Authentic Chicago Deep Dish...in Excruciating Detail

[bardsleyque]

I grew up on the north side,there was a place called Edwardos. They had an awesome stuffed spinach souffle
And whats wrong with Santo,Kessinger,Becker,and Banks etc.? go Cubs

[jgg85234]

Billy Williams, Randy Hundley, and Ken Hubbs were not etcs. That's Glenn Beckert, not Becker. Fergie Jenkins, Ken Holtzmann, Bill Hands. With all those good players and Leo Durocher coaching them, I could never understand why they always sucked.

[Pequod]

I know Edwardo's. My in-laws live in DesPlaines and we get Edwardo's stuffed spinach whenever we visit. Great stuff(ed)!

[jgg85234]

You just had to do this

When I was little (back in the 50s) my dad would bring home Uno's Pizzas (the partially cooked ones) on nights he worked late. He and Mom would wake me up (10PM or later) with the smell of those pizzas. We usually went to Pizzeria Due when we went downtown. Because my parents knew them, I got to know Ike (Sewell), Ric (Riccardo), Rudy (Malnati) and Alice May Redmond. Met Lou when he started to manage Due.

He opened the first Lou Malnati's in Lincolnwood somewhere around 1971. Went there quite frequently. Still visited Due. Also, Gino's East with Alice May. Even though I knew all of those people, I never found out who actually came up with the recipe. Suspicion is that it was Rudy and Alice.

In 1975 I moved to Phoenix. Any trip to Chicago was an excuse for a great pizza from Due, Malnati's, or Gino's.

When they franchised Uno's, I had high hopes. We tried one in San Francisco, and it was pretty good, but not quite what I remembered. They came to Phoenix (and Tempe) in 1990. We'd go occasionally, but it was always a mild disappointment.

Last year, they opened a Lou Malnati's in North Central Phoenix, just before I had my burst aneurysm. Has been on my mind to go and get a partially cooked or frozen pizza and try it at home. Now, I find out they opened a Gino's East in Phoenix yesterday. A few years ago, a San Fratello's opened (carry out only) less than a mile from my house. They came from Chicago as well, but grew up after I left. Pizza is decent. We'll have to see how it compares to the two originals.

I have to do this just for the memories.

Best regards,
Jim

[Pequod]

Awesome story. That's incredible that you got to know the creators of Chicago Deep Dish!

[jgg85234]

Although my parents were invited, we missed opening night at Lou Malnati's. Would have been memorable. A car crashed through the wall into the main dining room. Too much to drink?

[Pequod]

Wow!

[EdF]

Too much in a hurry to try "the product"!

[Bob's BBQ]

Pequod Just a couple of questions: How big of a can of crushed tomatoes? How much pepperoni is on the pie in the picture?
Thanks!

[Pequod]

It's a 28 oz can of 6-in-1 brand all purpose ground tomatoes. I use just shy of all of that. I've seen others prefer 7/11 ground tomatoes. I've tried these and they are excellent. Another recommended brand is Muir Glen organic crushed tomatoes. I've also used Sclafani, and they are very good too.

[Pequod]

Oh...and on the pepperoni, only what you see on top. Nothing under the sauce. Don't recall the exact amount, but it was less than half an 8 oz. package of Margherita brand sliced pepperoni.

[Bob's BBQ]

Thank you! Stopping tonight to pick up the stuff I don't have. Gonna make a pie Friday night!

[W.A.]

Thanks so much for posting! Lots of great info. Below is my attempt a few years ago (posted in a thread of mine a while back). I'm from the NY area, but I still appreciate this style of pizza.


T

[Pequod]

Great looking pie!

[W.A.]

Pequod , thanks. The recipe I used was very similar to your's. I stole it off of pizzamaking.com

[Pequod]

Have found much inspiration there myself. The dough recipe is derived from one I found there.

[jgg85234]

My preference was always the "Chicago Classic", which had a layer that was a sold piece of Italian Sausage, rather than the Pepperoni.

[Pequod]

Gotta agree with you there. My problem is I don't have a supplier of that distinctive Chicago style of sweet Italian sausage here in Virginia, and I've not been able to replicate it on my own. If anyone one has a recipe, would love to see it.

