Beer and Deep Dish Pizza....

Can you really go wrong with that combo?

 

After careful and thoughtful consideration I have come to the conclusion that no, you cannot go wrong with that combination.

 

I'm just disappointed I didn't get an invite. :-(

 

When you put mushrooms and olives on the pizza...yes

 

the only way to make that combo better is with a non-deep dish pizza

 

That'll do just fine like it is...for me. The others'll have to order more...

 

You should see when I do a double crust...a 12 inch pie can weigh about 9 pounds...a beautiful thing. You'll all get an invite when I get opened up,...first gotta get financing and business plan in order.

 

I agree: deep dish pizza + Beer + another non-deep dish pizza = better combo

 

See, I'm a thin crust pizza guy, myself (beef, black olives, onions... maybe some bell peppers). But after having actual Chicago style deep dish a couple of times in Chicago, I can't really argue with the OP.

 

Do you like Beau Jeau's? Used to love to hit Idaho Springs for some Beau Jeau's and Tommyknockers.

 

I went to the one in Fort Collins when I lived there...they made a great pie!

 

I've lived in Denver for over a decade and have yet to try Beau Jeau's. Nothing against it, just haven't gotten around to it. For some reason the neighborhoods I've lived in around here all seem to have 2-3 local places, minimum, so I get a lot of variety. Next time I'm in Idaho Springs I'll have to check it out.

 

I liked the one in Idaho Springs best. We used to live in Grand Junction and every trip over to Denver was an opportunity to stop. Don't have anything like it here in Omaha. Miss it for sure.

 

We used to go to Godfather's pizza in cinci. We loved their deep pan pizza!

 

Nice looking pie! I make my own pizza too... Never tried making Chicago style pizza before though. I stick with mostly New York style and Sicilian style pies. Nothing pairs better with homebrew then good pizza!

 

Drool...I grew up in Chicago but now live in pizza hell where the crust is cracker-thin and the cheese is some kind of artificial rubber stuff. I've gotta learn how to make deep dish pizza myself!

 

Aw, man! I was battling incipient munchies and then I tripped over this thread.

Off to the kitchen...

Cheers!

 

Damn, that looks good. As a Chicago transplant to SoCal, there's only 1 place I know of to get legit deep dish out here... (Luckily, we now have a Portillo's, and there's a place right by work that makes a mean Italian Beef sandwich).

When it comes to homemade deep dish, the crust is the key. Storebought won't do. You've *got* to do it up yourself: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/the-real-chicago-deep-dish-pizza-dough/

 

Never having been to Chicago, I can't say I've ever had the real deal... OTOH, I was quite familiar with Zachary's in Berkeley, which is just one more thing to feel homesick about. But then again, just about everything makes me long for the Bay Area, these days. I also recall from my childhood a restaurant called My π, in Connecticut of all places, which I would guess is as close to the real Chicago pizza as I've ever had.

Then again, I do know of one deep-dish place in Atlanta (Chicago Nancy's) that isn't to be despised. I was surprised, frankly, as I had always heard that the Deep South was a wasteland regarding pizza... but then, Atlanta isn't very typical of the region. Outside of the Atlanta metro area, there aren't many pizza places, period, at least not from what I've seen (except for big chains like Domino's and Papa John's, which hardly count).

On the gripping hand, I grew up about 40 miles from Manhattan, so I know New York style a lot better to begin with. A good thin crust pizza is something special in it's own right, and hard to find in most of the country. Sadly, the only really good place nearby closed up recently.

 

This is Americas Test Kitchen's deep dish butter crust(a riff on Lou Malnatis which happens to be one of my favs). Used to live in Chicago and I certainly miss deep dish. I personally far prefer New Haven style to new york, when I am going to eat thin.

Ingredients:

Dough:
3 1/4 cups (16 1/4 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (2 3/4 ounces) yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
2 teaspoons sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast
1 1/4 cups water (10 ounces), room temperature
3 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted, plus 4 tablespoons, softened
1 teaspoon plus 4 tablespoons olive oil

Sauce:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup grated onion , from 1 medium onion (see note)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
table salt
2 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes (see note)
1/4 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
ground black pepper

Toppings:
1 pound mozzarella cheese , shredded (about 4 cups)
1/2 ounce grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/4 cup)
Pepperoni, cooked sausage, caramelized onion, pitted olives, roughly chopped basil

Instructions:

For the Dough:

Mix flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar, and yeast in bowl of stand mixer fitted with dough hook on low speed until incorporated, about 1 minute.
Add water and melted butter and mix on low speed until fully combined, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping sides and bottom of bowl occasionally.
Increase speed to medium and knead until dough is glossy and smooth and pulls away from sides of bowl, 4 to 5 minutes. (Dough will only pull away from sides while mixer is on. When mixer is off, dough will fall back to sides.)
Using fingers, coat large bowl with 1 teaspoon olive oil, rubbing excess oil from fingers onto blade of rubber spatula. Using oiled spatula, transfer dough to bowl, turning once to oil top; cover tightly with plastic wrap.
Let rise at room temperature until nearly doubled in volume, 45 to 60 minutes.

