Friday, May 2, 2014

{HNTM} Lou Malnati's Chicago Classic Deep Dish Pizza

{HNTM} Lou Malnati's Chicago Classic Deep Dish Pizza

{How Not to Make} Lou Malnati's Chicago Classic Deep Dish Pizza, packed with sausage and cheese and flavorful tomato sauce.

{How Not to Make} Lou Malnati's Chicago Classic Deep Dish Pizza, packed with sausage and cheese and flavorful tomato sauce.

Don't worry, like the trashy romance novels I adore, there is a happy ending [and a viable recipe] at the end of this post.  But when you find yourself saying 

"once I drained the pizza, it tasted pretty good"
you know there's a story worth sharing.


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Once upon a time [actually last month] a family traveled to Chicago for a short vacation. The dad planned out the route, the lodging, and the sights to see.  The mom prepared what to eat en route, arranged for the dogs to spend their first nights away from the family at a loving kennel, and scouted pizza places to try Chicago's famous deep dish style pizza.  [The kids grumbled about not spending a week lying on the couch staring at screens.]
Forgetting that pesky time zone thing, we arrived early enough to walk/roll around the downtown area, and especially to walk to the first pizza place on The List:  Lou Malnati's.  We ordered a Chicago Classic and a Lou. When they arrived, I took some mental notes:
  • The crust is not puffy, not like a yeasted dough that's allowed to rise at the edges.  It's not like Zebra Room flaky pie crust either. It's crispy/crunchy . . . maybe cornmeal?
  • The sausage was undisturbed until I cut through it with my fork--it was in a disc the size of the pizza pan, and without browned edges--I think it was placed raw on the pizza and cooked during the pizza baking time.
  • The tomatoes don't look like tomato sauce--they look more like my canned crushed tomatoes.  The juice is clear, not cloudy like in a cooked sauce with tomato paste.
And the taste?  Delicious!  Must re-create at home.
{How Not to Make} Lou Malnati's Chicago Classic Deep Dish Pizza, packed with sausage and cheese and flavorful tomato sauce.


With a basic idea in mind I set out to make a deep dish pizza.  My previous attempt at a deep dish pizza ended in a spectacularly inedible failure, shown on my FB page, when I attempted to cram way too much Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm share spinach into the pizza.  But that merely tasted terrible.

My first attempt at a pizza similar to Lou Malnati's Chicago Classic involved grabbing a ball of previously fresh mozzarella out of the freezer.  Now, I know that using thawed balls of mozzarella results in a seedy pizza.  I've commented here about the phenomenon. However, I didn't heed my own advice.  First Big Mistake.

I also scooped out the crushed tomatoes using a slotted spoon, which meant that the tomatoes were already pretty juicy when they went onto the pizza. You know the heat of the oven is going to denature the proteins in the plant cell walls, causing them to burst and release more fluid--so that was my Second Big Mistake.

With those two mistakes synergizing in my skillet, it's no wonder why it happened. When I pulled the skillet out, the pizza looked great--if a little jiggly.  The cheese was browned, the sausage cooked and the crust was crisp--what you want in a pizza.


Then I tried to extricate the pizza, and a tsunami of fluid swarmed out--over the skillet, the counter, the cooling rack, and into the sink [everywhere but where the dogs could reach--they were disappointed]. Thus leading me to the comment.

{How Not to Make} Lou Malnati's Chicago Classic Deep Dish Pizza, packed with sausage and cheese and flavorful tomato sauce.
"once I drained the pizza, it tasted pretty good"

I made a few refinements for my second attempt, and it again tasted terrific and amazingly survived the extrication intact:

{How Not to Make} Lou Malnati's Chicago Classic Deep Dish Pizza, packed with sausage and cheese and flavorful tomato sauce.
{How Not to Make} Lou Malnati's Chicago Classic Deep Dish Pizza, packed with sausage and cheese and flavorful tomato sauce.


I'd like to point out that using previously frozen previously fresh mozzarella is one of the worst possible ideas for a deep dish pizza.  To beat the heck out of that point:


{How Not to Make} Lou Malnati's Chicago Classic Deep Dish Pizza, packed with sausage and cheese and flavorful tomato sauce.
{How Not to Make} Lou Malnati's Chicago Classic Deep Dish Pizza, packed with sausage and cheese and flavorful tomato sauce.
{How Not to Make} Lou Malnati's Chicago Classic Deep Dish Pizza, packed with sausage and cheese and flavorful tomato sauce.
{How Not to Make} Lou Malnati's Chicago Classic Deep Dish Pizza, packed with sausage and cheese and flavorful tomato sauce.
{How Not to Make} Lou Malnati's Chicago Classic Deep Dish Pizza, packed with sausage and cheese and flavorful tomato sauce.{How Not to Make} Lou Malnati's Chicago Classic Deep Dish Pizza, packed with sausage and cheese and flavorful tomato sauce.

For general hints, tips, and photo collages please check out my Pizza Primer post, a brain dump of all things related to making pizza in my home kitchen. For more pizza recipes, deep dish and otherwise, please check out my Visual Pizza Recipe Index

For more recipes using tomatoes, please check out my Red and Yellow Tomato Recipes Collection. It's part of the Visual Recipe Index by Ingredient, a resource for folks like me eating from the farm share, the farmer's market, the garden, the neighbor's garden, and great deals on ugly produce at the grocery store.

I'm sharing more recipes on my Pinterest boards, follow me there. If you like a good peek behind the scenes like I do, follow me on Instagram. Need a good read? I'm sharing articles of interest on my Facebook page, follow me there. Want to know How to Use This Blog?


