At Alley Cat Pizzeria, we take pride in the fact that we serve NY-style pizza. But what does that mean, exactly? If you order pizzas from shops around Manchester, how will you know what’s NY-style and what’s not? There are a few ways to tell. Some are visual, and some require a taste test. Does it have a thin, crispy crust? That’s NY-style. Is the tomato sauce more tangy than sweet? NY-style again. Gooey cheese with a satisfying stretch? You guessed it: NY again.

Identifying NY-style pizza is one thing, but what makes it so distinctive? Let’s look at what makes the NH style unique.

The Dough

The dough is the foundation of any good pizza, and NY-style is no exception. The trick is using high-gluten flour, which gives the crust its distinctive chewy texture. It’s also what makes it possible to stretch the dough so thin. Gluten is what gives the dough its elasticity, so the more gluten there is in the dough, the thinner it can stretch without tearing. Additionally, the dough ferments for a long time, allowing it to develop its unique flavor. 

The Sauce

The sauce is another component that sets NY-style apart from other pizzas. Traditionally, it is made with San Marzano tomatoes, a type of plum tomato grown in the Campania region of Italy. San Marzano tomatoes have a sweet, slightly acidic flavor that is perfect for pizza sauce. Whether a pizzeria uses San Marzano tomatoes or not in its sauce, the flavor is tangy and slightly more acidic on NY-style pizzas.

The Cheese

Cheese is the third key ingredient in NY-style pizza. It is typically a whole-milk mozzarella cheese, which has a high fat content and gives it a creamy texture and a rich flavor. Not all mozzarella is the same, and you can tell the difference in both the flavor and texture.

The Cooking Process

Finally, the cooking process is also crucial for making NY-style pizza. Traditionally, it’s cooked in a coal-fired oven at a very high temperature, which creates the pizza’s signature crispy crust. The fuel is not as important as the temperature, however, so a wood or gas oven will work as well, as long as it is hot enough.

The Result: Delicious NY-Style Pizza from Alley Cat

If you’re not convinced that NY-style pizza is all that different from other pizzas, you’ll just have to come to Alley Cat to judge for yourself! Call 603-669-4533 or order online for takeout and delivery.