Deep dish help. Please?

[DarrenC]

The goddess has offered up a challenge for me this weekend - For many growing up in Ontario in the 70's and 80's a special family night out meant deep-dish pizza at one of two popular chains - Mother's Pizza or Frank Vetere's.  Both were a similar style experience inspired by the famous Pizza Uno.  Fantastic childhood memories for both of us of what we recollect as the BEST pizza ever along with bottomless giant mugs of root beer.

In any case, deep dish pizza has been unheard of in these parts in 30 years and now that we're empty nesters and don't have to share (or compromise on toppings) I have been asked to attempt to recreate the pizza of our youth this weekend.

I'm in way over my head here so I'm turning to the most passionate pizza chefs I 'know'.

1) There are so many internet recipes claiming to be 'authentic' deep dish crust but they're all over the place.  Does anybody have a tried-and-true recipe/method that hopefully doesn't require a stand mixer?  I was hoping to be able to use the dough setting on the breadmaker, but failing that I'm mixing by hand.

2) Sauce - Full smooth puree, chunky with diced tomaotes or somewhere in the middle with crushed/drained?

3) The one time I visited Chicago the sauce was on top, but I don't remember the local pie being like that when I was a kid.  Does it make it better with sauce on top?

4) Does the pie stay inside the pan for the entire cook?

5) I'm assuming lower temp for a longer time to get it baked through.  My guess would be 400-500 deg. for a half hour or so.  Am I close?

Any and all input is appreciated as always.

All the best to everyone for the holiday weekend!

[Nate]

@DarrenC The recipe in the 2nd link "pepperoni deep dish" is a pretty good. I used 5% semolina in this recipe but you could bump it up and give it a try.

http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/pizza-forum/kettlepizza-deep-dish-lou-malnati's-clone-with-semolina/

http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/pizza-forum/friday-evening-pepperoni-deep-dish-on-the-kettle-pizza/

[DarrenC]

Thank you Nate!  Your photography is advertising quality!

[pbe gummi bear]

In regards to number 3- the pizza cooks for a long time so the cheese won't get crusty if you place the sauce on top. Not saying that's better or worse.

[MikeRocksTheRed]

I have a Rosati's Pizza 2 blocks from me and they do authentic Chicago style "stuffed" pizza and deep dish.  Both are deep dish but the "stuffed" pizza has the sauce on the top.  According to my neighbor from Chicago the sauce on top is the authentic version.  I got dough from them a month or two ago and made a deep dish and my neighbor said it was great except my sauce on top wasn't chunky enough.  I rubbed my skillet down with butter, then put in the crust which I then trimmed so it came to the top of my skillet without hanging over the sides.  Then cheese, pepperoni, dry salami, more cheese then sauce.  It came out great.  Cooked in indirect on my 26er....can't really say how long it cooked.  The good thing with pizza is that even if it isn't 100% authentic to what you are trying to replicate, you're own version can be just as good!!!!

[DarrenC]

My experiment diverged from authenticity, but overall a success.  The goddess is on vacation so she was able to simmer an all-day sauce and I used Nate's dough letting it proof for 6 hours.  Put sliced mozza in the bottom and topped the sauce with a bit of shredded to tie it all together.  I didn't have a large enough cake pan or skillet so I did it on my 14" chapa, which created somewhat of a 'hybrid' with the golden crisp bottom of a pan pizza with a crusty traditional top.  Rose to over an inch tall on the edges.

I could have pulled it about 5 minutes sooner, but overall we were very pleased for a first attempt.  I'm starting to understand how folks get hooked on this pizza thing!

[MikeRocksTheRed]

My experiment diverged from authenticity, but overall a success.  The goddess is on vacation so she was able to simmer an all-day sauce and I used Nate's dough letting it proof for 6 hours.  Put sliced mozza in the bottom and topped the sauce with a bit of shredded to tie it all together.  I didn't have a large enough cake pan or skillet so I did it on my 14" chapa, which created somewhat of a 'hybrid' with the golden crisp bottom of a pan pizza with a crusty traditional top.  Rose to over an inch tall on the edges.

I could have pulled it about 5 minutes sooner, but overall we were very pleased for a first attempt.  I'm starting to understand how folks get hooked on this pizza thing!

LOL!!!!  I know you tend to like to keep things simple, but I'm willing to bet you might end up with a Kettle Pizza or Pizza Que in the near future!!!!

[DarrenC]

I always feel inadequate posting my meager photos, but here it is just after coming off the chapa and onto the cooling rack:

[haeffb]

Looks tasty!