Minneapolis-style pizza
 | |
| Type | Pizza |
|---|---|
| Course | Main course |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Region or state | Minnesota |
| Main ingredients | Unleavened pizza dough, tomato sauce with crushed hot peppers, cheese, salt, usually hearty toppings |
Minneapolis-style pizza[1] (also known as Minnesota-style pizza, which is often shorted to Sota-style pizza)[2] is a circular thin-crust pizza, cut into squares, with spicy sauce, and hearty toppings. Red's Savoy Pizza, a local Minnesota pizza chain, which invented the pizza and is a Minnesota-style specialty pizzeria, calls Minnesota-style pizza "'Sota-style".[3]
History[edit]
In 1965 Red's Savoy Pizza invented Minnesota-style pizza which they called "'Sota-style". Other pizzerias around St. Paul opened around the 1960s such as Broadway, Sammy's, and Mama's pizza, they all had similar thin crust pizzas, that were cut into squares, these pizzas later became one uniform "Minnesota-style pizza".[4] Red's Savoy Pizza later became a franchise which helped spread the pizza to other places in Minnesota. In 2017 Red's Savoy pizza re-branded itself to become a Sota-style specialty pizzeria.[5] Carbones, a pizza chain, is also known to sell Minnesota-style pizza.[6]
Characteristics[edit]
Minneapolis-style pizza has many defining characteristics that put it apart from other pizza styles.
Crust[edit]
The crust of the pizza must be thin with no leavening at all. It must also be cut into squares, this is usually done precisely to keep the squares the same shape.[1] The cutting of the pizza into squares, which is also known as "party cut" or "tavern-style" cut pizza, is one of the most important and defining characteristics of Minneapolis-style pizza. The crust is thin but not cracker-like, it has a similar hardness to New York–style pizza.[4]
Sauce[edit]
The sauce of the pizza is another very important characteristic. The secret sauce used by Red's Savoy is typically used, it is described as "passive-aggressive", sweet, savory, and it is also known to have a slight kick. Other pizzerias and homemade pizzas use marinara sauce with crushed up hot peppers.[2][5]
Cheese, Seasoning, and Other Toppings[edit]
The cheese always has to go on the pizza after the sauce and other toppings. Mozzarella is typically used but other varieties such as cheddar, and Parmesan can also be used. Minneapolis-style also uses more cheese than other regional styles. Extra salt is added to Minneapolis-style, especially in bars so that customers will purchase more beverages. The pizza is loaded with hearty toppings, especially meats like sausage, ham, Italian sausage, and pepperoni, onions can also be added.[1][2][4]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c "What is Minneapolis style pizza, exactly?". Discover The Cities. 2020-04-17. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
- ^ a b c "Wait, What is Minnesota Style Pizza?". homemadepizzaschool.com. 2023-02-24. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
- ^ "What the uff is Minnesota-style pizza?". The Takeout. 2017-12-14. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
- ^ a b c Tribune, Joy Summers Star. "Why do Minnesotans cut their pizzas in squares?". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
- ^ a b "Does Minnesota Really Have Its Own Pizza Style? – PMQ Pizza Magazine". www.pmq.com. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
- ^ "BEST PIZZA: MINNESOTA STYLE". Mpls.St.Paul Magazine. 2014-07-31. Retrieved 2024-01-05.