[jgg85234]

Pequod I wonder if Vienna Sausage might be a substitute. The Phoenix area has had Vienna Beef outlets as long as I've lived here, but you may or may not in Virginia. Vienna Sausage is available through Amazon.

[Pequod]

Thanks for the tip. Will look for that.

[jgg85234]

Hi Pequod

Talked to my client in the Foodservice industry, who also grew up on the north side of Chicago.

He said that he thinks the sausage we're talking about came from a company called Rose Packing.

Their offices are currently in Barrington, IL, but they started business in 1924 down on Halsted Street.

Here's a link

https://www.rosepacking.com/the-rose-tradition/

You could try calling them and see if they have any distributors out your way, or if they can come up with a way to ship you some product.

Best regards,
Jim

[Pequod]

Awesome, thanks!

[jgg85234]

Another thought from him.

If it wasn't Rose, a company that is both in the Foodservice Industry and consumer business. From the Old Italian Neighborhood (Randolph Street)

http://www.fontanini.com/

Jim

[Bob's BBQ]

Made my pie this weekend. Made a few minor mistakes I'll correct next time but it turned out great. Followed your recipe as close as possible. Love the crust. I used my big cast iron pan and it worked great.

Thanks so much for the recipe!

[Bob's BBQ]

Thanks folks - I was really happy with the results for a first try!

[dmorgan73]

What brand of tomatoes did you use?

[Bob's BBQ]

It was the only non-big name (Hunts, etc.) brand I could find. Some Italian name. Unfortunately I tossed the can and didn't write down the name. Sorry!

[Dr ROK]

Great post! Thanks for sharing the recipes and details. I do have to say though, I've never had a bad pizza I don't think they exist.

[Pequod]

You obviously haven't tried pizza out here in the Washington, DC area...

[Potkettleblack]

Seconded on the DC pizza being beat. I didn't understand that at all.

[djotaku]

I think 2 Amys is good, if overpriced

[JoeSousa]

Have you ever tried this with the cheese up the side of the pan so you get the nice black cheesy bits?

[Pequod]

I haven't, but there's a variant here: http://www.realdeepdish.com/2015/11-22-the-quod/

[Potkettleblack]

The 'Quod. Love that place.

[LuckyD]

I am definitely giving this a run soon. FYI, I have used a recipe from Americas Test Kitchen for Chicago Style Deep dish that used corn meal. My girlfriend described the crust as "biscuity". So I consider that a win! But I am a confirmed bread geek (meaning anything yeasty) and want to try your dough recipe. thanks for posting!

[Pequod]

I've seen that recipe. I'm sure it's great in its own way, but the differences (corn meal and cooked sauce if I remember) coupled with the word "Chicago" put me off. It looks a bit like a Papa Del's pizza from Champaing-Urbana, which is on my bucket list of things to figure out.

[Michael S.]

I've always loved going to Renaldi's Pizza @ Diversy and Broadway. Moved away from Chicago 23 years ago, here's how they make Chicago Deep Dish Pizza. http://www.realdeepdish.com/deepdishholygrail/

[Pequod]

That's a great recipe. Can't go wrong with that. I used to make a dough very similar, but migrated to the one I posted here about a year ago. I like it just a tad better, but both are legit in my book.

[dmorgan73]

I will definitely have to give this a try. Had deep dish once in O'Hare Airport and was not impressed. Being from Western Pennsylvania I grew up on Sicilian style sheet pizza and make that all the time.

[Potkettleblack]

Airport everything is less than it should be in the actual city and suburbs.

[Customdsgn]

Dude, your crust looks awesome. I'll definitely give it a go. But I have one sage tip for you--your awesome teak cutting board has got to go! Teak grows in a swamp. It has particulates of sand in it. It will dull your knives faster than it dulls my carbide tipped woodworking tools.

[Pequod]

No doubt on wood working tools. However, knife forums vary on this point. One says that this particular brand is lower in silica and not an issue. Same with Cooks Illustrated. My real world experience confirms...and I know how to sharpen regardless.