Victory Pig Pizza - first attempt on the Egg

Tjcoley

Lunch today was my first attempt at recreating Victory Pig pizza, a landmark in North East Pennsylvania (NEPA). Back in the late 60's and early 70's, this was our go place following high school football.  Still open today.  The style of pizza is close to what is referred to as "Old Forge Style Pizza", but with more of a fried, crispy crust.

  

Located in Wyoming, PA, and only open Wed, Fri and Sat.  They also serve burgers, dogs, pork BBQ, and other basic foods (including Wimpies, the NEPA version of a sloppy Joe.  However, this place is all about the pizza.  This is unlike any other pizza.  It is baked in rectangular blue steel pans, with a lot of oil (probably peanut) in the bottom, so the light and airy dough ends up fried and crispy on the bottom.  The sauce is plain crushed tomatoes uncooked with no seasoning.  You order by the 'cut' and not the slice, and the option is 'Wit" or 'Wit-out' onions, which are very finely chopped. The cheese is rumored to be either Muenster or Cheddar.  The recipe is a very closely family kept secret, however some family members have branched out with other pizza places serving the same type of pizza (Pizza L'ovin, Ceccoli's)  

My pizza turned out ok, but nowhere near the same

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Cheese browned before the crust did.  The only brown cheese should be along the edges and corners.  There is no typical ring of 'crust' on this pizza, the cheese goes all the way to the edge and burns slightly and gets really crispy along the edges.  Our family fights for the corners.  At least I got that part right today. Crust was crispy, but not really fried.  I did it indirect, platesetter legs up with stone on the grate.  Next time I may try directly on the platesetter to get the oil in the pan hotter to try and fry the crust more.  Used canned crushed tomatoes, which was spot on for taste.  I tried the Muenster, and that wasn't right either,  Next time will be cheddar.   

If I'm ever successful in this quest, I'll post the recipe I come up with.  Anyone who hasn't ever had this type of pizza will be in for a treat.  

BuckeyeBob

May not have accomplished your goal of duplicating the other pizza, but I gotta say, that looks awesome! Nicely dne.

paqman

Have you tried mixing cheddar with mozarella?  I actually sprinkle cheddar over the mozarella, it gives a nice tasty crust when it browns.  Finishing with a butane torch may be an option if you cook the pizza on the egg.

Griffin

Never had that type of pizza but looks good. Hope you perfect it so you can share it with the rest of us. How hot did you cook it?

Mike8it

TJ - another nice looking cook!

TonyA

So, I had to go look this up and I have to say .. on images alone - I far prefer your pie here.. I can understand where you want darker crust .. but maybe you're on to your own thing here - looks great!

Skiddymarker

Wow - TJ another masterpiece, great cook. 

Tjcoley

Griffin said:

Never had that type of pizza but looks good. Hope you perfect it so you can share it with the rest of us. How hot did you cook it?

Cooked at 500 dome

DonWW

Just a thought, but perhaps cook direct to get some big heat on the bottom of the crust?

Little Steven

I sometimes use the lodge pizza pan. A little oil on it and it produces a crust that is similar to what you describe. It gets really hot and holds the heat after the pie is on. I'm wondering if you could do something similar with a cast iron rectangular pan or even buy a piece of rectangular mild steel?

Tjcoley

Thanks everyone.  Some great suggestions.  Looks like the quest will continue.