| Trenton tomato pie | |
| Alternate Name: | New Jersey tomato pie |
| Country: | United States |
| Region: | Trenton, New Jersey |
| Type: | Pizza |
| Main Ingredient: | Pizza dough, tomato sauce, cheese |
Trenton tomato pie[1] [2] or New Jersey tomato pie[3] is a type of circular, thin-crust Italian tomato pie created in Trenton, New Jersey, United States, around the early 20th century in which cheese and other toppings are added on first, then the sauce.[4] [5]
The distinction between pizza and Trenton tomato pies is in the process of making the pie. Unlike the thicker square Italian tomato pie, Trenton tomato pie is often circular, of the thin-crust variety and includes cheese. In this style of tomato pie, the mozzarella and toppings are placed on the pie first followed by the tomato sauce placed on top.[6]
The first tomato pies in the United States were sold in New York City[7] at Lombardi's which opened in 1905. Joe's Tomato Pie (now defunct), which opened in 1910, was the first Trenton-styled tomato pie.[8] Papa's Tomato Pies, whose proprietor learned the trade at Joe's, was opened two years later in 1912.[9]
The Trenton region is home to the two oldest currently operating New Jersey tomato pie restaurants in the United States, Papa's and De Lorenzo's. Trenton tomato pies have expanded across the region.[10] In 1991, Palermo's opened in Bordentown, New Jersey. In September 2017, Classico Tomato Pies opened in West Windsor and won best Trenton tomato pie by the Bridgewater Courier News.[11] [12]