It likely predated the English settlements in Southern New England, having been a feature of indigenous people's diet.
Ingredients in addition to whole or chopped clams and pie crust can include potatoes, corn, onion, celery, garlic, clam juice, milk, eggs, hard-boiled eggs, butter, crushed crackers, seasonings, salt and pepper.
[7] There is evidence that the Wampanoag tribe of present-day Southern New England and Cape Cod ate pies made from clams before encountering English Settlers in the early 1600s.
[citation needed] White clam pie is a pizza variety in New Haven, Connecticut, and is typically prepared using pizza dough, clams, olive oil, grated Romano cheese, garlic and oregano.
[10] The dish originated at the Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana restaurant in the Wooster Square neighborhood of New Haven, and was first prepared there sometime in the 1950s.