Close your eyes and imagine the perfect bite of pizza. You’re from Jersey, so we know you’ve had it at least once in your life. The Garden State is home to over 2,000 pizza joints, so chances are you’ve worked your way through a slice of two in your day.
Armed with all that pizza know-how, you know a good slice when you bite into it. The thin, chewy crust and burst of tomato. The hint of oregano and long pull of cheese. Readers, that is a proper bite of pizza.
What if we were to tell you that though one of the most famous crust + cheese + tomato combinations in New Jersey is not even called a pizza? To the five people left in the state who aren’t in the know, we give you the legendary Trenton Tomato Pie.
A trip to Mercer County will land you squarely in the heart of Trenton Tomato Pie territory. Photo courtesy of NJ Advance Media
New Jersey + Pizza = Perfect Together
But first, a little background on the history of pizza in New Jersey.
Unlike many other dishes that have made their way into the annals of Italian classics here in Jersey — think: spaghetti and meatballs and chicken parm, which are all distinctly Americanized versions of Italian dishes — pizza actually was created in Naples, Italy in the 18th century.
While flatbreads topped with olive oil were a staple in the Mediterranean region for hundreds of years, prevailing wisdom throughout Europe back then was that tomatoes were poisonous. But, as often is the case, necessity was the mother of invention, so when the poor in the region found themselves hungry, they resorted to putting tomatoes on top of their flatbread and a classic was born.
The flood of Italian immigrants landing at New York’s back door in the early part of the 20th century brought the simple peasant food with them, and legend has it, a version of it was introduced as street food in Little Italy. Ingredients were modified over time, and instead of a whole pie, workers could buy a large slice that could be folded over to contain the hot sauce and cheese within to make it the perfect on-the-go meal.
Competitors began to open their own pizza joints throughout New York’s five boroughs, each one bringing their own unique style to the popular food and claiming to be the best.
Papa’s Tomato Pies owner Nick Azzaro, left, and his cousin and manager Mike Azzaro stand behind their iconic mustard pie, which has become a delicious tradition. Photo courtesy of NJ Advance Media
Meet the Un-Pizza
New Jersey has a long history with the iconic Italian-American staple, dating back to the early 20th century. That wave of immigrants also landed in the Garden State, and one in particular in Trenton opened what is today the oldest pizza restaurant in the country and pioneer of the now-famous Trenton Tomato Pie.
Neapolitan immigrant Giuseppe “Joe” Papa opened Papa’s Tomato Pies on South Clinton Avenue in Trenton in 1912 where they served pizza with a twist: a thin layer of spicy brown mustard was added between the crust and cheese and topped with tomato.
The result: a pizza-like combination that lets the tomato be the star, which adds big bursts of flavor on top of the stringy cheese and chewy crust. You can get it without the mustard smear, but as their menu says, “Why don’t you try one and be the judge? According to Huffpost Taste, “While it’s not easy to live in the shadow of New York pizza, New Jersey pies hold their own thanks in no small part to Papa’s Tomato Pies.”
While Papa’s moved to Robbinsville in 2013, it still carries on the Trenton Tomato Pie tradition with the founder’s grandson now at the helm of the legendary family business.
De Lorenzo’s Tomato Pies has established a tomato pie dynasty that continues today. Photo courtesy of NJ Advance Media
De Lorenzo’s Tomato Pies also got its start in Trenton before moving to Robbinsville along with another location in Yardley, Pa. Alexander “Chick” De Lorenzo opened the Hudson Street location where he and his wife, Sophie, worked together for 40 years and established a tomato pie dynasty that continues today. Eater included the restaurant in its roundup of the country’s 38 “essential” pizzas, and one of its pizza experts explained, “It’s fantastic with one of my favorite sausage pies in the world. Solid crust that snaps at the end but yields for the first few bites.”
If a trip to Mercer County to sample what, by now, you must be dying to try is simply out of the question, here’s a recipe to make your own at home (be sure to cut your round pie into squares for a truly authentic feel). Take a big bite and enjoy. Snap a picture and share with your friends on Instagram. Whatever you need to do to complete your tomato pie journey.
Only one thing: don’t call it a “pizza.”
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An ode to the Trenton Tomato Pie, a saucy creation that should forever be an N.J. food staple - Jersey's Best
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