What Is Grandma Pizza and Where Does It Get Its Name?

When you think of "New York pizza," you probably imagine a thin and round Neapolitan-style pie. But there's another, less well-known type of pizza that originated in New York—and if you've never heard of it, we should remedy that right now. Here's what you need to know about Grandma pizza, the nostalgic Italian-American pizza that deserves a spot in your recipe box.

What Is Grandma Pizza?

Grandma pizza is a Sicilian-style pie that originated in New York. It has a thin crust and it's cooked in a square pan. Since it was created by home cooks from Long Island, Grandma pizza is traditionally made without a pizza oven.

Notable for its distinctly thin crust, Grandma pizza is cooked in an olive oil-coated rectangular pan and topped with mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce. (The sauce is typically layered over the cheese—not the other way around.) It's cut into square pieces for serving.

Grandma Pizza vs. Sicilian Pizza

The main difference between Grandma pizza and Sicilian pizza is the handling of the dough. Sicilian dough is left to rise after it is stretched into the pan, resulting in a fluffier crust. Grandma dough, meanwhile, is quickly placed in the oven with little to no rising time. This is the reason Grandma pizza crust is denser, thinner, and crispier.

Grandma Pizza History

Though the exact origin of Grandma pizza is unclear, many people speculate it can be traced back to Italian-American grandmothers living on Long Island in the 1970s. As first-generation Italian immigrants, these women were likely trying to recreate a pie they remembered from their home country with ingredients they had on hand.

Grandma pizza sounds like "pizza alla casalinga (housewife-style pizza), the kind of pizzas you'd get in Italy if you were invited to someone's home," Michele Scicolone, Italian food expert and co-author of ″Pizza: Any Way You Slice It,″ told Serious Eats in 2008.

How to Make Grandma Pizza at Home

Grandma pizza is becoming increasingly popular in New York City restaurants, but you may have a hard time finding it on menus outside New York. Don't fret, though! You can easily make this homespun favorite in the comfort of your own kitchen with this simple recipe.

"My four kids and husband are not always easy to please when it comes to food, especially all in one meal," says five-star reviewer Lisa Kelley. "I made this recipe today and everyone LOVED it!"