Grandma Pizza: An Exploration
From pizzajawn.com. Note the tomato on top of the cheese.
BY JILLY MacDOWELL | The story goes that Grandma (technically, not "Grandma's") pizza is a Long Island invention, served first outside the home as a staff meal at the New Hyde Park red sauce joint Umberto's, founded 1965. It didn't hit their menu till the 70s.
The timeline holds up, but the origin has been disputed by other pizzerias. Suffice to say, the Grandma didn't really take off until the aughts. Inspired by la preparazione di nonna, a thin layer of dough fresh from the fridge (less rise creates a denser crust; proof the dough and you've got a Sicilian) is baked, nearly fried, in a heavily olive-oiled square pan. Modified as such out of necessity – Grandma didn't have a pizza oven! – the bottom is crisp and the toppings go edge to edge, corner to delicious corner.
Traditionally, the G-ma only has fresh mozzarella, tomato product, garlic & olive oil, in that order. Today, it’s more common to see tomato sauce than traditional crushed tomato. A very few basil leaves are permitted. The essential difference from other pizzas – cheese first, then tomato – if not to prevent sogginess, is just the way Grandma did it. The burnt cheese on the oily edges almost counts as its own ingredient; that said, this Italian-American chef/writer does not recognize any other toppings on a bona fide Grandma pizza.
Get a grip (6 or 9 squares per, usually) locally at these shops:
Angelina's, Powelton Village: Cheap ($14.50) and by the book.
Angelo's, Italian Market: Is this the best Philly pizzeria overall?
Cafe Antonio II, Collingswood: The closer you get to LI, the more grand'zas you find in NJ. This South Jersey version is a local obsession.
Little Italy, South Street: Those four words do not scream "great pizza," but don't sleep on it. Leans Sicilian.
Pizza Jawn, Manayunk: First of all, a sesame crust. Grandma didn't have those. This blister-mottled, carbon-y jawn would not be achievable in nana’s ancient hotbox (oop, not the time for oven slang). Ergo, it’s a modernization. But as a sesame crust enthusiast this slaps.
And we found a few more on menus at Cosimo's Pizza Cafe, Chestnut Hill; Italian Express, Brewerytown; and Pizzeria Pesto, East Passyunk. Mangia, mangia! You look-ah so skinny!
