Comments on: Classic Chicago Deep-Dish Pizza http://leitesculinaria.com/8253/recipes-classic-chicago-deep-dish-pizza.html This James Beard Award-winning site from David Leite offers food writing, cookbook and Portuguese recipes, giveaways, more. Sun, 21 Mar 2010 17:33:09 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Testers Choice http://leitesculinaria.com/8253/recipes-classic-chicago-deep-dish-pizza.html#comment-8701 Testers Choice Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:23:45 +0000 http://leitesculinaria.com/wordpress/?p=8253#comment-8701 [Cindi Kruth] I’ve never made classic deep-dish pizza before, but this one was well-received by my guests, who have lived in (and therefore eaten pizza) in Chicago. When we make thick-crust pizza at my house, it’s always Sicilian-style. This pizza was totally different—different ingredients, different techniques, different flavors. The deep-dish expert at the table proclaimed it very good, especially the sauce, but slightly less messy than the authentic version. That may have been my fault, as I oiled the pans rather lightly with the olive oil (which is not listed in the mise en place). The dough came together easily, but it took a little extra time reach the “windowpane” stage, a term not explained in the recipe. To get the dough to stretch to a translucent, "window-like" thinness without tearing, I added about 5 minutes of hand-kneading. I was concerned about the amount of vinegar called for in the sauce. I added only 1 tablespoon and found that to be enough. I would suggest using half the amount of what the recipe calls for, then tasting and adding more only if you think it’s needed. I made one pizza with the ricotta and mozzarella cheeses and one with the sausage. Both were quite good, but the sausage pie was devoured first. I used the second (less fatty) method listed to cook the sausage. My pizza expert then proceeded to describe how sausage is usually cooked in Chicago—as a giant disc—the exact way it is described in the first method. I won’t be trading in my skinny crusted Neapolitan pies, but for a crowd, this recipe will be added to my rotation [Cindi Kruth] I’ve never made classic deep-dish pizza before, but this one was well-received by my guests, who have lived in (and therefore eaten pizza) in Chicago. When we make thick-crust pizza at my house, it’s always Sicilian-style. This pizza was totally different—different ingredients, different techniques, different flavors. The deep-dish expert at the table proclaimed it very good, especially the sauce, but slightly less messy than the authentic version. That may have been my fault, as I oiled the pans rather lightly with the olive oil (which is not listed in the mise en place).

The dough came together easily, but it took a little extra time reach the “windowpane” stage, a term not explained in the recipe. To get the dough to stretch to a translucent, “window-like” thinness without tearing, I added about 5 minutes of hand-kneading.

I was concerned about the amount of vinegar called for in the sauce. I added only 1 tablespoon and found that to be enough. I would suggest using half the amount of what the recipe calls for, then tasting and adding more only if you think it’s needed. I made one pizza with the ricotta and mozzarella cheeses and one with the sausage. Both were quite good, but the sausage pie was devoured first. I used the second (less fatty) method listed to cook the sausage. My pizza expert then proceeded to describe how sausage is usually cooked in Chicago—as a giant disc—the exact way it is described in the first method.

I won’t be trading in my skinny crusted Neapolitan pies, but for a crowd, this recipe will be added to my rotation

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