This Chicago deep dish recipe has proven to be surprisingly authentic and quite delicious. It has been compiled from notes found on various recipe sites and has been largely informed by someone who appears to be a professional Chicago pizza chef.
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 95mL warm water (note 2)
- 45mL oil (note 3)
- 3/4 tsp yeast
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- Dash of cream of tartar (for Gino's East style)
- 3/4 cup shredded Sorrento whole mozzarella per cup of flour (note 4)
- 3/4 cup shredded Sorrento skim mozzarella per cup of flour (note 4)
- Approx. 1/4 can 6-in-1 Tomatoes
- Other toppings (e.g., pepperoni, prepared sausage)
- Crushed garlic
- Basil
- Oregano
- Red pepper flakes
- Grated parmesan
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 190mL warm water
- 85mL corn oil
- 5mL EVOO
- 1 1/2 tsp yeast
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Sorrento whole mozzarella
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Sorrento skim mozzarella
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 285mL warm water
- 125mL corn oil
- 10mL EVOO
- 2 1/4 tsp yeast
- 1 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- 2 1/4 cups shredded Sorrento whole mozzarella
- 2 1/4 cups shredded Sorrento skim mozzarella
Instructions
- Mix sugar, water, and yeast in large mixing bowl. Let stand while prepping other ingredients until the yeast begins to bubble.
- Add flour, oil, and salt and mix for 1 minute
- Knead for no more than 2 minutes.
- Let rise for about 6 hours. Can let dough rise in cool oven with light on.
- Punch down, then cover and let the gluten relax for 10-15 minutes or so.
- Drain the 6-in-1 Tomatoes to remove excess liquid
- Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
- Grease pan using either corn oil, olive oil, or butter (for Lou Malnati's-style crust)
- Press crust into pan or roll out crust for Giordano's-style pie
- Dock the pizza by perforating the crust
- Parbake at 500 until very lightly browned
- Set oven to 450 degrees
- Evenly spread the cheese in the parbaked crust
- Add meat and other toppings on top of the cheese
- Spread a layer of 6-in-1 Tomatoes
- Sprinkle garlic, oregano, basil, etc., on sauce.
- Bake at 450 for around 30 minutes. Experiment with time and rack placement because home ovens act in very different ways.
- Let cool for five minutes before slicing to allow cheese to harden slightly.
Notes
1. One cup of flour is listed as a base. Multiply quantities as needed. 12" pan = 3 cups. Lou Malnati's 9" pan = 2 cups (available here: http://www.tastesofchicago.com/category/lou_malnatis_pan_spatula).
2. The amount of hydration depends on the age of the flour, humidity, etc. I usually use 6 1/2 TBS. You can add more flour or water as necessary.
3. Most Chicago restaurants cheap corn oil. Some people prefer extra light olive oil, but you can also use a mix. Gino's East, for instance, uses 95% corn oil and 5% EVOO. This mix seems to give the best flavor. Canola is acceptable as well.
4. Use a total of 1 1/2 cups cheese per cup of flour. Sorrento is readily available and a 50/50 mix of whole and skim is very good. Sorrento comes in blocks and is easily be shredded using a food processor. Other options include: Stella or Frigo Mozarella 70-30 Mozzarella/provolone blend for Home Run Inn style