Tomato Pan Pizza, Rhode Island Style
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If you know, you know! This is my recipe for old-school Rhode Island pan pizza (aka pizza strips), an old-school Italian American bakery classic. The focaccia-like crust is topped edge-to-edge with a thick layer of rich tomato sauce, cut into saucy red strips, and served at room temperature.
This recipe is as personal as it gets — in Rhode Island where I grew up, there was always a cardboard box of these pizza strips on the kitchen counter. They would be layered with wax paper, and redolent with the scent of tomato and oregano. You would never think about heading to the beach or a family gathering without them.
I know it may sound strange, but this type of pan pizza is meant to be eaten at room temperature, and there’s no cheese in sight. The reason is both practical and traditional — these rectangular slices sit out in bakery cases ready people craving something simple, tasty, and portable (and they’re typically found at bakeries, not pizzerias).
Karen’s ingredient notes
Testing this recipe turned into a bit of an exercise. Since I don’t live in Rhode Island anymore, and you can’t really find this kind of pan pizza anywhere else, I had to rely on my taste memories. After a few rounds of baking, I’m really happy to say that my homemade version stays true to tradition, with a puffy, yeasted dough and an intense tomato sauce that is absolutely key.
- Tomatoes: They are vital for getting the sauce just right, which should be super thick, deeply concentrated, and rich enough to stand on its own without cheese. Similar to my no-cook pizza sauce recipe, I use good-quality canned tomatoes and plenty of tomato paste so the sauce doesn’t need to cook for hours on the stove. I also add a touch of sugar to get a balanced, salty-umami sweetness that makes the sauce so addictive.
- Seasonings and Aromatics: I’m pretty sure that the bakery versions are not using fresh garlic and onion in their sauce, but I do because it tastes a million times better than the granulated stuff. I also use a generous amount of dried herbs (I think oregano is the most fragrant and appealing).
Recipe overview
Use your own pre-made dough, or use my recipe and proof at room temp or slow-rise overnight. Stretch your prepared dough until it reaches into the corners of a half sheet pan (13 x 8 inches). Cook the tomatoes, tomato paste and seasonings about 15 minutes.
Spread the thick sauce over the surface of the dough. Drizzle olive oil along the edge of the dough. I also like to add another sprinkle of oregano. Bake the pizza 30 minutes. Cool and slice into rectangles.
Tomato Pan Pizza, Rhode Island Style
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup finely chopped onion
- 2 teaspoons grated or finely chopped garlic
- 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 2 pounds prepared pizza dough, or use the recipe below
Quick-rise pizza dough
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon instant or rapid rise yeast
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1¼ cups water
- 1 teaspoon honey
Instructions
Cook the pizza sauce:
- Place a large saucepan over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and stir in ¼ cup finely chopped onion. Cover the pan and cook about 5 minutes (covering the pan creates steam which will soften the onions quicker).
- Add 2 teaspoons grated or finely chopped garlic, 1 6-ounce can tomato paste, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper to taste. Stir and cook about 1 minute in the oil. Add 1 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook 15 minutes. Stir the sauce frequently so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Cool to room temperature, or refrigerate up to 3 days before baking the pizza.
Assemble and bake the pizza:
- Preheat the oven to 375F, with the rack positioned in the center. Line a rimmed 13×18-inch baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper. If your dough is refrigerated, bring it to room temperature.
- Gently stretch the dough until it reaches all corners of the pan. If it begins to resist, let it rest for a few minutes until and try again. Use a spatula or the back of a large spoon to spread the sauce evenly over the top of the dough. It will be a thick layer. Drizzle the remaining tablespoon of olive oil along the edge of the dough.
- Bake the pizza on the center rack for 30 minutes, or until the edge of the crust is golden. When it's cool enough to touch, slide the pizza onto a cutting board using the parchment paper. Slice into rectangles.
Make the dough:
- Put 4 cups all purpose flour, 1 tablespoon instant or rapid rise yeast, and 2 teaspoons saltin a the bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Stir about 30 seconds until combined. Add 1¼ cups water and 1 teaspoon honey and increase the speed to medium-high. Mix until the dough forms a smooth ball, about 5 minutes. It will feel soft and a little sticky.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to rise until doubled in bulk. This should take about 2-3 hours at warm room temperature. For a slow-rise version: Allow the dough to rise on your counter for an hour, then place in the refrigerator up to 24 hours. Remove it from the fridge about 2 hours before making the pizza.
- Punch the dough down and reshape into a flattened ball. Stretch into the prepared pan, top with the sauce and bake according to the directions above.
Karen’s Notes and Tips
- Store the pizza at room temperature in a covered container 1-2 days, or 3 days in the refrigerator.
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.
Hey, I’m Karen
Creator of Familystyle Food
I’m a food obsessed super-taster and professionally trained cook ALL about creating elevated dinners with everyday ingredients. Find simplified recipes made from scratch and enjoy incredibly tasty food! Read more about me here.