Mastering the Art of Homemade Chicago Thin Crust Sausage Pizza

Let’s take a culinary journey to the heart of the Midwest, where pizza is as rich in history as it is worthy of taste. Don’t forget what you learned about Chicago’s thicker style. today we will cut the less popular, but at the same time favorite thin crust pizza of the city.

Kenji López-Alt, a name inseparable from the magic of food science, spent a tempting five months on the road to develop the recipe for this provincial delight. His experience was not for the faint of heart – it included late-night pizza texts, a long-distance eating contest and an intimate relationship with flour, pretzels and chopped tomatoes. His dedication to the art has given us a game-changing process to achieve the fresh exterior we desire in our own custom kitchens.

Chicago thin crust pizza, also known as tavern-style or Midwestern thin crust, is a wonder of the pizza world. It works just as well when distributed among a rowdy crowd at a bar as it does in the mouth of a lone diner. Picture this: a crust so thin it could be mistaken for delicious, but with a crunch that resonates with every bite. It’s a layer of heavily spiced sauce and golden caramelized mozzarella, often garnished with hand-torn sausages and maybe a little fiery giardiniera. This is not your New York pizza with puffy edges; The Chicago thin crust has sauce and cheese to a crispy, almost blackened edge.

Now let’s talk about the cut – this pizza is traditionally cut into small squares, so it’s perfect for popping straight into your mouth without considering the consequences. It turns the phrase “I’ll just have one bite” into a real test of willpower, with each bite a bite-sized invitation to treat yourself to a batch.

Crafting Your Own Chicago Thin Crust Pizza at Home

You’ve probably heard of Chicago-style thin crust pizzas and want to try it. Well, you’re in luck because I’m here to walk you through the process of making the best homemade Chicago thin crust sausage pizza. Alright, let’s roll up our sleeves and dive right into this amazingly delicious world of pizza!

Every good pizza rests on a foundation: its dough. This pasta was inspired by Bryan Roof of America’s Test Kitchen, who learned from the old-school masters at Vito and Nick’s Pizzeria. In addition to being easy to manage and assemble, it also cooks to a thin, crispy, firm edge that can withstand mountains of toppings.

The Perfect Dough: Simple Yet Effective

Put the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt into the bowl of a food processor and pulse a couple of times to combine. Measure out your cold water and stir in the olive oil. With the processor running, pour the water-oil combo into the feed tube. Process until dough forms a shaggy ball and clears the sides of the bowl.

Lightly spray your countertop with cooking spray and turn the dough onto it. Knead it a time or two and shape it into a ball. Spray a bowl with cooking spray, place the dough inside and cover it with plastic wrap. Let it rise on the counter until doubled in size, this is generally 2 to 2 ½ hours.

Preparing Toppings: Authentic and Adventurous Choices

Now, while your dough is proofing, you can go about toppings. To be authentically Chicagoan, though, you’ll whip up an easy no-cook pizza sauce and do a nice fresh grating of mozz to ensure perfectly melted pies. And let’s not forget about that sausage. This showstopper. You can do the recipe justice by adding some of their heat with your Calabrian chili honey sausage or go old school and use up those little nubs from a package of plain old sausage.

Baking: Bringing it All Together

Around 45 minutes before your mixture is prepared, place your pizza stone in the broiler on the base rack and preheat it to a searing 475°. In the event that you’re sufficiently fortunate to have a twofold stove and two pizza stones, you can cook the two pizzas without a moment’s delay. If not, you’ll be heating up them each in turn.

When the mixture has risen, move it to a softly floured counter. Partition it into two equivalent pieces and sprinkle each with flour. Utilizing your fingertips, structure every half into a little round plate, then carry them out into around 12-inch circles with a moving pin, involving extra flour depending on the situation.

Sprinkle your pizza peel with cornmeal. If you don’t have a peel, you can use the back of a sheet pan or a rimless cookie sheet. Transfer the dough onto the peel, making sure it slides easily on the cornmeal. If it doesn’t, sprinkle on a bit more.

It’s time to get saucy! Spread about ½ cup of your pizza sauce over the dough, then add your desired toppings and about 6 ounces of mozzarella cheese. Before you transfer your pizza to the oven, give it a little shimmy to ensure it will slide off the peel. If it sticks, lift the edge and toss some more cornmeal underneath.

Slide your pizza onto the hot pizza stone and bake for 12-15 minutes, depending on how dark and crispy you like your crust. We’re aiming for those dark, crispy edges and a well-browned top, just like at Vito and Nick’s.

Savoring Your Creation

After removing from the broiler, let the pizza cool for a moment before cutting into large squares. Top it with freshly grated parmesan, a pinch of ground red pepper and maybe a drizzle of oil for the occasion.

Remember that the best part of making pizza at home is knowing the different repair options. Whether you seriously love the exemplary hot dog or are brave enough to try pickled peppers and stewed honey, the conceivable results are immeasurable. Also remember that extra salted pepper or cooked wieners can be kept in the fridge ready for the next pizza night.

Making Chicago thin-crust hotdog pizza at home is a rewarding experiment that brings a little Midwest to your holiday table. It’s a cycle full of anticipation, from the mixture rising to the cheddar sizzling on the hot stone. Each step is a building block to that image of joy as you take center stage in your solid and delicious creation. So take the journey into your own hands, enjoy the flavors and especially share the admiration and pizza with your loved ones. All things considered, isn’t that what really happens with pizza?

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