White pizza is a popular pizza variety served at Grimaldi’s Pizzeria locations. It features a white sauce made without tomatoes, allowing the flavors of the cheese and other toppings to shine through. The white pizza at Grimaldi’s is a customer favorite and a signature menu item at their restaurants.
The History of White Pizza
While tomato-based red pizza may be the most iconic pizza variety globally, white pizza has its own unique history and tradition. The origins of white pizza can be traced back to Italy. In the U.S., white pizza was popularized by Connecticut pizzerias in the 1980s. It grew even more mainstream when chains like Grimaldi’s began putting it on their menus.
Food historians believe that white pizza originated centuries ago in Italy, possibly as far back as the Middle Ages. Chefs realized they could make tasty pizzas without tomato sauce, instead using olive oil, garlic, cheese, and herbs. These early white pizzas allowed the flavors of the cheese and other ingredients to take center stage.
White pizza remained a regional specialty in Italy for many years. It wasn’t until Italian immigrants brought their pizza recipes to the U.S. that white pizza started to spread more widely. Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana in New Haven, CT claims to have invented modern white pizza in the 1950s. Their famous white clam pizza, made without tomato sauce, put white pizza on the map.
As white pizza became popular in the Northeast, especially Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey, pizza chains started to add it to their menus. That’s when white pizza became mainstream nationwide. Today, you can find white pizza at pizza restaurants across the country. It’s a menu staple at many locations, including Grimaldi’s.
What Makes White Pizza Different?
So what sets white pizza apart from traditional red pizza? As the name suggests, white pizza gets its distinctive character from the white sauce used instead of vibrant red tomato sauce.
This white sauce is often made with olive oil, garlic, oregano, parmesan cheese, and sometimes ricotta cheese. The sauce has a lighter consistency than tomato sauce. It also allows the other ingredients to take center stage rather than the tomatoes.
White pizza highlights the cheeses used, like mozzarella, parmesan, and ricotta. Herbs like garlic, basil, and oregano also stand out more when they aren’t competing with tomato flavor. Other toppings on white pizza recipes taste more pronounced as well.
In addition to different flavor, the texture of white pizza is slightly different too. The lighter sauce creates a less soggy crust. The drier texture lets the crispness of the baked crust come through.
With tomato sauce absent, white pizza showcases creative ingredients and topping combinations you may not find on red pizzas. Types of white pizza range from simple cheese pizzas to more gourmet white pizzas with toppings like clams, spinach, chicken, and more.
White Pizza on the Grimaldi’s Menu
At Grimaldi’s Pizzeria, the white pizza is made in the traditional style perfected by Italian immigrants coming to America. It starts with their housemade white sauce.
The Grimaldi’s white pizza sauce contains a blend of olive oil, garlic, black pepper, parmesan cheese, and secret spices. Ricotta cheese is another key ingredient in the distinctive white sauce.
This specially crafted sauce allows the flavors of the mozzarella cheese and fresh basil to shine on the White Pie from Grimaldi’s. The sauce strikes the ideal balance of savory and creamy.
Ingredients
Here is a breakdown of what goes into a White Pie from Grimaldi’s:
- Hand-tossed, thin crust dough
- Olive oil
- Garlic
- Ricotta cheese
- Black pepper
- Parmesan cheese
- Secret blend of Italian herbs and spices
- Mozzarella cheese
- Fresh basil
The combination of flavorful yet light white sauce, creamy cheeses, herbs, and spices makes this pizza simply irresistible. Grimaldi’s also offers the option to add different toppings like mushrooms, peppers, or pepperoni to their White Pie.
Baking Process
In addition to great ingredients, the baking process is also essential to making a perfect white pizza. Grimaldi’s chefs use a traditional brick oven to bake their white pies to crispy, flavorful perfection.
The white pizza starts with fresh dough hand tossed by experienced pizza makers. The white sauce is delicately spread over the stretched dough. Toppings like mozzarella, parmesan, ricotta and basil are then layered on.
The white pizza goes into a burning hot brick oven, reaching temperatures over 900°F. The intense heat quickly bakes the thin crust until it has just the right amount of char and crispness. The cheeses melt beautifully into the sauce.
In just minutes, the white pizza emerges with browned crust, melty cheese, and slightly charred cheese bubbles that add delicious flavor. The brick oven is the ideal cooking method to create white pizza with Grimaldi’s signature taste.
Why Customers Love Grimaldi’s White Pizza
It’s easy to see why the White Pie is a favorite selection for many Grimaldi’s guests. Here are some of the top reasons customers love Grimaldi’s take on white pizza:
1. Perfectly Balanced Flavor
Neither the sauce nor the cheese overpowers on Grimaldi’s White Pie. Instead, the garlic, herbs, and spices blend harmoniously with the creamy mozzarella, parmesan, and ricotta. Every bite contains a flawlessly balanced medley of flavors.
2. Crisp, Buttery Crust
The brick oven bakes the pizza dough to perfection. The crust comes out ultra thin and crispy, yet slightly chewy. It has just the right amount of char for added texture and taste. A subtle butteriness rounds out the crust as well.
