Copycat O'scugnizzo Pizza

Tuesday, April 5, 2016
I grew up in a town called Utica, New York, this is a copycat favorite upside-down pizza that has been around since 1914 called O'scugnizzo.

The pizzeria remains open and ships its famous style all of the U.S. still open to date, and that's many Uticans' first stop when visiting home.

This was my favorite place to hang out with friends any night of the week and a family favorite so I decided since moving away to try and recreate it.

Although nothing will take the place of the real deal, upside-down pizza is assembled the same and is a delicious copycat or a miles-away memory.

The sauce is delicious and full of flavor, but the secret is using a great whole milk cheese and layering the pizza.

I can only savor the moments of getting a slice of #8 when I visit again which is my favorite loose sausage-style pizza.

When making a copycat recipe, you really want it to come together as the original and our pizza will be a pleasant surprise.

If you're familiar with Utica, New York, check out the links below for other foods our town is famous for.


Utica is famous for Tomato Pie, Italian Greens, Italian Lemon Ice, Pizza Fritta, Chicken Riggies, Manny's Cheesecake, Oscugnizzo Pizza, Pusties, and Rosato Chocolate Cookies.


Scroll down and get my printable directions and recipe.








Upside Pizza



The sauce and grated cheese are on the top of the cheese, so that makes the difference of calling it an upside pizza, check out the photos below.


This pizza made by O'scugnizzo Pizzeria is one of the best pizzas around if you love this style.


Of course, nothing can compare to the original, but being 1900 miles away it's the next best pizza available making our copycat recipe.


This pizzeria was founded in 1914 by Eugeno Burlino, who came to Utica from Naples in the late 1800s. They were officially declared the 2nd oldest pizzeria in the country..


If you go to their website you can try the original shipped from Utica, N.Y., and order online!




Upside Pizza What's The Difference?

  • steps for upside-down pizza
  • the dough is pre-baked since we don't have a pizza oven 
  • meat goes first on top of dough IE sausage etc.
  • the cheese goes on next
  • the sauce goes on when the pizza is cooked all the way through
  • last, the pizza is loaded with Pecorino Romano cheese last (we love the cheese you can use less if you prefer)



All I could do is try and make the best "upside pizza" possible until I visit home again.


This will certainly take care of that craving until you can get there to eat the best upside-down pizza around in Utica, New York.


this is a famous copycat pizza in a local restaurant in Utica New York this one has sausage, sauce and mozzarella on it


Tomato Sauce and Tips

  1. use a good quality tomato from Italy/European brands only(if using local brands, it won't have the same fresh-tasting tomato sauce)
  2. crushed tomatoes have a little more pulp in them and work perfectly
  3. use the heated sauce to the finished pizza cooked
  4. my sources tell me the loose sausage goes on raw and cooks in a hot 800-degree pizza oven, I cook mine first and drain the grease




Tools Needed

  1. This pizza requires a rectangular baking sheet and cut into squares or a round pan for a smaller-sized pizza
  2. pizza cutter round or scissors style
  3. fry pan
  4. saucepan
  5. wooden
  6. spoon
  7. Note: for pizza dough homemade is best or you can use store-bought from a bakery


this is a pan of loose sausage frying for a topping on a pizza


Pizza Topping Ideas

  • peppers
  • olives
  • eggplant
  • pepperoni
  • crushed meatballs finely chopped
  • leftover cooked buffalo chicken and cheddar cheese
  • loose cooked sausage
  • ham, and pineapple
  • mushrooms finely chopped broccoli and cheddar cheese
  • finely chopped zucchini or spinach with ricotta and garlic
  • minced finely minced shrimp and garlic
  • anchovies
  • loose cooked ground beef, cheddar cheese, finely chopped onions
  • tuna, cheddar cheese, minced onions
  • leftover cooked meats, pizza sauce, and cheese of choice 
  • broccoli rabe sauteed
  • 5 kinds of cheeses 
  • garlic, oil, and shredded cheese
  • tomato basil
  • sliced onion
  • make the combination your family prefers (we are sausage and cheese lovers)




Utica N.Y. Local Copycat Recipes:


Chicken Riggies

Utica Greens

Lemon Ice

Manny's Cheese Cake

Tomato Pie

Pin for later




Upside Down Pizza



The nickname for this style of pizza has always been called upside down because of how the layering is unique to this pizza pie.

Living so far from my hometown I have spent many days and nights in the kitchen trying to recreate my favorites until I can get back home for a visit and this is one of them.


The best of the best still remains in Utica, New York and of course and its originality, this is just a knockoff and it's pretty darn good to us for now.


pizzeria style pizza, copycat o'scugnizzo pizza, Utica, n.y. foods. foods from Utica, pizza recipes, pizza pie, homemade pizza
Italian food, copycat, pizza recipes, copycat pizza
Italian
Yield: 15
Author: Claudia Lamascolo
Copycat O'scugnizzo Pizza

Copycat O'scugnizzo Pizza

Prep time: 25 MinCook time: 45 MinTotal time: 1 H & 10 M
This is a copycat recipe from my hometown Utica New York famous pizzeria called O'scugnizzo. Living so far away from home and in Florida, nothing came close. This is not exact but it sure is similar in flavor and certainly their secret method of cooking.

