Chicago-Style Pizza
| I've had emails saying that I should include a Chicago-Style Pizza recipe. To be honest, I've never made my own Chicago-Style Pizza (not yet). But I sure have eaten a lot, and I've carried it from Chicago to Atlanta, San Diego, Los Angeles, and Fargo by plane and automobile. So this page is dedicated to Chicago-Style Pizza information and related links (including some recipes recommended to me). |
Well, it seems that most people are aware of one of Chicago's greatest contributions to the world of food - pizza. If you've never had Chicago-style pizza, I'm sorry for you. If you have had Chicago-style pizza, I mean the real thing, then you'd know it. I have to be honest, I've had imitations - those "Chicago-Style Pizzerias" in other cities just don't represent the real thing. That's the main reason why I haven't ever tried to make my own Chi-town pizza. I mean, if a place in California that claims to be a Chicago-style pizzeria can't make a good pizza, then why should I think I can? (Yeah, that's right, I'm a pizza snob). What I have done is brought pizza back from Chicago with me to wherever I've been living. Basically that means Chicago to Atlanta, San Diego, Los Angeles, or Fargo. How did I do this you may ask. Well, many Chicago-based pizzerias sell half-cooked frozen pizzas that I put in an insulated bag, stick in the overhead compartment on the plane or back seat of the car and then cook for friends immediately when I get home. These trips have lasted anywhere from 2 to 6 hours and I've had no problems. |
O.K., so what is real Chicago-Style Pizza?
Chicago-style pizza is a wonderful concoction that in many ways defies the conventional idea of what a pizza should be: 1) It's not flat. It's actually like a pie (without a top crust). It's DEEP dish and usually very difficult to eat with one's hands - though I've been known to. 2)
The tomato sauce is on top, covering the cheese and "toppings"-
not the other way around. And this sauce is rich and tangy and not
just some tomato slices or chunks that have shriveled during baking
(that's some California thing). I prefer something that's like stewed
tomatoes covering the entire pizza.
3) The blend of cheeses would make even the most devoted topping fans sometimes choose a slice of cheese instead of pepperoni, sausage, veggie, or some combination. 4) The crust is so flavorful and flaky that instead of tossing gnawed crusts after a meal, sometimes I've seen people rip the crust off an entire piece of pizza foregoing the rest of the slice! |
| For those of you interested in having some of this pizza, but you aren't planning on going to Chicago anytime soon, there is an alternative. Some really good Chicago pizzerias will ship these pizzas overnight for you to enjoy. Here are some of my favorites that "deliver": |
I've also had some people send me recipe suggestions. Again, I have not tried any of these recipes (I'll post comments if I do). I have looked for some recipes as well, and they are included here. If you do try any of these recipes or know of any others, please let me know! so I can include it here and try it myself. |