New Haven Style Pizza is known for its tradition and taste. It is famous for its thin, crispy crust and delightful burning style. This style of pizza has a trendy of followers. The magic of Hew Haven-style pizza also lies in its dough-making. Well-crafted dough makes a foundation for a memorable experience of the taste of pizza. If you want to try this classic in your kitchen, this blog is taking you on the full journey of such a mesmerizing creation.
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What is New Haven Style Pizza?
This style of pizza is known as “apizza”, and is a regional pizza style that originated in New Haven (Connecticut). It had different characteristics which set it apart from other styles of pizzas.
A thin crust of New Haven Style Pizza
New Haven style of pizza is popular for its thin and crispy crust. The stretched thin dough is overcooked a bit at high heat of a coal-fired, wood-fired, or brick oven. This gives it a special distinct flavor and texture.
Less topping is a great topping
Too much addition of topping overpowers the taste of pizza. New Haven-style pizza has traditional toppings and few but flavorful. Tomato Sauce or a thin layer of crushed tomatoes, grated Pecorino Romano cheese, oregano, and a spray of olive oil. Mozzarella cheese is not used here in New Haven-style pizzas. Garlic can also be used as a topping with other simple ingredients.
Oven Used for New Haven Style Pizza
New Haven Style pizza has a unique flavor, which is created by using the traditional coal-fired brick oven.
The specialty of this oven is a reach of high temperature typically around 800-900°F / 425-480°C and a Smokey earthy taste addition. Such a quick and intense heat gives the pizza crust a crisp with slight burn marks.
Historic
New Haven-style pizza traces back to Italian immigrants from the regions of Apulia(Puglia) and Campania. They brought the tradition of thin crust which developed into its own different style of New Haven Pizza style over the decades.
Cultural significance
In New Haven, this pizza style has a significant place in the culinary world of the region. It has its followers beyond Connecticut.
New Haven Style Pizza Dough Recipe
For dough making of New Haven Style pizza, you will need the following ingredients:
Ingredients for New Haven-style pizza dough recipe
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups water (at room temperature)
- 1 tsp active dry yeast
- 2 tsp salt (use as per your taste and need)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Making the New Haven-style pizza dough at home
For making dough, follow the process mentioned here
1. Activate the Yeast
Mix the dry yeast in water and dissolve it fully. Allow it to sit for 10-15 minutes.
2. Salt addition
Add the salt on flour like a sprinkle, in a bowl.
3. Mixing the Dough
Start yeast mixed water slowly on the dough flour and mix it either with your hands or use an automatic mixer if needed. Mix it thoroughly until a refined mixture with a soft texture develops. Make sure it is not gooey as you will be unable to make dough balls later. Dense texture is also important for making a thin crust. Watery dough cannot be stretched for a thinner crust.
4. Kneading
Place the dough at the side for like half an hour to rise.
5. Covering
Don’t forget to cover it with a lid or polythene sheet for a smoother surface.
6. Pre-checks
Check the dough if it is done and have obtained the desired denser texture.
7. Dough ball making
When it is ready to make dough balls, make dough balls with drops of olive oil on your hands and keep them separately in a pizza dough tray.
8. Refrigerate
Refrigerate the New Haven-style pizza dough balls in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours making it an authentic pizza dough for New Haven Style pizza.
Crafting the New Haven-style pizza home
Normalizing the dough
PLACE the dough out of the refrigerator and keep it at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
Dough Stretching
Start stretching the dough outer wards, keeping the dough ball at a baking sheet or counter shelf. Stretch the dough for a circular shape of about 10-14 inches.
Pre- heating
Meanwhile, pre- heat your oven or pizza stone for maximum attainable temperature. Usually around 500-550°F / 260-290°C.
Topping
when a thin crust has been made, start topping it with tomato sauce, grated Pecorino Romano cheese, oregano, and olive oil.
Baking
After crust and topping is done, place the pizza carefully on baking sheet for baking in a pre-heating oven or pre-heated pizza stone. You may try brick oven if it is possible at home to give an extra and unique traditional flavor of New Haven Pizza. Bake the pizza until the crust turns to golden brown with a crisp.
Enjoy
Remove the pizza from oven or pizza stone. Let it cook a bit. Slice it in required numbers and sizes. Enjoy the traditional directly from your kitchen.
Conclusion
Overall, New Haven Style pizza is valued by its thin crispy crust, low toppings, unique cheese and burn spotted pizza. It reflects the rich history of Italian-American culinary heritage in the Northeastern United States.
By following above recipe, you are not taking a traditional pizza but creating a unique traditional culinary journey of pizza making.