• The Grinch Philly Tomato Pie is a “fun and festive take on the popular Philadelphia bakery-style pizza,” says its creator, Jim Mirabelli.
  • Mirabelli, the founder of NEPA Pizza Review, provides the recipe and directions on his website for other pizzaioli to try.

Santa Claus is the true superhero of Christmas, but let’s face it: Americans love an antihero, too. And the holidays have no better sort-of-bad guy than The Grinch, who once famously tried to steal Christmas, then saved it for the people of Whoville.

PMQ recently covered the phenomenal success of a promotion from Antonino’s Ristorante in La Grange, Illinois, where staffers clad in Grinch costumes deliver pizzas to delighted customers and pose for social media photos all over town. Now comes the first Grinch pizza we’ve ever seen, compliments of Jim Mirabelli, founder of NEPA Pizza Review: the Grinch Philly Tomato Pie.

It’s “a fun and festive take on the popular Philadelphia bakery-style pizza,” Mirabelli notes in a recent blog post on his site, where he shared the full recipe. And his photos of this edible pizza-art masterpiece speak for themselves. From the Grinch’s wicked grin and squinting eyebrows to the shiny green crust, the pie grabs the eye and makes you smile, no matter how undersized your heart might be. And, like the now-traditional heart-shaped pizza for Valentine’s Day, it could become a new holiday favorite at your pizzeria for years to come.

Related: Jim Mirabelli lists the Top 10 Old Forge-style pizzerias in Northeast Pennsylvania

a close-up of the bright-green crumb structure of the Grinch Philly Tomato Pie

Photo courtesy of NEPA Pizza Review

Getting the recipe right wasn’t easy, as Mirabelli, who worked in the pizza industry for 10 years before launching NEPA Pizza Review in 2012, explains in his post. But trial-and-error eventually led to a picture-perfect pie with the color and texture he wanted. The result is a holiday-themed pizza that’s sure to challenge and inspire other pizzaioli around the country, maybe even the world.

Mirabelli has become one of the pizza industry’s most respected ambassadors. The amiable pizzaiolo has been making the rounds of northeast Pennsylvania’s pizza scene for the past decade, reviewing his favorite locally owned pizzerias and pies without slamming the ones he didn’t care for.

NEPA Pizza Review has more than 17,000 followers on Facebook and 15,800 followers on Instagram. The YouTube channel has nearly 1,800 subscribers, packed with videos that garner thousands and even tens of thousands of views.

As a pizza influencer, though, Mirabelli just might have outdone himself with this wholly original recipe. And being a generous soul, he has shared it with the world and walks his readers through every step of the process.

Click here to view the full recipe and directions.

 

Food & Ingredients