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Kenji López-Alt spent 5 months studying Chicago thin-crust pizza

nytimes.com

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Re: Kenji López-Alt spent 5 months studying Chicago thin-crust pizza

#41

Post by karaterobot »

AlbertCory wrote: post #26

Native Chicagoan here. Not totally a snob, but getting there. I didn't usually encounter really crispy crust growing up, but I'm not saying it's wrong. He does a lot of things here I've never tried, but now I'm going to. I had an Ooni, and after 5 or 6 meh attempts, I sold it. I also exited the r/ooni subreddit. I'm also out of love with the Neapolitan style baked at 700F+. Come at me. I think a pizza steel preheated…

> I think a pizza steel preheated in a kitchen oven at 500F gives you a perfectly good pizza, and the fact that you can slide out the oven rack and use gravity to launch the pizza off the peel makes it a total win.

For me, the pizza steel is also plenty good compared to the portable gas ovens. Some other tricks I use are adding diastatic malt powder to the dough, and par-baking the crust before adding the toppings, to let the middle get crisp.

Re: Kenji López-Alt spent 5 months studying Chicago thin-crust pizza

#42

Post by joezydeco »

stametseater wrote: post #36
user_named wrote: post #4

[flagged]

This seems to be the way with all online recipes. SEO crap.

Pages about pizza, especially crap like "top 10 pizza joints in Chicago!" are a guaranteed way to generate clicks in the midwest. People will argue about that shit for days.

I've had Fox's, I've had a lot of Vito and Nicks (or Nick and Vitos, they listed in the phone book both ways), when really the best pizza is whatever is local and your parents bought you all the time as a kid. Which means Pinocchio's in Niles IL before it burned down the first time.

Re: Kenji López-Alt spent 5 months studying Chicago thin-crust pizza

#43

Post by Stratoscope »

AlbertCory wrote: post #26

Native Chicagoan here. Not totally a snob, but getting there. I didn't usually encounter really crispy crust growing up, but I'm not saying it's wrong. He does a lot of things here I've never tried, but now I'm going to. I had an Ooni, and after 5 or 6 meh attempts, I sold it. I also exited the r/ooni subreddit. I'm also out of love with the Neapolitan style baked at 700F+. Come at me. I think a pizza steel preheated…

Before Apple, Old Tymers [1] like me went to Cicero's in the early 1970s when it was still called Coppola's [2] [3], in its original location on Sunnyvale-Saratoga Road before that was called De Anza Blvd.

The pizza came on a typical aluminum pan, and you didn't get a plate for your slice. You would just put a napkin or two on the table. Messy but good!

The Cali Brothers Mill and Feed Store [4] was just around the corner on Stevens Creek. It had a drive-thru where you would drive inside the building to pick up your farm supplies. Different times!

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tymshare

[2] http://www.cicerospizza.com/CicerosMenu.pdf

[3] http://www.cicerospizza.com/pub_html/Restaurant%20Cicero's%2...

[4] https://historysanjose.pastperfectonline.com/photo/41B3BE66-...

Re: Kenji López-Alt spent 5 months studying Chicago thin-crust pizza

#44

Post by theyak »

qbasic_forever wrote: post #31
cainxinth wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s a story about Chicago’s much lesser known (and superior) style of pizza.

Detroit style doesn't get enough love. I feel like it's the perfect balance of pillowy thick but not filling you up. Laying stripes of sauce on top gives you a different flavor in every bite too.

After trying the delicious Detroit style pizza found in Costco's frozen food section, I've been wanting to go to Detroit to try the real thing. It's my favorite frozen pizza.

Re: Kenji López-Alt spent 5 months studying Chicago thin-crust pizza

#46

Post by Kon-Peki »

grogenaut wrote: post #14
cainxinth wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s a story about Chicago’s much lesser known (and superior) style of pizza.

Is this similar to St Louis 's square beyond compare thin pizza or pretty similar? Mmm imos

I’ve only had St Louis pizza in St Louis once, and the big difference is the cheese. I didn’t like it, but certainly a lot of people do like it or it wouldn’t survive as a style of pizza.

Edit - Wikipedia says that St Louis pizza crust doesn’t have yeast in it. Chicago thin crust definitely uses yeast.

Re: Kenji López-Alt spent 5 months studying Chicago thin-crust pizza

#47

Post by robshrk »

karaterobot wrote: post #41
AlbertCory wrote: post #26

Native Chicagoan here. Not totally a snob, but getting there. I didn't usually encounter really crispy crust growing up, but I'm not saying it's wrong. He does a lot of things here I've never tried, but now I'm going to. I had an Ooni, and after 5 or 6 meh attempts, I sold it. I also exited the r/ooni subreddit. I'm also out of love with the Neapolitan style baked at 700F+. Come at me. I think a pizza steel preheated…

> I think a pizza steel preheated in a kitchen oven at 500F gives you a perfectly good pizza, and the fact that you can slide out the oven rack and use gravity to launch the pizza off the peel makes it a total win. For me, the pizza steel is also plenty good compared to the portable gas ovens. Some other tricks I use are adding diastatic malt powder to the dough, and par-baking the crust before adding the toppings, t…

The one minute par-bake also makes it so much easier and stress free to slide a fully loaded pizza onto the stone. I don’t even use cornmeal just lightly dusted whole wheat flour for the raw dough. The par-baked crust needs nothing.

Re: Kenji López-Alt spent 5 months studying Chicago thin-crust pizza

#48

Post by rhino369 »

wsatb wrote: post #18
fbdab103 wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am not even a native Chicagoan, though I lived there for many years, and I am personally offended anyone could have such a stance. I want each slice to be a meal.

Most Chicagoans I know do not eat deep dish often, nor do they even really like it. But...as someone else said, this isn't really the alternative. The crust is just plain wrong.

Tavern pizza is pretty common throughout Chicagoland—most non chains specialize in it. But it’s not always cracker thin.

Re: Kenji López-Alt spent 5 months studying Chicago thin-crust pizza

#49

Post by cainxinth »

tayo42 wrote: post #17
ChancyChance wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> (and superior) Hey hey hey! waves hands in the air wildly If it doesn't come from New Haven I ain't interested. Besides, who wants to eat a saucy saltine. I like my gluten hydrated. Seriously though, pizza science has such a weird intersection with computer-types. Why don't computer-types get all fired up about lasagna, or ice cream sundaes, or stir fry? Why only things like pizza, cast iron, and espresso?

I've never seen this intersection of computers and pizza before. There's stir fry enthusiasts though. Or at least wok users. You need wok hei and super hot burners, electric won't cut it etc... I've also seen some intense breakdowns of pad Thai, like it wasn't a recent invention for tourism

Rice cookers, too. Lots of techie opinions about those, e.g. is induction worth the extra money.

Re: Kenji López-Alt spent 5 months studying Chicago thin-crust pizza

#50

Post by qbasic_forever »

theyak wrote: post #44
qbasic_forever wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Detroit style doesn't get enough love. I feel like it's the perfect balance of pillowy thick but not filling you up. Laying stripes of sauce on top gives you a different flavor in every bite too.

After trying the delicious Detroit style pizza found in Costco's frozen food section, I've been wanting to go to Detroit to try the real thing. It's my favorite frozen pizza.

Check out Kenji's recipe, it is really easy and forgiving to make Detroit style at home. Don't worry about getting the perfect rectangular steel pan either, a cast iron skillet works great. I use regular supermarket cheese too instead of ordering the more authentic brick cheese.
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