Apizza

Apizza (pronounced "ah-beets") is a popular type of pizza in New Haven, Connecticut characterized by its prolonged baking time in extremely hot coal ovens and the high moisture content of the dough. Due to these two defining characteristics, the result is a pizza with a thin, black, crispy, and charred crust that might appear to be burnt, but instead has a deliciously chewy texture and flavor.

Usual toppings are sparse, including grated cheese and tomatoes or anchovies so that the pizza won't be over-sauced or over-topped, and as they are formed by hand, there is no uniform shape of these pizzas. It was invented by Frank Pepe, an Italian baker who sold two versions of Neapolitan style pizza, topped with grated cheese, garlic, oregano, olive oil, and anchovies or tomatoes.

Mozzarella is considered a topping, not a base, so the customer must specifically ask for it to be included on the pizza. The word apizza is unique to New Haven, the "a" referring to an Italian dialect that is spoken in the region of Naples.

Without an abundance of ingredients, one can really taste what one's eating, and maybe that is the reason why apizza is such a popular dish in Connecticut.