Altoona-style pizza facts for kids
| Type | Pizza |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | United States |
| Region or state | Altoona, Pennsylvania |
| Main ingredients | sicilian-style pizza dough, tomato sauce, sliced green bell pepper, salami, american cheese |
Altoona-style pizza is a distinct type of pizza created in the city of Altoona, Pennsylvania by the Altoona Hotel. The definitive characteristics of Altoona-style pizza are a sicilian-style pizza dough, tomato sauce, sliced green bell pepper, salami, topped with american cheese and pizzas cut into squares instead of wedges.
Characteristics and preparation
Crust
The crust is made of a sicilian-style pizza dough, giving the pie a thick and soft crust. Instead of the larger pie-like wedges typical of many pizza styles, Altoona Hotel pizza is typically cut into squares.
Cheese
Altoona-style pizza is topped with yellow processed cheese known as American cheese. The yellow squares of American cheese are a staple of this dish used instead of the mozzarella or provolone common to other styles of pizza.
Toppings
The traditional toppings included on a slice of Altoona-style pizza is a sliced green bell pepper and cooked deli style salami with peppercorns.
History
Altoona-style pizza originated at the Altoona Hotel and was created by Italian immigrants who wanted pizza but lacked access to sufficient ingredients to make the dish in a traditional manner.
