Pizza comes in so many different combinations that it can fit anyone's taste. There are various toppings that can go on a pizza, but one of the defining characteristics is also the crust.
The usual suspects, if you will, are the thin and thick crust pies, as well as the deep-dish. Today, we'll focus on the classic thin-crust option.
A thin crust is associated with a few popular types of pizza. So, let's take a look:
- New York-style - Pretty much the most famous pizza in America, the NY-style pie features a hand-tossed thin crust. It is typically offered in slices that you can grab on the go. The crust is also crisp on the edges and you can easily fold your slices. The standard ingredients are tomato sauce and mozzarella.
- Neapolitan - This is the original thin-crust pizza from Italy. It comes with tomato and mozzarella but they must be of a specific kind for authenticity. That would be San Marzano tomatoes and Mozzarella di Bufala Campana. There are strict rules for the dough as well. Also, the pizza is baked in a wood-fired oven at 905 °F.
- Tavern-style - While Chicago is known for its deep-dish pies, it also has a locally popular thin-crust pizza. In fact, it is even thinner (and crunchier) than the pizza in New York. That's because the dough is rolled rather than hand-tossed. This pie is cut into squares which is also called tavern-style or party cut.
- New Haven-style - Also known as apizza, this pie comes from New Haven, Connecticut. Based on the Neapolitan version, it has a thin charred crust and is baked in a coal-fired oven. The mozzarella doesn't come by default and the terms "mootz" or "no-mootz" are used to specify whether you'd like some or not.
- St. Louis-style - This pizza is made without yeast and thus features a thin crust that resembles a cracker. It also comes with Provel cheese which is rather exclusive for the St. Louis area. Due to its characteristics, the crust isn't suitable for folding and the pie is cut into squares. By the same token, it can easily handle being heavy on the toppings.
Luckily for us, these pizza types can be found outside their original areas. Hence, you can enjoy a variety of thin-crust pies independent of your location. The choice is yours and deliciousness awaits you!
Where Did Thin Crust Pizza Originate?
As mentioned above, the original thin-crust pizza is the Neapolitan one. Thus, the history of thin-crust pies starts in Italy.
On that note, let's take a look at pizza Margherita. This version of the Neapolitan pie comes with San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil. The colors of these ingredients - red, white, and green - symbolize the colors of the Italian flag.
It was first made in 1889 by Raffaele Esposito. He created it in honor of Queen Margherita who was visiting the Royal Palace of Capodimonte in Naples, Italy. That's why this pizza carries her name.
As many Italians immigrated to America at the turn of the 20th century, pizza also made its way there.
The first pizzeria in the United States was opened in New York in 1905. It was called Lombardi's Pizza with a location on Spring Street. The owner was Gennaro Lombardi, a pizza maker originally from Naples.
Since many customers at the time couldn't afford a whole pie, they would instead grab just a slice. Thus, the tradition of enjoying NY-style pizza in slices began.
In Chicago, pizza was initially sold in taverns. It was also a way to prompt the visitors to drink alcohol. It wasn't unusual that pizza even came as a free bite with your drink.
Moreover, these taverns often lacked plates, so they cut the pizza into squares and served it on napkins.
In New Haven, the first tomato pies were sold at Frank Pepe's pizzeria, which opened in 1925. The owner was Frank Pepe and his pies featured tomatoes, pecorino romano cheese, oregano, garlic, and olive oil.
As for St. Louis, they were late bloomers when it came to pizza. It wasn't until visitors from out of town started to request pizza that Amadeo Fiore opened his place Melrose Café & Pizzeria.
Of course, it didn't take long for all the locals to discover this great new dish and so pizza spread all across town. Another popular pizzeria that opened was Imo's Pizza in 1963. Luigi's Restaurant, opened in 1953, was the first to use Provel cheese.
How Many Calories Are in a Thin Crust Pizza?
The calories in a thin-crust pizza can vary, depending on the toppings. For example, a slice of Neapolitan Margherita pizza has an average of 300 calories, a slice of NY-style cheese pizza has around 400 calories, and the St. Louis thin-crust cheese pie has around 330 to 350 calories.
The calories in the thin crust pizza are mostly from the carbs (33%) and fats (48%), and a small amount comes from the proteins (19%).
Where Can I Find Thin Crust Pizza Near Me?
Looking for a delicious thin-crust pizza for pickup or delivery? Find the best thin-crust pizza near you via Slice.
If in Philadelphia order a traditional hand-tossed pizza from Mario’s Pizza, or a thin-crust pizza from Villa Palermo when in Chicago. Both are available for pickup and delivery in the Slice app.
Of course, for other places, just check the listings on this page.
