Tomato pie is one of those foods that immediately says Utica. It isn’t pizza, and it isn’t the Southern-style tomato pie baked in a pie crust. Around here, it means a thick, soft crust topped with tomato sauce and grated cheese, cut into squares and usually served at room temperature.

There are plenty of ways to make it, so we went looking for recipes with a real connection to Utica and Central New York. Here are three different approaches you can make right from this page, beginning with one based on an old family recipe with roots in the early 1950s.

1. An Old-Fashioned Utica Tomato Pie

While looking through old Utica tomato pie recipes, we came across a local family recipe dating back to the early 1950s. We used that as our starting point, made a few tweaks, and put together the version below.

It has everything you’d expect from a classic Utica tomato pie — a thick, soft crust, plenty of tomato sauce and grated Romano on top.

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 packet active dry yeast (2¼ teaspoons)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1¼ cups warm water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for the pan

For the sauce:

• 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ teaspoon dried basil
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar, depending on how sweet you like the sauce
• Salt and black pepper to taste

For the top:

• ½ to ¾ cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• A light sprinkle of dried oregano, optional

Directions

1. Stir the yeast and sugar into the warm water and let it stand for about 5 minutes, until it begins to look foamy.
2. Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the yeast mixture and olive oil and mix until a soft dough forms. Knead for about 5 to 7 minutes, until smooth.
3. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until roughly doubled in size.
4. While the dough rises, make the sauce. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and cook the garlic briefly, just until fragrant. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, oregano and sugar. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Simmer uncovered over low heat for about 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick. Let it cool.
6. Generously oil a 13-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet. Press and stretch the risen dough into the pan. If it springs back, let it rest for 10 minutes and continue stretching.
7. Cover and let the dough rise again for 20 to 30 minutes. Heat the oven to 450°F.
8. Spread the cooled sauce over the dough, nearly to the edges.
9. Bake for about 18 to 22 minutes, until the crust is cooked through and lightly browned around the edges. Start checking around 15 minutes since ovens vary.
10. Let the pie cool, then sprinkle generously with Pecorino Romano and a little oregano if you like. Cut into squares and serve at room temperature.

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2. A Long-Rise Utica Tomato Pie

This version takes more planning. Semolina gives the crust a little more character, and a slow refrigerated rise develops the dough before baking. The sauce has the sweet-and-tangy flavor many people associate with Utica tomato pie.

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup fine semolina flour
• 1 packet instant or active dry yeast (2¼ teaspoons)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1¼ cups warm water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for the pan

For the sauce:

• 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon sugar, plus more to taste
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• Salt and black pepper to taste

For the top:

• ½ to ¾ cup finely grated Pecorino Romano
• Dried oregano for a light sprinkle

Directions

1. Combine the all-purpose flour, semolina, yeast, salt and sugar. Add the warm water and olive oil and mix until a dough forms.
2. Knead until smooth, about 6 to 8 minutes. Place in a lightly oiled covered bowl and refrigerate for about 48 hours.
3. On baking day, take the dough out of the refrigerator about 1½ to 2 hours before you plan to bake so it can lose its chill and become easier to stretch.
4. For the sauce, warm the olive oil in a saucepan and briefly cook the garlic. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, sugar and balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Simmer uncovered for about 25 to 35 minutes, until thick, then cool.
6. Oil a 13-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet and gently stretch the dough into the pan. Let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
7. Heat the oven to 450°F. Spread the cooled sauce over the dough, nearly to the edges.
8. Bake for about 18 to 22 minutes, until the bottom and edges of the crust are cooked and lightly browned.
9. Cool the pie, then cover the top with grated Pecorino Romano and a light sprinkle of oregano. Cut into squares and serve at room temperature.

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3. A Simple Utica-Style Tomato Pie

If you want the easiest of the three, this one skips making dough from scratch. Start with prepared pizza dough and concentrate on getting the sauce thick and flavorful.

Ingredients

• 1½ pounds prepared pizza dough
• 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano, plus a little more for the top
• 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar, optional
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• ½ to ¾ cup finely grated Pecorino Romano
• Olive oil for the pan

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and cook the garlic briefly, just until fragrant.
2. Add the crushed tomatoes, oregano and sugar if using. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer uncovered for 25 to 35 minutes, until the sauce is quite thick. Let it cool.
3. Generously oil a 13-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet. Press the prepared dough into the pan. If it springs back, give it 10 minutes to rest and continue stretching.
4. Cover and let the dough sit for about 20 to 30 minutes while the oven heats to 450°F.
5. Spread the cooled sauce over the dough, leaving only a small border around the edge.
6. Bake for about 18 to 22 minutes, until the crust is cooked through and lightly browned.
7. Let the pie cool, then add the Pecorino Romano and a light sprinkle of oregano. Cut into squares and serve at room temperature.

Utica tomato pie varies from family to family and bakery to bakery. Some sauces are sweeter, some use more Romano, and crust thickness varies. Adjust the sugar and cheese to the way you remember it.

Which One Would You Make?

Three Utica tomato pies, three slightly different approaches. We’d love to know how your family made tomato pie. Was the sauce sweet? Lots of Romano? Thick crust or thin? Tell us what you remember.