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Tomato Pie Recipe
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Philly Tomato Pie

The ultimate philly tomato pie - a Sicilian-style pizza topped with a rich tomato sauce, dried oregano and grated cheese.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Inactive Rise Time5 hours 40 minutes
Total Time6 hours 50 minutes
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: Italian tomato pie, philly tomato pie, Sicilian tomato pie, tomato pie pizza
Servings: 6
Author: Rachel Lerro

Equipment

  • 1 1/4 sheet tray (9x13")
  • 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

Instructions

Make Dough

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

  • Blend tomatoes, garlic cloves, olive oil and a pinch of salt until smooth.
  • 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.
  • Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Brine Dough

  • Preheat the oven to 500°F. If using a baking stone, place it in the middle of the oven.
  • 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.
  • Let the dough rise for 20 minutes, then press your fingertips all over the surface to create dimples.
  • Mix water and salt to create the brine. Drizzle the brine over the dough and let it rise for another 20 minutes.
  • Once the dough is bubbly, gently spread half of the tomato sauce over the top, reserving the other half for the final topping.

Bake

  • 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.
  • 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!

Did You Make This Recipe?

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