[Pics] Chicago Pizza First Attempt

This is what I followed.

Chicago Deep Dish Pizza Recipe - How to Make a Stuffed Chicago Style Pizza Video - About.com (http://video.about.com/americanfood/Chicago-Deep-Dish-Pizza.htm)

Just watched the video again. I made the recipe from the printed text, and actually folded the crust over the edge of the pan. In the video, it's inside the pan, so there's my first mistake. Turned out really good with the Publix Meatballs, they're seasoned.

Yeah, the crust is a little burnt, but the middle is great. I've always wanted to make a deep dish pizza, took me about 3 hours from visiting the grocery store, buying everything, and cooking.

Everything laid out like I always do.
http://www.quatraine3.com/uploader/files/1/ChicagoPizza071109VGA001. jpg
Bought the dough from the pizza shop next to Publix. Two large dough balls for $6.
http://www.quatraine3.com/uploader/files/1/ChicagoPizza071109VGA002. jpg
The Publix Meatballs cooking on medium heat. This made the pie.
http://www.quatraine3.com/uploader/files/1/ChicagoPizza071109VGA004. jpg
Provolone Cheese after I spread out the dough into the pan
http://www.quatraine3.com/uploader/files/1/ChicagoPizza071109VGA006. jpg
Meatballs, Spinach, Brocoli
http://www.quatraine3.com/uploader/files/1/ChicagoPizza071109VGA007. jpg
Cover on with sauce. Added more cheese on top.
http://www.quatraine3.com/uploader/files/1/ChicagoPizza071109VGA008. jpg
I had more dough left over, so I made a regular pizza on the left. Turned out ok, but I didn't have corn meal to go on the bottom. Crust was plain.
http://www.quatraine3.com/uploader/files/1/ChicagoPizza071109VGA010. jpg
Looks good, but the crust was plain. I think the pizza joints add sugar and other spices to their crust at the last second.
http://www.quatraine3.com/uploader/files/1/ChicagoPizza071109VGA013. jpg
Yes, the edges of the crust were a little toasty. I'll learn from this one.
http://www.quatraine3.com/uploader/files/1/ChicagoPizza071109VGA015. jpg
The middle tastes great.
http://www.quatraine3.com/uploader/files/1/ChicagoPizza071109VGA016. jpg

Not bad, it tastes good and I learned a lot. I'll do it again but flavor the crust and leave it in the pan so it doesn't burn.

Those both look delicious and I am going to make them this week.

that looks great

Crust on one looks like a couple minutes in too long, but nothing completely horrendous, looks good otherwise.

Something odd about risotto, you should try that. You can eat it as a meal or a side, made some for the family last year and now they want me to make it all the time now.

Thanks everyone.

The left overs tasted great. That's because the crust keeps air from hitting the meat balls. When ground beef or steak is left on a plate in the fridge, the air hits it and you get a fridge taste. Ground beef in spaghetti or a Chicago pizza tastes great because it's covered.

I'll definately make this one again. Next time I'll use double meatballs and roll the dough inside the pan so it doesn't burn.

I just ate a shit ton of home made fried rice and crab rangoon and this seriously just made me hungry again. Very very nice NGFM. <3

man...i want to go to the local deep dish pizza place now :sunny:



very nice

Nominate NGFM for 2nd best poster in cooking forum (behind badmofo)

my local deep dish place sauce sucks so bad i have never ordered there again. But im dieing for some deep dish.
\
These threads are awesome... give me great insight and some idea on what i want to try for my first deep dish i make.

drool

not what comes into mind when i think of pizza but looks really good. nice work robert.

that looks awesome :bigthumb:

Looks good!

I'm usually a stickler for all from-scratch ingredients (sauce, meatballs, etc) but nicely done!

Wait, I'm back a week later. ------- 2nd Attempt ------- Much Better This Time.

Ok, so here we are a week later. This time I decided to skip the brocoli and just go with spinach meatballs.
http://www.quatraine3.com/uploader/files/1/ChicagoPizza071809VGA001. jpg
Used a rolling pin to spread out the dough, let it rest at room temperature for 15 minutes, and put corn meal on the board along with flour.
http://www.quatraine3.com/uploader/files/1/ChicagoPizza071809VGA004. jpg
The dough spread out
http://www.quatraine3.com/uploader/files/1/ChicagoPizza071809VGA005. jpg
A couple handfuls of spinach cooking down on top of the meatballs.
http://www.quatraine3.com/uploader/files/1/ChicagoPizza071809VGA007. jpg
Meatballs in the pan with the onions and peppers. There's slices of provolone cheese on the bottom. http://www.quatraine3.com/uploader/files/1/ChicagoPizza071809VGA009. jpg
Here's what it looked like after adding spinach. A few more slices of provolone cheese on top and I put the 2nd piece of dough on top.
http://www.quatraine3.com/uploader/files/1/ChicagoPizza071809VGA010. jpg
Ready to go. I trimmed the excess dough and added some sauce and mozzarella cheese on top.
http://www.quatraine3.com/uploader/files/1/ChicagoPizza071809VGA011. jpg
This time I coat the edges with the oil left over from cooking the meatballs. I wrap the dough into the pan.
http://www.quatraine3.com/uploader/files/1/ChicagoPizza071809VGA012. jpg
45 minutes at 375 degrees. The dough still puffed up and cooked quickly, but this time I covered it in tin foil, and I think brushing on the oil helped.
http://www.quatraine3.com/uploader/files/1/ChicagoPizza071809VGA017. jpg
Here we are at the end. Also used the left over dough to make a cheese pizza in the background. That one turned out better because I had corn meal on the crust. I also put corn meal on the bottom of this pan.
http://www.quatraine3.com/uploader/files/1/ChicagoPizza071809VGA018. jpg
Buzz munchies be gone. Look at how thick the top crust is. Almost like a Sicilian pizza. That's two large dough balls used to make 18" pizzas at the local joint. So the top cover is an entire large pizza crust on a 10" form, that's why it's so thick. Tastes great.
http://www.quatraine3.com/uploader/files/1/ChicagoPizza071809VGA019. jpg

that looks absolutely delicious

Damn. That is an awesome looking pizza bro

that is one DEEP dish pizza.

nice stuff. i cant wait to give it a 2nd go. I am also looking into pizza stones and that tray looks nice.


seen a pizza stone at wallmart today but it looked like some plastic component of some sort. so suggestions on a pizza stone would be great.

unglazed terra cotta tiles from home depot are what i use

cheap and modular depending on the size of your oven. i just leave them in there all the time' doesnt hurt anything

that looks fantastic NGFM. looks like something you would want on a cold day, stick to your ribs :)

Funny story about all of this. I had a regular check up with blood work the next week, and my cholesterol was 208, normal readings are under 200. Oh no. The doctor was talking about increasing my cholesterol medicine. I'm not kidding. Little did she know I was eating the above for 2 weeks straight.

Now I'm on a diet cutting way back. You can only do this stuff once a week.