Wegmans Tomato Pie

Not a full-blown review here, but just a quick note. A few weeks ago in Wegmans I saw a stack of boxes of "tomato pie," which is a kind of pizza that seems to be commonly associated with the Utica, NY and Trenton, NJ/Philadelphia areas. It's basically a thick, pan-baked pizza covered with tomato sauce and Romano cheese.

Other than having read a little about them, I know very little about tomato pies, so I don't think I'm in a position to pass judgment on this one. I mean, I have very little idea how it would stack up against a "classic" tomato pie. So that's one reason I'm not going to rate this.

That, and the fact that when I bought it, I threw it in the freezer, where it stayed until last night. Apparently, tomato pies are often served fresh, but at room temperature, and either eaten that way or reheated in the oven. So this wasn't intended to be frozen, and I don't know how that might've affected its flavor and texture.

Having said that, I thought this was actually pretty good.

Now I like a good, simple pizza with just sauce and Romano, and you can find several varieties of that style around here, like Amico's "#1". Nevertheless, I took the liberty of adding some shredded mozzarella and pepperoni to half of this pie, just for the sake of variety and because I had them on hand.

After about 20 minutes in a 400-degree oven, this came out with a crisp, slightly crunchy crust that was not oily or greasy. The interior was a bit dry, almost brittle, but that could easily be due to sitting in my freezer for a few weeks.
The sauce was added in moderation and had a straightforward tomatoey flavor. A likewise moderate sprinkling of Romano added flavor, but it wasn't overly assertive.

This was, then, something like the old-fashioned style of pizza you'll find at places like Amico and Guida's, but on a Sicilian-style crust. I actually liked it better than some of the fresh, regular pizza I've had from Wegmans, and certainly better than just about any frozen pizza I've tried. And while it was fine as is, with just the sauce and Romano, it also made a good base for additional toppings.

While it's no substitute for a pizza fresh from your local pizzeria's oven, or made from scratch at home, this would make a good option for a quick and easy dinner or as a side with an entree. I have no idea what Uticans or Trentonians would think of Wegmans' tomato pie, but I liked it well enough.