My Take on Lou Malnati's Chicago Classic Deep Dish Pizza

--The Non-Tsunami Version


Ingredients


  • 1 Tablespoon corn oil
  • ⅓ to ½ pound Italian sausage
  • 1½ to 2 cups crushed tomatoes
  • ½ teaspoon honey or sugar of your choice
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Pasta Sprinkle or other Italian blend seasoning
  • 3 cloves roasted garlic, smashed, or fresh garlic, diced (here's how I roast and put up my crop)
  • ½ pound pizza crust of your choice (options abound on my Visual Pizza Recipe Index)
  • 1½ cups shredded mozzarella and fontina cheeses (a blend of both tastes best to me)

Instructions



  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Pour corn oil in the bottom of a 10 inch cast iron skillet and set aside.  
  2. Place sausage on a large sheet of plastic wrap or wax paper (I prefer plastic wrap), fold over to enclose the sausage, and flatten sausage until it is about 10 inches in diameter. Set aside.
  3. Drain tomatoes with a strainer--I saved the juice because I'm like that, and used it in soup.
  4. In a medium bowl mix drained tomatoes with honey and seasonings (including garlic), then set aside.
  5. Press the pizza dough into the prepared skillet and up the sides.  It will be thin, and that's just fine.
  6. Spread most of the cheese across the dough, saving about ¼ cup. 
  7. Unwrap and flip the sausage disc onto the cheese as shown above. 
  8. Spread the sausage with the prepared sauce. Top with reserved cheese. 
  9. Bake for 30 minutes until crust is browned, cheese is bubbly, and sausage is fully cooked.
  10. Using a couple of spatulas, lift the pizza out of the skillet onto a rack to cool (which prevents steam from making a soggy crust, but honestly a little steam would not make the soggy mess shown above).

**Please note that I am in no way suggesting that this is a copycat version of Lou Malnati's Chicago Classic. While I do think the technique is similar, the results are different.  I have not captured the crispy crunchy crust for one thing, and I know for a fact that the restaurant doesn't come into my back yard and take my tomatoes for their sauce.

{How Not to Make} Lou Malnati's Chicago Classic Deep Dish Pizza, packed with sausage and cheese and flavorful tomato sauce.
Just in case you missed the take home message:  thawed slices of mozzarella are terrible in deep dish pizza.
This post is shared on Fiesta Friday, From the Farm Blog HopClever Chicks Blog HopTasty TuesdaysSimple Supper TuesdaysFresh Foods WednesdayWhat's Cookin Wednesday, Food on Friday

16 comments:

  1. I'm definitely craving pizza now (although maybe I always am) but this looks so good! I need to try my hand at homemade deep dish!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Laura,
      In the memorable--to me at least--words of that cutie who's been playing The Incredible Hulk, I'm ALWAYS . . . ok, not angry, but craving pizza. In fact although I don't know what's going on tonight's pizza, I'm already planning next Friday night's pizza!
      Thanks!

      Delete
  2. Duly noted. I will never attempt to use thawed once fresh mozzarella on a pizza. I love the story. You had me smiling the whole way through. Plus, I like a little story telling with my main course.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Meghan,
      That's from a song . . . "I like a little _____ with my _____" something off the Grey's Anatomy soundtrack.
      Now it's going to bother me until I figure it out.
      Back to pizza--thanks!

      Delete
  3. Haha, this was a great story, with useful tips! I particularly liked your photos emphasising how using defrosted fresh mozzarella is a bad idea, but your second attempt looks great!! Thanks for linking up with Fiesta Friday!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Saucy,
      I'm very glad my main point was not lost!
      Thanks!

      Delete
  4. Have to agree with saucygander, your second attempt looks pretty amazing. I've never had this type of pizza before, only ever thin crust like you would get in Italy. Must try and make one, but I think I'll stick to the thin crust for now.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Johnny,
      The crust is surprisingly thin, it's just a fork-and-knife type pizza. And yes, while thin crust pizza is my usual pizza, and what's on the menu tonight, there is room in my life for more types.
      Thanks!

      Delete
  5. So I make sure to use frozen mozzarella cheese! LOL, I couldn't resist. ;) I have never attempted this type of pizza at home before. I am so thankful that you perfected the technique for me before I give it a go!! It looks delicious, and pizza is one of my favorite food groups. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lisa,
      Pizza is totally one of my favorite food groups!
      Even though I haven't been sharing pizzas *every* Friday this year, I sure have been making them!
      Thanks!

      Delete
  6. Boy what a story! Thank you for letting us know what NOT to do when making deep dish at home, LOL. Thank you for sharing with us at Simple Supper Tuesday.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cindy,
      If I can prevent just one tragic deep dish pizza tsunami . . . well, then my work here is done!
      Thanks for hosting!

      Delete
  7. Hah! I love the phrase, "Once I drained the pizza..." I have had those issues, though not because of frozen fresh mozzarella. Mostly from too much sauce and too much cheese. Glad you were able to salvage it! With your tweaks, that looks quite tasty!

    Chicago deep dish crust does have cornmeal in it. The closest I have come is using a thicker layer of dough and using a lot of olive oil in the pan and on top of the crust, especially around the edges. And then top and bake right away, in a lower heat oven (say 375) so the pizza bakes all the way through without scorching the edges.
    Sarah

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sarah,
      I'm glad you too can find the humor in the situation. I mean, that's an important part of life, right?
      Thanks for the tips--I'll be working on the vegetarian version once our farm share starts back up [2 weeks not that I'm counting the days or nothing] and I'll try a lower/longer bake.

      Delete
  8. Ok, but where can I get the recipe for Zebra Room pizza?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ah, Robert, I wish I knew. If I could eat one again (and again and again) I'd see what I could do. But it's been . . . decades? . . . such a long time. Miss that place.
      Thanks!

      Delete