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 mins
Cook Time50 minutes mins
Inactive Rise Time5 hours hrs 40 minutes mins
Total Time6 hours hrs 50 minutes mins
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: Italian tomato pie, philly tomato pie, Sicilian tomato pie, tomato pie pizza
Servings: 6
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
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
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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