What’s a Grandma pizza and why is everyone starting to make them?

Grandma pizza. Without a doubt, something pops to mind when we hear those two words. But are the thoughts accurate? Grandma pizza is the latest pizza trend to sweep the nation. Coming off the heels of the Detroit-style pizza craze, Grandma pizzas are the latest rectangle pies to grab consumers’ cravings for something different.

But what is a grandma pizza, where can I order one and how can I make one? Our pizza experts at LloydPans researched, tested and baked quite a few Grandma pizzas to answer these questions.

What attributes define a Grandma pizza?
Let’s start with the crust. It’s rectangular or square, not round. It’s also thinner and denser than a traditional Sicilian-style pizza. The perfect Grandma pizza dough starts with a short proof time. No waiting for the dough to dome or double or triple in size. Grandma pizza crusts are not like focaccia.

The ideal crust is still soft, but thin and dense and crispy on the bottom. Attaining these attributes requires a short proof time, liberal use of olive oil on the pan and the stretching of the dough in a thin layer over the pan.

Next comes the toppings, but we’re not starting with sauce. Similar to a Detroit-style pizza, cheese comes first, and mozzarella is the traditional choice. Next comes pizza sauce, but you’re not going to cook the sauce. Instead, crushed, uncooked canned tomatoes go on top, and provide an acidic element to complement the mozzarella. Next, more olive oil drizzled on top of the sauce and you’ve built a Grandma pizza!

How do I bake a Grandma pizza?
The beauty of Grandma pizza is that it doesn’t require a wood-fired oven or restaurant-style oven that can attain temperatures higher than anything a home oven can do. In fact, the bake is quite simple. But that doesn’t mean any pan will work.

LloydPans’ food technologists spent a significant amount of time and conducted countless test bakes to develop the perfect Grandma pizza pan. It was a challenge because it’s not easy to work with a thin, dense dough with a significant amount of olive oil.

After putting in our development work, we finalized the perfect Grandma pizza pan. The depth is key, coming in at 1-inch deep. We also used our PRE SEASONED TUFF-KOTE finish, which eliminates the need for any pre-seasoning. This is key for pizzerias, as the coating won’t force you to chisel away on your pan to get the pizza from the sides and corners. Even better, you won’t have to heavily scrub the pan after each use.

I’m sold, where can I get a Grandma pizza?
Although Grandma pizza are popping up on menus across the country, we agree with this Bon Appetit article that encourages making a visit to the New York Metropolitan area for the best Grandma pizzas in the country.