Discover All the Types and Styles of Pizza

Pizza is indeed one of the most favorite foods in the United States or many in different countries as well. Since its humble beginnings in Italy, it has been transformed through the years, becoming the dish that a lot of people known and love in the present time. And when it comes to pizza, we all have our own favorites.

In the United States, there are approximately 75 thousand pizzerias with nearly $40 billion spend on the humble combination of water, flour, yeast, and salt. But out of those ingredients, pizza grew into different types and styles. Each region of the country has their own different methods and ingredients when it comes to creating pizza. Therefore, we can also say that pizza can also be a valuable indicator of a person’s roots.

If you want to know more about pizzas, or you’re looking into trying different styles, then you came at the right place because we are going to give you a list of all the types and styles of pizza.

Types of Pizza Crust

Dough and crust are the foundation of creating a delicious pizza. There are two popular ways to mold and shape a pizza’s dough and crust and they are thin crust and thick crust.

Thin Crust Pizza :Pizzas that have thin crusts are slimmer in the center but they lead up to a crunchy but doughy edge. To be able to create a thin crust pizza, the secret is to gently stretch out the dough to form the edges. Also, thin crust pizzas usually do not have a lot of toppings because the might not handle the weight well.

Thick Crust Pizza :Thick crust pizzas are thick all throughout and they can handle the weight of the sauce and toppings really well. Their crusts can range in thickness from 1/8 to 1/4-inch. They usually have edges to contain all the sauce, cheese, and toppings, and their crusts are generally rolled out on a cutting board and molded into the shape of the pan that is used to bake them.

Different Styles of Pizza

As mentioned before, here are the different styles of pizza and a little background about them.

1. New York Style Pizza

This style of pizza has become the most popular and widespread choice in the United States. The crust of a New York Style pizza is thin, but must be thick enough to fold a slice in half lengthwise. That way, you will be able to eat the pizza faster and without the use of utensils since New York has a fast-paced setting.

New York Style pizza can handle a wide range of toppings such as pepperoni, sausage, mushroom, and anchovies. It is also more common to find condiments added to it like red pepper flakes, oregano, garlic powder, and parmesan cheese. Authentic New York Style pizzas are cooked in a wood or coal burning oven.

2. California

This pizza style combines New York and Italian thin crust with toppings from the California cuisine cooking style. Toppings are a big tip off with this pizza style. Its crust is usually hand-tossed and its toppings can range from barbecue chicken to Thai lobster. The more gourmet the pizza looks, the more you can say that it is Californian.

3. Neapolitan Pizza

This is considered as the original pizza and it dates all the way back to the 18th century in Naples, Italy. During that time, this pizza was food for the poorer citizens because it is cheap and could be eaten quickly. A Neapolitan pizza is a flatbread with tomatoes, garlic, oil, and cheese. It also has different variations such as Pizza Marinara and Pizza Margherita.

4. Greek Pizza

This pizza style does not have anything to do with Greek toppings and it wasn’t invented in Greece either. But it was created by Greek immigrants who came to America and were introduced to Italian pizza. This pizza style has its own rules. Its crust is puffier and chewier compared to other thin crust pizzas. However, it is not that thick either. It uses tangy tomato paste with strong oregano flavor and it is usually topped with cheddar and mozzarella cheese.

5. Chicago Pizza

This is also popularly known as deep-dish pizza and it’s invented in Chicago. It was in the early 1900s when Italian immigrants in Chicago were looking for something similar to the Neapolitan pizza that they loved. But rather than imitating the thin pie, they created a pizza with a thick crust and has raised edges. It looks similar to a pie and its ingredients in reverse with mozzarella slices lining the dough followed by vegetables, meat, and topped with a can of crushed tomatoes.

6. Sicilian Pizza

This pizza style is also known as sfincione. It looks like a distant cousin of the Chicago pizza but they have lots of differences. It is a square-cut, thick pizza that has a spongier consistency compared to other pizzas. It is usually topped with onions, tomato sauce, anchovies, herbs, and then covered with bread crumbs. In Sicily, this pizza is usually served during holidays like Christmas and New Year’s Eve. But in America, it is served and eaten all year round.

7. New Haven

This pizza style is made using oil or coal-fueled ovens that reach temperatures topping 600 degrees. It delivers a charred crust reminiscent of a backyard grill. It is usually topped with tomatoes, cheese, and sometimes clams as well. It is delivered on wax-covered sheet pans, offering a rewarding crunchy and chewy texture.

8. Detroit Pizza

This pizza style is developed in Detroit, Michigan. It is rectangular in shape and has a thick crisp crust and topped with pepperoni and mushrooms. It is cooked in square pans that act like a cast iron skillet, creating a super crunchy crust. The blend of mozzarella and Brick cheese are pushed up the deep interior sides of the pans, which results to a pan pizza on steroids.

9. St. Louis-Style Pizza

This pizza style is cracker thin all the way around. It is cut into squares also known as party cut, and its toppings stretch all the way to the edge including a sweet sauce, and a regional cheese named Provel. It looks like a big plate of cheese and crackers.

10. Quad-City Pizza

This pizza style is popular in the Quad Cities of Rock Island, Moline and East Moline, and Bettendorf and Davenport in Iowa. Its dough has a heavy dose of brewer’s malt, giving it a nutty and sweet taste, as well as a darker appearance. It has a thin and spicy sauce topped with the signature lean pork. It is cut into strips using giant and sharp scissors.

11. D.C. Jumbo

This is a large slice of pizza being served in the Washington D.C. area since 1997. This pizza is popular with the late-night crowds. This large slice of pizza is cut from pies larger than 30 inches and it usually needs two plates to transport. It contains more than 1,000 calories per piece.

12. Tomato Pie

This pizza style originated in Trenton, New Jersey. It is a thick crust pizza that is cooked with cheese underneath a large amount of garlicky tomato sauce. But other regions serve different kinds of tomato pies as well. For example, a Philly tomato pie is a thick, square pizza that is topped with thick sauce and sprinkled with Parmesan or Romano cheese.

These are the different types and styles of pizza. You probably can add more to this list because when it comes to pizza, options for toppings and sauces are endless. You can even create your own signature pizza at home. So, which of these pizza types and styles would you like to try out soon?

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