St. Louis–style pizza
 | |
| Type | Pizza |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | United States |
| Region or state | St. Louis, Missouri |
| Main ingredients | Unleavened pizza dough, sweet tomato sauce, Provel cheese |
St. Louis–style pizza is a type of pizza in St. Louis, Missouri, and surrounding areas.[1] The pizza has a thin cracker-like crust made without yeast, topped with sweet tomato sauce and Provel cheese, and is cut into squares or rectangles rather than wedges.
St. Louis–style pizza is available at local restaurants and chains such as Imo's Pizza. Frozen St. Louis–style pizzas are sold at local supermarkets such as Schnucks and Dierbergs Markets.
Distinct characteristics
[edit]Thin crust
[edit]Made without yeast and rolled thin,[1] the crust of St. Louis–style pizza is crisp and cracker-like, unlike the doughier Chicago-style pizza and New York–style pizza.[2]
Instead of the larger pie-like wedges seen in other pizza styles, it is cut into three- or four-inch squares, referred to as a party cut or tavern cut.[3][4][5] It has been suggested that the square cut was inspired by Ed Imo’s former profession as a tile-layer.[6] The smaller slices and rigid crust help support the weight of its toppings.[7]
Provel cheese
[edit]
Provel cheese is typically—though not always—used in place of mozzarella.[1] Provel is a white processed cheese made from cheddar, Swiss, and provolone,[4][8] developed by Costa Grocery in St. Louis during the 1950s. It’s made in Wisconsin by a Kraft Heinz subsidiary, primarily for the St. Louis market.
Sweet tomato sauce
[edit]The tomato sauce is seasoned with more oregano than other styles of pizza,[1][2] and is sweeter, likely due to the influence of Sicilian immigrants upon Italian foods in St. Louis.[1]
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e Richman, Adam (2010). America the Edible: A Hungry History, from Sea to Dining Sea. Rodale. pp. 79–81. ISBN 978-1605293028.
- ^ a b Viets, Elaine (2011). Death on a Platter: Josie Marcus, Mystery Shopper. Penguin. p. (unlisted). ISBN 978-1101558737.
- ^ Barrett, Liz (2014). Pizza: A Slice of American History. Minneapolis, MN: Voyageur Press.
- ^ a b Kim Harwell (2003-01-11). "City famed for arch has another angle; St. Louis–style pizzas square off against all comers". The Dallas Morning News.
- ^ Foods of Saint Louis MO
- ^ Bastianich. (2011). Lidia's Italy in America, New York: Alfred Knopf. ISBN 978-0-307-59567-6. Page 272.
- ^ "In Defense of St. Louis-Style Pizza". Serious Eats. Archived from the original on 2024-03-26. Retrieved 2024-03-26.
- ^ Lemons (2008-01-17). "Imo's Pizza in St. Louis". SeriousEats.com. Archived from the original on 2008-02-29. Retrieved 2008-03-02.