There’s a reason why pizza is the number one dinner choice in the country. You’d be hard-pressed to find someone that didn’t like this iconic dish. But, the real reason for pizza’s longevity is its diverse history.
This history has lead to hundreds of different styles and variations. However, perhaps the most iconic style of pizza comes from New York City. But what exactly does New York pizza mean?
If you want to learn the answer, then you’re in the right place. In this article, we’ll explain what’s so special about this style. And, we’ll show that you don’t need to go to the Big Apple to find authentic New York Pizza Boise. Let’s get started!
What is New York Pizza?
Let’s start with a definition of what New York Pizza is. This regional pizza is based heavily on the Neapolitan-style that Italian immigrants brought over to the city at the start of the twentieth century. New York pizza is famous for its crust.
The crust needs to be thin and wide. In addition, it should be crispy, but flexible enough to fold. This is important because New Yorkers are constantly on the go.
As such, they need to be able to fold it so they can eat it while on the move. The pizza itself is usually quite large, usually between eighteen to twenty-four inches wide. As such, in New York, people usually purchase them by the slice.
While a classic slice usually just consists of cheese and sauce, toppings quickly became popular. These days you can find any combination of meat, cheeses, and vegetables as extra add-ons.
Traditionally it’s baked in a coal oven. However, these days many restaurants use a gas-powered oven to cook them.
What Are the Ingredients?
The secret base of any New York pizza is high-gluten flour. This is the secret to a workable crust that can be made thin enough. To this, pizza makers will usually add yeast, water, olive oil, and some sugar. In this way, the New York pizza differs from Neapolitan pizza in the number of ingredients.
Now, many New Yorkers claim that the unique flavor and crust of this pizza style are due to minerals found in the New York City tap water. While it’s true that minerals can add certain flavors, the reality is that this claim doesn’t hold water.
Mineral-rich water can be found anywhere. So, no New York water isn’t the secret. The secret lies in the high-gluten dough. Once the dough is complete next comes the sauce. This is another area where New York-style pizza differs from the Neapolitan origins.
Neapolitan pizza sauce is incredibly simple, usually just crushed tomatoes and salt. New York pizza, on the other hand, is heavily seasoned and cooked. It usually contains canned tomatoes, mixed with olive oil, garlic, salt, oregano, basil, sugar, and crushed red pepper.
Once done, a thin layer of this is placed on the pizza. After that, it’s topped with whole-milk mozzarella. This is also different from the large slabs of mozzarella that were placed on Neapolitan pizza.
Once the cheese is on, then it’s time to add the toppings. Typically, this consists of Italian meats, like pepperoni and sausages. However, here are some of the other popular toppings:
- Meatballs
- Mixed bell peppers
- Olives
- Onions
- Mushrooms
- Sardines
What is the History of New York Pizza?
The history of New York Pizza dates back to 1905. It all started when a guy named Gennaro Lombardi opened the first pizzeria in Manhattan’s Little Italy. This is where the wide pies first started getting sold for five cents a slice.
Then, in 1924, an ex-employee of Lombardi’s went on to found his pizza restaurant named Totonno’s. These two restaurants, along with Patsy’s in Harlem, are some of the oldest pizza restaurants in NYC that are still active.
They’ve gone on to influence hundreds of other pizza restaurants. This includes Di Fara Pizza, which has been rumored to have the best slice in the city, and the many famous Ray’s Pizza restaurants.
These days in NYC, there might be a little too many pizza joints. According to the NYC Dept. of Health, there are roughly 1,250 restaurants with the word ‘pizza’ in their name.
Plus, an additional 400 places with the word ‘pizzeria in their name. Unfortunately, many of these places serve pizza that’s nothing special. The good news is that New York-style pizza isn’t just confined to New York anymore. The popularity of the style means that you can find this style throughout the country.
Can You Find New York Pizza Boise, Hailey, and Ketchum?
As we mentioned before, New York-style pizza has long since expanded outside of its home state. These days you can find it everywhere, even Idaho!
If you’re looking for authentic pizza in areas like Boise, Hailey, or Ketchem, then look no further than Wiseguy Pizza Pie. We use stone decks to make sure that our crust is thin and wide.
That makes it perfect for folding. Plus, we have tons of mouthwatering topping combinations. Want to learn more about what makes our pizza different from the rest? Make sure to check out this article.
Want New York Style Pizza? Visit Wiseguy Pizza Pie
We hope this article helped you learn everything you need to know about New York Pizza Boise. As you can see, New York might have been where it originated, but this style of pizza has since expanded across the country.
Now, you can find NYC pizza from coast to coast, and everywhere in-between. Need proof? Visit Wiseguy Pizza Pie in Idaho. Our three different locations in Boise, Hailey, and Ketchum serve authentic New York pizza that’s better than anything you’ll find in the city. Order online today and find out what all the fuss is about!
