what is deep dish crust

Discover the authentic Chicago-style deep dish pizza, made with a crunchy flaky crust and garnished with thick layers of cheese and tomato sauce. This deep dish pizza recipe is an attempt at recreating Lou Malnati’s pizza, which in my opinion, is the best deep dish pizza in Chicago. I am very proud of the result as it is very close to the original recipe, while still being a very easy deep dish pizza recipe.

Chicago-style pizza usually refers to deep-dish pizza, which is a thick pizza baked in a pan and layered with cheese, fillings like meat and vegetables, and sauce–in that order. The crust is usually two to three inches tall and gets slightly fried due to the oil in the pan.
what is deep dish crust

To go the extra mile…

  • Can you skip the meat in the recipe? Absolutely. For a vegetarian version (called “The Lou” at Lou Malnati’s), skip the sausage and replace with a mix of spinach, mushrooms or artichokes. For this version, I would sauté the veggies beforehand to remove any liquid. Now that I told you everything, it’s your turn to bake your own Chicago-style deep dish pizza. Hope you’ll like it!
  • Can you freeze/reheat the deep dish pizza? Yes, the deep dish freezes indeed very well. Just place the slices (or half of the pizza) into a ziploc bag, then place in the refrigerator up to 3 months. When ready to eat, remove from the freezer and reheat in a 350°F (180°C) oven until thawed and warm, about 15-20 minutes.
  • Can you bake the dough in advance? I wouldn’t recommend it as the dough will loose its crusty texture. However, you can prepare the dough in advance, store it wrapped with cling film in the fridge overnight and then bake the following day.

My favorite Chicago-style pizza!

To celebrate 1 year as a foodie in Chicago, I baked a giant Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza. I have tried countless deep dish pizza recipes them since I moved to Chicago, but it was my very first attempt to bake it myself. Being a huge fan of deep dish pizzas, I was quite exigent with the result I expected both in terms of taste and texture. While reviewing the existing deep dish pizza recipes, I found out that there were many different ones that had nothing to do with each other. It’s easy to get lost! So I simply tried to recreate my very favorite deep dish pizza, the one from Lou Malnati’s. No need to wait longer here to tell you the result. A complete success. I’m so happy I found how to make the perfect (in my own opinion) deep dish pizza.

How to Make Chicago Deep-Dish Pizza from The Bear | Binging with Babish

FAQ

Is deep dish pizza just thick crust?

Deep dish pizza is not only about the crust, it’s all about the generous and thick layers of cheese and tomato sauce. Because of it, you need fork and knife to eat your Chicago-style deep dish pizza. Again, this is not a regular pizza from which you grab a slice with your hands.

Is deep dish pizza dough different?

I have it on good authority that this is the real deep-dish pizza dough that’s used in Chicago. The real thing is nothing like bread or even pizza dough. It’s a buttery, flaky crust that’s achieved by using corn oil (not butter) and minimal mixing and kneading times.

What is deep crust?

Although deep crust pizza is thicker than both thick and thin crust pizza, it’s prepared a bit differently. For one, the outer edges, originally known as the crust, are much thicker. Not only are they much thicker, but they’re much taller in height as well.

Is deep-dish the same as regular crust?

The main difference between deep dish pizza and traditional thin crust pizza is the thickness of the crust. Deep dish pizza has a thick, doughy crust that is formed into a deep, round pan, similar to a pie dish. The crust is then filled with cheese, sauce, and toppings, in that order.

What is a deep dish pizza crust?

The deep dish pizza crust. A crunchy-edged, flaky crust is key in Chicago-style pizza. It’s absolutely not a regular pizza crust. No, this crust is unique. And that’s why I steered completely away from my regular pizza crust recipe and dove headfirst into something completely nuts. Adding a little cornmeal.

What is a deep-dish pizza?

The crust is usually two to three inches tall and gets slightly fried due to the oil in the pan. The main distinction between deep-dish pizza and New York-style pizza or Neapolitan pizza is that, as the name suggests, the crust is very deep, creating a bulky pizza that is more similar to a pie than a flatbread.

What is deep-dish pizza dough made of?

Deep-dish pizza dough is made from wheat flour and sometimes semolina flour, giving the crust a noticeably yellowish hue. There is also corn oil or butter in the recipe, giving it that buttery, biscuit-like taste. Deep-dish pizza is baked in a round, steel pan that resembles a cake or pie pan.

What is a deep-dish pie crust?

A deep-dish pie crust is deeper than a standard pie crust. It holds more filling and is usually reserved for quiches and sometimes apple pies, where you want a bigger ratio of filling to crust. To make a deep-dish pie, you need more of everything: a deeper pie plate, more crust, and more filling, not to mention probably more baking time.

Leave a Comment