New York style pizza originated from early 20th‑century Italian immigrants who adapted Neapolitan pies to the larger, foldable slices favored by New Yorkers. It became a city staple, symbolizing quick, affordable street food and a communal dining experience.

While the classic thin‑crust slice dominates Manhattan, variations include the “Sicilian” square‑pan style in Brooklyn, the “Grandma” pizza in Queens, and the “St. Louis” style with Provel cheese. Each reflects local preferences for crust thickness and cheese type.

It is typically served hot by the slice on a paper plate, folded lengthwise for easy eating. The slice is often accompanied by a cold soda or a bottle of water, and occasional condiments like red pepper flakes or grated Parmesan.

Pizza is a go‑to food for late‑night gatherings, sports events, birthday parties, and casual meet‑ups after work. It’s also a staple at street fairs and community block parties throughout the city.

It blends Italian pizza‑making fundamentals—high‑gluten flour, simple tomato sauce, and mozzarella—with American preferences for larger portions and a crisp, foldable crust, embodying the fusion that defines Italian‑American food.

Authentic ingredients include high‑gluten flour (or bread flour with vital wheat gluten), low‑moisture whole‑milk mozzarella, Pecorino Romano, and canned crushed tomatoes (often Red Pack). Substitutes can be bread flour, part‑skim mozzarella, or any high‑quality crushed tomatoes, though flavor and texture may vary.

Classic pairings are Caesar salad, garlic knots, antipasto platters, and a simple arugula salad with lemon vinaigrette. For drinks, a cold lager or a glass of Chianti complements the pizza’s richness.

Common errors include using low‑protein flour (resulting in a soft crust), skipping the autolyse, under‑preheating the steel, over‑loading sauce or cheese, and not allowing a long cold fermentation, which all diminish chew and flavor.

65 % hydration provides enough water for an airy crumb while keeping the dough manageable. Higher hydration can make the dough sticky and difficult to shape, especially without a commercial mixer or high‑heat oven.

The YouTube channel Charlie Anderson focuses on in‑depth, science‑based home cooking tutorials, especially mastering classic American and Italian‑American dishes like pizza, burgers, and comfort foods, with an emphasis on technique and ingredient quality.

Charlie Anderson emphasizes a data‑driven method, using baker’s percentages, a custom dough calculator spreadsheet, and long cold fermentations to replicate authentic New York pizzeria results, whereas many other channels rely on quicker, shortcut methods.