Philly Tomato Pie

Sicilian-style pizza topped with a thick, rich tomato sauce

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This tomato pie is a classic Philly dish. I didn’t realize until recently that it wasn’t common elsewhere and was a specific regional specialty. Essentially, it’s a square Sicilian-style pan pizza with minimal to no cheese—more of a garnish, really. I typically had this served at room temperature, mostly at holiday gatherings. Everyone would mill about, watching the game, and grab a slice while moving between rooms.

The base is a focaccia-style dough, similar to what’s used for sfincione. It’s a wet dough with a high water-to-flour ratio, enriched with olive oil. Even more oil goes on the pan before baking, giving the tomato pie a crispy, fried exterior. Delicious!

A non-traditional touch in this recipe is the salt water brine during the final rise. It seasons the dough, enhances the texture of crust, and makes the dough lighter and more moist. This technique is common in focaccia-making—ever since trying Samin Nosrat’s Ligurian Focaccia, it’s become my go-to method. It might seem unusual if you’ve never done it before, but trust the process.

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Equipment

• 1 1/4 sheet tray (9x13")

• Digital scale

• Pizza or baking stone *optional

Ingredients

Dough

• 320 g warm water (~ 1 1/3 cups)

• 3/4 tsp active dry yeast

• 1 1/2 tsp honey or sugar

• 1/4 cup olive oil (1/4 cup + 2 tbsp divided)

• 400 g flour (~ 2 3/4 cups)

• 1 1/4 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt

Brine

• 1/4 cup water

• 1 tsp salt

Sauce

• 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes

• 3 tbsp olive oil (2 tbsp +1 tbsp divided)

• 2 cloves garlic peeled

• salt to taste

To Finish

• pinch dried oregano

• grated Parmesan or Pecorino

• olive oil

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Instructions

Make Dough

1. To make the dough, start by proofing the yeast. Mix yeast, warm water, and honey (or sugar) together. Let sit for about 5 minutes until you see bubbles forming, indicating the yeast is active.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Mix well.

3. Add the yeast-water mixture and 2 tbsp olive oil to the flour. Mix with a spatula or wooden spoon until combined, ensuring no dry clumps remain.

4. Cover and set the dough aside to rise and double in size. You can either:Refrigerate overnight (recommended for best flavor) or leave at room temperature for approximately 5 hours

Make Sauce

1. Blend tomatoes, garlic cloves, olive oil and a pinch of salt until smooth.

2. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the blended tomato sauce and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce reduces by half (30-40 minutes). The final sauce should be thick, almost like a loose tomato paste, with a brick-red color. You'll know it's ready when you can see the bottom of the pan when dragging a spoon through.

3. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Brine Dough

1. Preheat the oven to 500°F. If using a baking stone, place it in the middle of the oven.

2. Punch down the dough and transfer it to a well-oiled baking tray (use the reserved 1/4 cup olive oil). Stretch the dough to fill the pan.

3. Let the dough rise for 20 minutes, then press your fingertips all over the surface to create dimples.

4. Mix water and salt to create the brine. Drizzle the brine over the dough and let it rise for another 20 minutes.

5. Once the dough is bubbly, gently spread half of the tomato sauce over the top, reserving the other half for the final topping.

Bake

1. Bake the tomato pie for 20 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the top begins to caramelize. Look for dark blistered spots and a very dark red tomato sauce.

2. Remove the tomato pie from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes. Transfer the pie to a cooling rack.

Top and Eat

Top with the remaining tomato sauce, a drizzle of olive oil, dried oregano, and plenty of grated Pecorino or Parmesan. Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!

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