Chicago Style Pizza Recipe

Talk about irony, divine intervention, luck or just plain coincidence a week ago Friday I was starting to feel homesick and told my husband that I wanted to try to make Chicago Style Pizza. Here in Richmond, we have yet to find pizza as good as home. We have found some good pizza restaurants in Richmond, but not good enough to make us forget that special dining experience of a good deep dish pizza, if you have had it you know it is a fork and knife type of pizza. 
 
 
 
 

As I was making the dough,  I happened to check my email and was notified I was a finalist in the Reynolds Real Mom Contest and would be flown to Chicago for 2 nights… more to come on the contest. As you are reading this I am headed to Chicago and hope to get a slice of the real thing.

 

The true secret behind a good deep dish pizza is the crust. I was amazed to read that Gino’s East, the particular taste I was trying to replicate, uses yellow food coloring in their dough. I do not like the idea of adding food coloring to anything other than red velvet items and frosting.

 
 
 
It is all about the dough. Not as smooth as a traditional recipe, due to the addition of cornmeal.
 
 
 
We did not have a Deep Dish Pizza Pan, on my Mother’s Day list now, so I used a 9 1/2 inch spring form pan  Another trick is the cheese is always on the bottom and we used both shredded and fresh mozzarella  along with some pre-cooked Italian sausage and fresh mushrooms.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Looks pretty close to the real thing, don’t you think. One warning: DO NOT LEAVE THE KITCHEN when you are using the broiler for the last step….Still tasted delish.
Want a bite?
 
 
 

Gino’s East Pizza Crust Recipe from Damn Good Food

  • 1 cup of warm water
  • 1 package yeast
  • 1/2 cup cornmeal or corn flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 T corn oil
  • 2 ½ to 3 cups of cheap generic flour
  • Yellow food coloring – the real secret to why its yellow.

Take the water and put it in your mixer. add yeast and a touch of sugar. Let the yeast foam up to be sure that it is active. Then add the rest of the ingredients including 2 1/2 cups flour. I usually end up adding between 1/4 and 1/2 teaspoons of yellow food coloring. Using a dough hook, kneed the dough until it is well combined. If the dough is sticky add a little more flour. The dough should be moist but not sticky. Let the mixer kneed the dough for 10 minutes. Put it in the oven to rise. If you desire a late in the day pizza taste (beer like), then let it rise all day.

Assembling the pizza –
Preheat oven to 350. After the dough has risen take your deep dish pizza pan (or a round cake pan with straight sides) and coat the inside of it with a very healthy coating of melted butter. Roll the dough out to about 1/4 inch thick and up it in the pan. Then pinch the dough up along the sides of the pan. Now put your cheese, and I mean a lot, into the crust. Then add your pepperoni, and finally your sauce. Bake in the oven until the crust is starting to brown and cheese is starting to bubble up through the sauce. The little edges of the pepperoni should also be starting to crisp.

 

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20 Comments

  1. That look so so good! I will for sure add this to my menu plan

  2. Wow, that looks fabulous! Living near Chicago, I often forget that in terms of pizza, we have it pretty good! Love, love deep dish!

  3. Looks amazing!! I never thought about using the cheese at the bottom. Great tip!

  4. YUM!! I am in Newport News…swing on in and bring me a slice!! I have coffee!! ..and WIFI!

  5. Yummy! I will have to try this sometime this week! We loveeee pizza! lol

  6. Yum – I want some!!

  7. oh my that looks soo goood! what a wonderful recipe!

  8. Real deep dish pizza, i would have never thought to use a spring-pan good idea!

  9. This looks delicious. I add a ton of cheese to my pizza:)

  10. Believe it or not I have never had deep dish…NY girl here…I will have to try this!

  11. I love love love deep dish pizza! Chicago has some of the best food, I swear!

  12. This looks so good. Thank you for sharing.

  13. I’ve never attempted a deep dish pizza but can’t wait now! Especially since I now know the cheese goes on the bottom. You have been pinned! Thank you 🙂

  14. I love deep dish pizza. THanks now im craving it. i wish i could cook from scratch more

  15. that looks pretty good. Now to find a way to alter it. 🙂

  16. WOW this looks crazy amazing. I can’t even believe you made it!

  17. I’ve never had a real deep dish pizza, this looks fabulous! Thanks for sharing your recipe. 🙂

  18. Ooo- we love homemade pizza! Can’t wait to try this recipe!!

  19. This looks so yummy!! I can’t wait to make this for my family!