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds of fresh pizza dough
  • My pizza dough recipe or use store bought.
  • I use a deep rectangular baking sheet (around 2 inches deep)
  • 1 pound of Italian sausage any heat you prefer( although the original recipe is to add raw sausage to the pizza, I fry mine first and drain the oil).
  • 2 cups of pizza sauce per pizza pie ( or more if you like) for the top
  • Note Pizza Sauce Suggestions: use canned, homemade pizza sauce or crushed Italian plum tomatoes
  • around 8 thick slices of whole milk mozzarella (best to have the deli slice it fresh)
  • For more topping suggestions see under notes below

Instructions

  1. First, stretch the dough out with floured fingers on a rectangular-style cookie sheet pan (the dough should rise to around 1/2 inch to 1 inch high).
  2. Pre-cook the dough at 430 degrees until it's lightly browned on top around 15 minutes.
  3. In the meantime cook the sausage and drain it (or leave it raw if you want the original style way they add it to the dough raw.
  4. Note: since home ranges don't reach 800 to 900 degrees like real pizza ovens in our homes, I always fry the sausage first and set it aside.
  5. Again the original recipe was said to add the sausage to the raw dough. I always want to ensure the pork is cooked.
  6. After the dough is partially cooked, add a little olive oil under the dough onto the pan. Put the dough back in the sheet pan so it gets crispy when you recook this.
  7. Add 1/4 inch slices of mozzarella cheese on top evenly over the whole pizza pie, then add sausage or whatever toppings of your choice you prefer.
  8. The sauce doesn't go on until after the dough is crispy, and the cheese is melted.
  9. Bake again at 430 degrees until the cheese melts.
  10. As soon as the pizza is cooked, take out the pizza and spread it with sauce, and sprinkle it with rPEcorino Romano Cheese, Parmesan, or a combination of both.

Notes

Pizza Topping Ideas

  • peppers
  • olives
  • eggplant
  • pepperoni
  • crushed meatballs finely chopped
  • leftover cooked buffalo chicken and cheddar cheese
  • loose cooked sausage
  • ham, and pineapple
  • mushrooms finely chopped broccoli and cheddar cheese
  • finely chopped zucchini or spinach with ricotta and garlic
  • minced finely minced shrimp and garlic
  • anchovies
  • loose cooked ground beef, cheddar cheese, finely chopped onions
  • tuna, cheddar cheese, minced onions
  • leftover cooked meats, pizza sauce, and cheese of choice 
  • broccoli rabe sauteed
  • 5 kinds of cheeses 
  • garlic, oil, and shredded cheese
  • tomato basil
  • sliced onion
  • make the combination your family prefers (we are sausage and cheese lovers)




Pin for Later:




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9 comments

  1. Hai Claudia.... nice to visit U again. I fall in love instantly to your pizza here.. really appreciate step by step picture. thank U for sharing, pinning it!

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  2. That's not upside down! The toppings always go on first, they use pizza shells instead of raw dough. I use only Spano's (I'm From Utica, still in area) which makes both round, and rectangle shells that are amazing! First the toppings-pepperoni, mushrooms, cooked peppers or onions etc, if you want sausage, you spread it across the uncooked crust evenly first, then simply pop it in a 400 degree preheated oven for about 5-7 mins on a high rack. This will partially cook the sausage which will finish cooking beneath the cheese afterwards. Then add any other desired toppings, finally, like you said ONLY WHOLE MILK MOZZARELLA!! So important for capturing the times when WHOLE MILK MOZZERELLA was all there was!!! Put back in 400 degree oven on middle rack for 15-20 mins depending on how you like. Finally you get a can of HUNTS ORIGINAL TOMATO SAUCE, and spread evenly over hot, cooked pizza. It is so simple it's insane!! My entire family is addicted to this pizza that tastes absolutely amazing!! P.S. Sprinkle Parmesan Cheese generously over entire pizza! Try it!!!! Just like O'scugnizzo's famous upside down pizza!!

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  3. Oh this looks absolutely delicious! I loved the "upside down" deep dish pizza in Chicago, and this looks amazing too. With so much parmesan on top it's like the sauce is sandwiched in cheese. Amaaaazing!

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  4. Love this! Homemade pizza is always the best, this one looks perfect!

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  5. I make pizza with the cheese on first quite a bit too! This sounds great.

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  6. How lovely to have a restaurant that's so sentimental to you (and many others!). Lovely copycat recipe that must bring back lots of memories.

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  7. I've never been to this restaurant before but your version of their pizza looks AMAZING! I loved reading your story too about the history of the restaurant and how you used to hang out there. Brings back some of my own childhood memories of hanging out at the local pizzeria. :)

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  8. I was very happy to find another O'scunizzo's fan on the web. I grew up in small towns around Utica and almost every Sunday after church our family would co to O'scugnizzo's for a large number 7. Dad would get the middle pieces as he had the "skill" needed for the soggier slices. I moved away from upstate NY when I was 18 for college and have only been back a few times since, but every time I made sure to get a large number 7 at the best pizzeria in the country.

    Since I rarely get back there, I spent many years trying to reproduce that pizza that I grew up loving. I have my recipe/technique over on Pizzamaking.com if you are interested. I will say with pride that I have gotten close. I would love to know exactly what their sauce recipe is...what canned product they use and what, if anything, they add to it.

    Anyway, loved checking out your site!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thank you for your visit and comments I did go to your site and went through every tab and never found this pizza your style what's the name it's under?

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Remember to use the search option for a recipe you're looking for and thanks for all your kind words and support. We love our readers all the best Claudia