3. Fresh, High-Quality Ingredients
From the fresh basil and hand-tossed dough to the authentic mozzarella, Grimaldi’s uses top-notch ingredients. You can taste the quality in every bite of these pizzas made the traditional way.
4. Customizable
While the classic White Pie is delicious on its own, Grimaldi’s also lets you customize it to your liking. Pepperoni, mushrooms, peppers, and other toppings can be added to make the pizza your own creation.
5. Perfect Comfort Food
Warm, creamy, and full of cheese, Grimaldi’s White Pie delivers on the ultimate comfort food appeal. It’s the type of pizza that tastes like home and brings joy with every bite.
Where to Enjoy Grimaldi’s White Pizza
For the full experience, food lovers suggest enjoying Grimaldi’s White Pie fresh from the oven in one of their pizzerias. Grimaldi’s started in Brooklyn, NY and has now expanded to over 20 locations across the U.S.
Their restaurants have a fun, lively atmosphere perfect for gathering with family and friends over great pizza. You’ll often see happy customers patiently waiting outside for Grimaldi’s to open so they can enjoy hot pies straight out of the oven.
Of course, Grimaldi’s also offers takeout and delivery so you can enjoy their white pizzas right at home. Their pizzas retain their texture and flavor nicely during transport.
Grimaldi’s even ships frozen pizzas nationwide if there isn’t a location near you. Their online shop has the frozen White Pie available so you can recreate the magic at home whenever a craving strikes.
Trying the Legendary White Pizza
Grimaldi’s has built a reputation for its mouthwatering coal-fired pizzas, including its signature White Pie. This customer favorite white pizza is beautifully simple, made with just a few quality ingredients that speak for themselves.
The secret is in the sauce, and Grimaldi’s perfected a proprietary white pizza sauce recipe that balances savory, spicy, creamy, and herby flavors. When combined with the blistered crust, melted cheese, and fresh basil, it creates white pizza perfection.
To appreciate the subtle genius of a Grimaldi’s White Pie, order one hot and fresh or bake a frozen one at home. Every bite will have your taste buds singing with joy. The white pizza from Grimaldi’s is so good, you may never go back to regular tomato pie again!
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the ingredients in Grimaldi’s white pizza?
The main ingredients in Grimaldi’s White Pie are olive oil, garlic, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, and Grimaldi’s proprietary blend of Italian herbs and spices.
What type of cheese is on Grimaldi’s white pizza?
Grimaldi’s White Pie features a blend of mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, and ricotta cheese.
Does Grimaldi’s white pizza have clams like some famous white pizzas?
No, the classic Grimaldi’s White Pie does not contain clams. It is topped simply with olive oil, garlic, basil, and a blend of Italian cheeses. However, Grimaldi’s does offer a “White Clam” pizza with clams as a menu item.
Is Grimaldi’s white pizza vegan?
No, Grimaldi’s classic White Pie is not vegan as it contains dairy products like cheese and ricotta. However, Grimaldi’s does offer vegan cheese as a substitution upon request.
Is Grimaldi’s white pizza spicy?
No, Grimaldi’s White Pie generally is not considered a spicy pizza. The white sauce contains garlic but does not contain any spicy chilies or peppers. Some people may perceive the garlic to have slight heat.
What oven does Grimaldi’s use for its white pizzas?
Grimaldi’s bakes all its pizzas, including the White Pie, in a traditional brick oven. The brick oven reaches temperatures over 900°F to bake the pizzas quickly and give them an authentic charred crust.
Can I order Grimaldi’s white pizza for delivery?
Yes, Grimaldi’s offers delivery for all menu items including the White Pie. You can order online or call your local Grimaldi’s Pizzeria for delivery.
Does Grimaldi’s sell frozen white pizzas to bake at home?
Yes, Grimaldi’s offers frozen versions of many pizzas, including the White Pie, through their online shop. The frozen pizzas are shipped nationwide so you can enjoy Grimaldi’s pizzas at home.
Nutrition Information
Here is the nutrition information for Grimaldi’s classic small (6 slice) White Pie pizza:
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 850 |
| Total Fat | 36g |
| Saturated Fat | 17g |
| Trans Fat | 0.5g |
| Cholesterol | 65mg |
| Sodium | 1530mg |
| Carbohydrates | 83g |
| Fiber | 4g |
| Sugar | 6g |
| Protein | 37g |
Copycat Recipe
Can’t get to a Grimaldi’s restaurant? Here is a copycat recipe to recreate their famous white pizza at home:
Ingredients
- 1 pre-made pizza dough or dough made from scratch
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup ricotta cheese
- 2 tbsp parmesan cheese
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp dried basil
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- Stretch and flatten pizza dough onto a pizza pan or baking sheet. Form a raised edge crust.
- Mix olive oil, garlic, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, oregano, and basil to form white pizza sauce.
- Spread white sauce evenly over the pizza dough, leaving about 1/2 inch border.
- Top pizza with mozzarella cheese and fresh basil leaves.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until crust is lightly browned and cheese is melted.
- Allow to cool briefly before cutting and serving.