Image Credit : https://insanelygoodrecipes.com
Get Ready to Motor City Munch: Detroit-Style Pizza Party!
Calling all pizza enthusiasts, carb connoisseurs, and lovers of cheesy goodness! Today, we’re ditching the fancy, thin-crust stuff and diving headfirst into the deep dish of Detroit-style pizza. Imagine a crispy, caramelized edge cradling a fluffy, focaccia-like dough, all overflowing with melty cheese and your favorite toppings. Sounds heavenly, right? Well, buckle up because we’re about to make this pizza dream a reality!
Gather Your Gear:
Here’s what you’ll need to transform your kitchen into a mini Motor City:
- For the Dough:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (or bread flour for an extra chewy treat)
- 1 ½ teaspoons instant yeast
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for greasing
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup warm water (about 105°F)
- For the Sauce (Feel free to get creative here!):
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- The Cheesy Goodness:
- 8 ounces brick cheese, crumbled (you can also use a mix of cheddar and mozzarella)
- Pepperoni slices (or your favorite toppings – sausage, veggies, go wild!)
- The Pan:
- A square, deep-dish pan (ideally a seasoned Lloyd’s pan, but a baking sheet will work in a pinch)
Let’s Get This Dough Party Started!
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Activate the Yeast Crew: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, yeast, and salt. They’re about to become BFFs! Now, drizzle in the warm water and olive oil. Stir it all together until a shaggy dough forms. Imagine you’re wrangling a bunch of happy, bouncy clouds.
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Knead to Know You: This dough is a little different than your average pizza dough. It’ll be a bit sticky, but don’t you worry! Flour your hands and counter lightly, then transfer the dough and get ready for some stress relief (or arm wrestling practice, depending on how you see it). Knead that dough for about 10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. Think of yourself as a pizza sculptor, molding your masterpiece.
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Dough-licious Rise Time: Now it’s time for the dough to relax and grow in peace. Drizzle a little olive oil into a clean bowl and coat the dough. Place it in the bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and find a warm spot for it to rise. Maybe put on a movie, or tell the dough funny jokes – whatever helps it feel happy and relaxed. Let it rise for about 1-2 hours, or until it doubles in size. You’ll be amazed at its doughy magic!
Saucetacular Creations!
- Fire Up the Flavor: While the dough chills, let’s create a symphony of sauce! In a saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and let it sizzle and release its fragrant goodness. Then, toss in those crushed tomatoes, oregano, and red pepper flakes (if you’re feeling adventurous). Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring it to a simmer and let it cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens up. Now you have a sauce that’s ready to rock your taste buds!
Assembling Your Detroit Dream
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The Greasy Spoon (in a good way!): Preheat your oven to 475°F (245°C). While it gets nice and toasty, grease your trusty pan (or pans) generously with olive oil. We want that caramelized, crispy edge, remember?
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Stretch It Out: Now for the fun part! Gently punch down the risen dough and transfer it to your oiled pan. Using your fingers, dimple and stretch the dough out evenly, getting it all nice and cozy in the corners. The dough should reach almost all the way to the edges of the pan – we want that beautiful, cheesy crust.
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The Great Cheese Avalanche: Here comes the best part (besides eating it, of course). Sprinkle that crumbled brick cheese (or your cheese blend of choice) all over the dough, getting it right up to the edges. We want that cheesy goodness overflowing!
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Top It Off in Style: Now’s the time to unleash your inner pizza artist! Drape those