For the Sauce:

While dough rises, heat butter in medium saucepan over medium heat until melted.
Add onion, oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated and onion is golden brown, about 5 minutes.
Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Stir in tomatoes and sugar, increase heat to high, and bring to simmer.
Lower heat to medium-low and simmer until reduced to 2 1/2 cups, 25 to 30 minutes.
Off heat, stir in basil and oil, then season with salt and pepper.

To Laminate the Dough:

Adjust oven rack to lower position and heat oven to 425 degrees.
Using rubber spatula, turn dough out onto dry work surface and roll into 15- by 12-inch rec-tangle. Using offset spatula, spread softened butter over surface of dough, leaving 1/2-inch border along edges. Starting at short end, roll dough into tight cylinder.
With seam side down, flatten cylinder into 18- by 4-inch rectangle. Cut rectangle in half crosswise.
Working with 1 half, fold into thirds like business letter; pinch seams together to form ball.
Repeat with remaining half.
Return balls to oiled bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let rise in refrigerator until nearly doubled in volume, 40 to 50 minutes.

Combining them all:

Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with 2 tablespoons olive oil each.
Transfer 1 dough ball to dry work surface and roll out into 13-inch disk about 1/4 inch thick.
Transfer dough to pan by rolling dough loosely around rolling pin and unrolling into pan.
Lightly press dough into pan, working into corners and 1 inch up sides.
If dough resists stretching, let it relax 5 minutes before trying again.
Repeat with remaining dough ball.

For each pizza, sprinkle 2 cups grated mozzarella evenly over surface of dough.
Spread 1 1/4 cups tomato sauce over cheese, add whatever toppings you want to use and sprinkle 2 tablespoons Parmesan over sauce.
Bake until crust is golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes.
Remove pizza from oven and let rest 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

 

Where in So Cal are you? There are a couple of places in the IE that make good deep dish pies.

 

Get a deep dish pizza from Pi. Or if you are in the O'Fallon area try A Better Pizza.

I'm a Chicago native and agree with you, but some good pizza can be found in the area.

 

Cheese good...I plan on making my own.

 

The only place I would ever eat if I lived near O'fallon is 17th st BBQ...

Well not really, but dayum that is some good Q

 

The Black Thorn, in south city, has good deep dish pizza...and pi is good, as Spartan says. It's not that there's no good pizza, it's more that 99% of the population around here can't recognize it.

 

I was referring to O'Fallon, MO, not IL.

 

I went to Blackthorn after 4 Hands' Lupulin Carnival. Unfortunately I have no recollection of how the pizza tasted. I'll have to try again.

 

NYC Pizza > Deep Dish PIE

 

What's the place? Pretty sure I've never had real Chicago deep dish.

 

"Good" does not do Black Thorn justice. Incredible. But be prepared to wait 1.5 hours from when you order the deep dish.

 

You beautiful evil bastard!

Now my dinner plans are in shambles. Make dough and then go to the grocery must I!!!!

 

I'm in Laguna Hills (south OC).

The only place I know that does deep dish right is Tony's Little Italy in Placentia.

http://www.tonyslittleitaly.com/

These guys know their stuff... When I describe it to folks, I don't refer to it as "Chicago-style" pizza... This is legit Chicago deep-dish pizza, just moved a ways west...

(Now I'm hungry, and feel the need to hop across the freeway to the place that makes the Italian Beef sandwiches!)

 

I'll keep that in mind the next time I'm in OC.

 

That's probably why I don't recall what it tasted like. I continued to drink while waiting for the pizza after the beer festival.

 

In my hometown (Moreno Valley) there is a joint called Chicago Pasta House that has the real deal deep dish.

 

I can't stop starring at it.

 

He heads for the basket a sure but contested layup.......wait!.....he fakes left.....Oh my God!! He wouldn't!!! He would! Oh my God ladies and gentlemen!!!! He.... Calzoned!!!!!!



Italian sausage, garlic, onion, banana peppers, olives, and tomatoes....mozzerella and provalone....

 

He deeeeeed!!!!he deed calzone!!!!!!!





(mozzerella tumor)

 

+1 for the excellent nerd reference.

 

Another dough modification from the test kitchen...more pictures to follow...