4With the mixer on low, slowly drizzle in 2 tablespoons/29 milliliters oil until incorporated; the oil may seem to just sit on the dough at first, but it will eventually blend in. Continue mixing on medium-high until well-mixed and a smooth dough that no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl forms, 5 to 8 minutes. The dough will be slightly tacky when lightly touched. Cover tightly and refrigerate for 24 hours to ferment. If possible, after the dough has chilled for 6 to 8 hours, using a dough scraper and damp hands, briefly scrape and fold the dough from around the edges of the bowl into the center (this will help to ensure the dough is a similar temperature throughout, which will lead to a better structure).

With the mixer on low, slowly drizzle in 2 tablespoons/29 milliliters oil until incorporated; the oil may seem to just sit on the dough at first, but it will eventually blend in. Continue mixing on medium-high until well-mixed and a smooth dough that no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl forms, 5 to 8 minutes. The dough will be slightly tacky when lightly touched. Cover tightly and refrigerate for 24 hours to ferment. If possible, after the dough has chilled for 6 to 8 hours, using a dough scraper and damp hands, briefly scrape and fold the dough from around the edges of the bowl into the center (this will help to ensure the dough is a similar temperature throughout, which will lead to a better structure).

Step 5At least 3 hours before you plan to bake, prepare the tomato sauce: Place the crushed tomatoes in a nonreactive container, just large enough to store them. Push the garlic through a garlic press (or finely grate them) directly onto the tomatoes. Add the salt and olive oil and mix thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours (or up to one week) before using.

At least 3 hours before you plan to bake, prepare the tomato sauce: Place the crushed tomatoes in a nonreactive container, just large enough to store them. Push the garlic through a garlic press (or finely grate them) directly onto the tomatoes. Add the salt and olive oil and mix thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours (or up to one week) before using.

Step 6After the dough has fermented for 24 hours, continue preparing the dough: Lightly flour a clean work surface. Turn dough out onto the surface (a plastic dough scraper is helpful here to remove the dough from the bowl) and, with lightly floured hands, fold the edges in to form the dough into a rough rectangle, trying not to incorporate too much more flour into the dough. (It may be helpful to keep a small bowl of water nearby; dough will not stick to wet hands.)

After the dough has fermented for 24 hours, continue preparing the dough: Lightly flour a clean work surface. Turn dough out onto the surface (a plastic dough scraper is helpful here to remove the dough from the bowl) and, with lightly floured hands, fold the edges in to form the dough into a rough rectangle, trying not to incorporate too much more flour into the dough. (It may be helpful to keep a small bowl of water nearby; dough will not stick to wet hands.)

Step 7Spread ⅓ cup/80 milliliters oil in a 13-by-18-inch sheet pan and add the dough, seam side down. Drizzle a bit more oil (about 2 tablespoons/29 milliliters) all over the top of dough and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours, until the dough has doubled or even tripled in size and is relaxed and easy to stretch; if not, cover and let sit until it is.

Spread ⅓ cup/80 milliliters oil in a 13-by-18-inch sheet pan and add the dough, seam side down. Drizzle a bit more oil (about 2 tablespoons/29 milliliters) all over the top of dough and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours, until the dough has doubled or even tripled in size and is relaxed and easy to stretch; if not, cover and let sit until it is.

Step 8Press and stretch dough with fingertips to the edges of the pan, lifting the dough as necessary to make sure there is oil underneath the dough all the way to the center. Pat the dough into an even layer, dimpling it with your fingertips all over.

Press and stretch dough with fingertips to the edges of the pan, lifting the dough as necessary to make sure there is oil underneath the dough all the way to the center. Pat the dough into an even layer, dimpling it with your fingertips all over.

Step 9When ready to bake, heat oven to 425 degrees (see Tip). Add 3 cups of tomato sauce to dough, spreading evenly over the surface but leaving a ½-inch border of uncovered dough at the edges. Bake until the crust is starting to turn brown with some darker spots, about 25 minutes.

When ready to bake, heat oven to 425 degrees (see Tip). Add 3 cups of tomato sauce to dough, spreading evenly over the surface but leaving a ½-inch border of uncovered dough at the edges. Bake until the crust is starting to turn brown with some darker spots, about 25 minutes.

Step 10Remove from oven and increase oven temperature to 450 degrees. Add up to 3 more cups of sauce, spreading evenly, and bake until crust is very well browned, 20 to 25 minutes more.

Remove from oven and increase oven temperature to 450 degrees. Add up to 3 more cups of sauce, spreading evenly, and bake until crust is very well browned, 20 to 25 minutes more.

Step 11Transfer the pie to a wire rack, then set the rack over the same sheet pan to catch any drips. Lightly sprinkle with oregano and drizzle with more olive oil while still warm (the pie should be glistening). Let cool 30 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and, using a bread knife, cut into pieces. Serve at room temperature, drizzled with more olive oil.

Transfer the pie to a wire rack, then set the rack over the same sheet pan to catch any drips. Lightly sprinkle with oregano and drizzle with more olive oil while still warm (the pie should be glistening). Let cool 30 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and, using a bread knife, cut into pieces. Serve at room temperature, drizzled with more olive oil.

While the tomato pie bakes, it’s a good idea to turn on an exhaust fan and open some windows, as the oil may drip onto the bottom of the oven and create smoke. Placing a large sheet of foil on the oven shelf below may also help.

Tomato pie is best the day it’s made, but leftover slices can be tightly wrapped in foil and frozen for up to 2 weeks. Reheat the frozen pie, loosely wrapped, directly on the rack of a 350 degree oven.

Thrilled to see this! It’s a Rhode Island thing too. My Boston cousins always loved it when we brought this to family gatherings. It’s commonly found in Italian bakeries in and around Providence and it’s always served cold or room temp. However, we call it Party Pizza. I didn’t know it was called Tomato Pie or that it was also a Philadelphia thing as well. I’m very excited to try the Philly version! Thank you for this recipe!

Yes, you can cut the recipe in half to make a 9"x13" rectangular or 12" diameter round pie. Be aware this is a thick crust, described as "a focaccialike flatbread." And you can use sourdough starter in place of the yeast and reduce the flour and water by the amount of starter. For full recipe example, add 120 grams of starter (100% hydration) and use 770 grams flour and 520 milliliters water.

Honestly, after trying several types of "San Marzano" tomatoes - imported and domestic varietals, we found that the canned tomatoes we like best are the Bianco Dinapoli Tomatoes. Crushed tomatoes preferably, as that part of the work has been done for you. Buying whole ones you need to separate the tomatoes from the sauce and then hand-crush them to get the best results. Bianco tomatoes that are pre-crushed have terrific consistency, just add the garlic and olive oil which incorporates well.

If I let the dough ferment for 36 hours instead of 24, will that be ok?

Marchiano's Bakery in Manayunk (Philadelphia) if you want a standard for comparison. Initial crunch, tangy/ savory sauce. Simplicity and perfection.

I moved to CT 15 years ago and still miss Marchiano's! This pie helps a great deal.

As a native Rhode Islander, I cannot "not" point out that this style is extremely popular in The Ocean State. They're called "pizza strips" or "bakery pizza," and they are a staple.

Adapted from Joe Beddia

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Source: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024604-tomato-pie