Old Forge Pizza is a unique regional style that’s largely served only in the coal mining region of Northeastern Pennsylvania (NEPA). A rectangular pizza baked in a steel pan — 10 x 14 inches sliced into 8 “cuts” or 11 x 17 inches sliced into 12 — and layered with slightly sweet tomato sauce and a host of melty, shredded cheeses, it’s a regional favorite that’s great for a party. 

Old Forge, the town where this pizza gets its name, has one of the highest number of pizzerias per capita in the world. Dubbed “The Pizza Capital of the World,” its 11 pizzerias serve a population of about 8,500 hungry residents in its tiny 3.4-square-mile footprint. This pizza served in “trays” and “cuts” (translation: Whole pizzas and slices) is ubiquitous in its birthplace, but it’s hard to find outside Northeastern Pennsylvania. 

Enter Jim Mirabelli, owner and chief pizza officer of the NEPA Pizza Review, a guide to all things Northeastern Pennsylvania-style pizza. Jim took all the best parts of a professionally made Old Forge pizza — crispy, medium-thick crust plus decadent cheese pulls — and made a recipe that works outside the confines of pizzerias, so you can try this regional favorite even if you never make it to Pennsylvania. 

“The process involves what I call a ‘layered bake,’ which means assembling the pizza in stages and baking after each ingredient layer is added,” Jim says, noting this helps to “attain a crispy bottom on this medium-thickness pan pizza.”

The melty, stringy cheese blend is a signature of Old Forge pizza. Jim suggests a blend of shredded mozzarella with brick (the Wisconsin cheese known for its use in Detroit-style pizza) and white American cheeses. If you don’t have access to brick, he loves white cheddar or Muenster. Like many Pennsylvania natives, Jim swears by Cooper’s sharp white. The 125-year-plus Pennsylvania brand’s American cheese is known for a super creamy texture and superior flavor. Because it’s only retailed in five-pound loaves, Cooper’s can be a commitment. But in stores where it’s available, it’s typically stocked at deli counters where you can buy as much as you like and even specify preferred thickness (it’s beloved for grilled cheese, mac and cheese and many other edible delights).

Don’t have access to white American cheese at all? Don’t panic. “The good news is that despite popular belief, there are really no specific rules that define Old Forge pizza cheese blends,” Jim notes. “I was just with an owner who is using 100 percent white cheddar and another who said he’s using straight brick. Some only use American. Some use up to four or five different cheeses!” 

In that situation, havarti is a good match (it's typically mild and creamy). Gouda too (“Just don’t go north of 25 percent gouda in the cheese blend,” Jim offers).

While Old Forge pizzas come in two major varieties, “Red” and “White,” this recipe specifically covers the “Red” variety. To make an authentic Old Forge white pizza, most of the process remains the same. In place of the Old Forge-style pizza sauce, you’d add Italian seasoning (think oregano, rosemary, basil, black pepper and garlic) to the cheese. At Old Forge stalwarts like Cafe Rinaldi, Revello’s, Arcaro & Genell, white pies also often get the chopped broccoli, sliced tomatoes and garlic, and, less frequently, spinach, treatments.

If you’re interested in making the white pizzas noted above, finely chop, season and sauté the broccoli or spinach, reserve, and top the pizzas prebake. Apply the finely sliced tomato and garlic raw, and finish the pizza with a vigorous amount of Italian seasoning and Parmesan à la nearby stalwart Colarusso’s Cafe.

If you really feel like going native, try sautéed shrimp and peppers (Old Forge-ians go with everything from sweet to hot to dried), a delightfully idiosyncratic NEPA topping combination applied pre-bake over the cheese.  

Whatever you choose, this recipe’s a delicious “cut” from one of the most pizza-loving parts of the US. 

This recipe appears in A Love Letter to Northeastern Pennsylvania-style Pizza by Jim Mirabelli.