Detroit Style Pizza

You’ve had Detroit style pizza. Maybe you didn’t know it but you have. Crispy cheese around the crust. Fluffy and soft bread. Deep dish at it’s finest.

This recipe is from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt and stands up to the perfection he is known for. This recipe is easy enough to complete on a Saturday evening and could even be made during the week if you have a few hours to make the dough. It really doesn’t get much more simple than this for something that we would consider a “Full Measure”.

Some of the ingredients may not be widely available but they are very easy to find online. The brick cheese and pepperoni may not be at the store but they ship pretty quickly. Lastly, the pan doesn’t have to be this one, but it helps. Good luck!

Detroit Style Pizza

Credits: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt
Total Time: 2 Hours
Servings: Approx 4 Servings

Ingredients

Crust

• 300 grams bread flour

• 5 grams instant yeast

• 9 grams kosher salt

• 220 grams water

Sauce

• 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 tsp dried oregano

• 28 ounce can of quality crushed tomatoes

• 1 tsp granulated onion powder

• 1 tsp granulated garlic powder

• 1 tsp sugar

• A dash of red pepper flakes

Toppings

• 12 ounces (340 grams) Brick cheese, cubed

• 12 ounces (340 grams) high-quality pepperoni in natural or collagen casing

Equipment Needed:

• Detroit/Deep style pizza pan

Method

Dough

1. Add flour, yeast and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer *this can also be done completely by hand

2. Add the water and continue to mix until shaggy dough forms

3. Rest dough for 10 minutes

4. Continue kneading at a medium-low speed for 10 more minutes

5. Form dough into a tight ball and place into a greased bowl covered in plastic, move quickly and touch lightly the dough is very hydrated and sticky

6. Let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours

Sauce

1. Add olive oil to a medium pan over medium heat and wait until oil is shimmering

2. Add garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds

3. Add tomatoes, garlic powder, onion powder, sugar and kosher salt to taste

4. Bring to a simmer with a few bubbles and cook for 30 minutes, will thicken and reduce over time

Final Assembly

1. While making sauce preheat oven to 550°F (285°C) and place rack at lowest setting

2. Prep the pizza pan by rubbing 1-2 Tbsp olive oil over every surface

3. Place dough into pan, press out the air and work toward every corner

4. If dough is refusing to stretch let rest for 10 minutes

5. Lay ½ of the pepperoni on the dough

6. Place remaining pepperoni all over the pizza

7. Cover entire pizza with brick cheese, cubed to ½” pieces, especially along the edges

8. Lay three strips of sauce over the cheese along the length of the pan, you will use only half, the rest can be saved or frozen for another pizza

9. Put the pizza into the oven and back for 12-15 minutes or until the top is turning light brown

10. Remove and run a metal spatula along the edge and remove from pan

11. Place on a cutting board, cut slices into rectangles and serve