Chicago-style pizza, undoubtedly the best-tasting pizza in the country, is considered by many to be special and legendary. It was first made in 1943 at Pizzeria Uno in Chicago. Its franchisee pizza chain established by Ike Sewell in the same year is going strong till date. Its 'simple' form is known for its 3-inches tall buttery crust, which appears elevated due to large amounts of cheese and chunky tomato sauce. These 'deep-dish' pizzas have now become an integral part of Chicago culture.
The 'stuffed' form of the crust pizza is also very famous. Invented in the late 1970s by two Chicago pizzerias, Giordano's Pizza and Nancy's Pizza, this pizza has a crust taller than that of the deep-dish one. Pan-pizzas and thin-crust pizzas are the other two popular forms of the yummy Chicago-style pizza. While the former is similar to the deep-dish with a thicker crust, the latter is thinner and known for its 'crunching' effect. The thin-crust pizzas do not consist of tomato chunks, but instead, use Italian tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. They are offered as a "party cut", meaning, cut into individual squares.
Chicago seems to be in the news quite a bit these days. Folks may not realize that Chicago has always been a great food town. I prefer deep-dish pizza. You can pack quite a meal in one pizza pie. With the tight economy, this meal will not break your budget and will allow you to possibly have leftovers.
Chicago-Style pizza is a deep-dish pizza style developed in Chicago. The term also sometimes refers to "stuffed" pizza, another Chicago style. True Chicago-style pizza features a buttery crust with generous amounts of cheese and chunky tomato sauce. If and when you are in Chicago, be sure to visit these deep-dish establishments:
Aurelio'sConnie's
Edwardo's
Giordano's
Gino's East
Home Run Inn
Jake's
Lou Malnati's
Nancy's
Pizzeria Uno
Rosati's
Chicago Deep Dish
Ingredients:
1 package rapid-rise active yeast (1/4 ounce)
1 cup warm water, between 105 to 115 degrees F
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup olive oil
1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese
1 pound cooked Italian sausage, crumbled
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes, well-drained
1 teaspoon dried sweet basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
preparation:
1. In the mixing bowl add the warm water, yeast, and sugar, stir with a whisk. Add 2 cups of the flour, salt, cornmeal, and olive oil. Use the paddle and mix on speed 2 for 2 minutes. Put on the dough hook and add the remaining flour. Knead on speed 2 until the dough clings to the hook, then knead on speed 2 for 5 minutes longer. Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover. Let rise for 1 hour.
2. With oiled fingers press the dough into a deep-dish pizza pan. Cover the dough with the mozzarella, then top with the sausage. Place the tomatoes over the sausage. Top with the basil, oregano, and Parmesan cheese. Bake in a 500 degrees F oven for 15 minutes.
3. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees F and bake for 20 minutes, or until the crust is brown.
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The Finest Pizzeria - Pizzeria Uno
The best place to have the most authentic Chicago-style pizza is the original Pizzeria Uno, where this delicious pizza was first invented. However, the place has now been renamed as the "Uno Chicago Grill'. The pizzeria is very popular with pizza-lovers across the globe and is best-known for serving the best Chicago style pizzas in the city. Besides a wide variety of pizzas, it also serves other delicious items, such as pasta, salads, chicken, burgers, sandwiches, steaks, and desserts. Apart from the original location at 29 East Ohio, Chicago, the Uno Chicago Grill franchisee chain has 216 pizzerias in almost 32 states.
Chicago-style Pizza, undoubtedly, has its own place in the history of pizzas and is truly not worth missing.