| Chicago style stuffed pizza is a pizza pie based on an | | | | Fill your crust with your fillings in the following order: |
| Italian Easter pie. It is more kin to a casserole than a | | | | Cheese (grated or sliced) about 8 - 12 oz for the |
| typical flat, thin crust pizza. The dough can either be | | | | bottom |
| flaky or more like a bread dough and is filled with lots | | | | Spinach or Sausage filling (see following recipes) |
| of cheese, meats and vegetables, partially baked and | | | | Cheese again (grated or sliced) another 8 - 12 oz. here |
| then topped with tomato sauce. It was apparently | | | | Now drape another crust over your filling, seal the |
| developed in Chicago in the 1970's by Rocco Palese, | | | | edges well and fold over for a pretty edge. (See |
| founder of Nancy's Pizzeria, although its true origins are | | | | picture.) |
| lost in the mists of time. Many Chicago pizzerias | | | | With a sharp knife, cut several air vents in the top of |
| specialize in stuffed pizza including Nancy's, Pizzeria | | | | your creation. |
| Uno's and Giordano's. | | | | Put in a HOT oven. I recommend 450 degrees, but |
| The development of this recipe began in 2001, when I | | | | experiment with any temp from 425 - 500, depending |
| left the Chicago area and moved to the Western | | | | on your pan. |
| Slope of Colorado. My family and I live in a beautiful | | | | Check after 10 - 15 minutes. When it's starting to |
| valley that has everything we need, except a decent | | | | brown slightly, pull your pizza out and put your tomato |
| pizzeria. My husband, Scott, hails from upstate New | | | | sauce on top. I prefer a thin layer of sauce. (My |
| York and until he met me, had never tasted anything | | | | favorite sauce recipe follows, but you can use any |
| remotely resembling a stuffed pizza. During several | | | | good tomato sauce.) Then top your pizza with fresh |
| trips to the Windy City to visit my dad and stepmother, | | | | grated Parmesan cheese and put back in the oven for |
| he and I ate our way through stuffed pizzas from Lou | | | | another 10 - 20 minutes. Watch the bottom crust, |
| Malnati's, Uno's, Gino's East, Nancy's and Giordano's. As | | | | especially in a dark pan. It will burn quickly. When the |
| befits a man of good taste, Scott naturally became an | | | | sauce / Parmesan combo is bubbly and the bottom is |
| instant convert to the delights of Chicago style pizza, | | | | not burned, your pizza is ready. Pull it out of the oven |
| despite a deprived upbringing eating only that thin, | | | | and let sit for a few minutes (now is the time to take |
| bendable stuff that passes for pizza in New York. | | | | pictures of your creation). Enjoy. |
| Fortunately for our marriage, he agreed with me that | | | | Tomato Sauce Recipe: |
| Giordano's has the best stuffed pizza around. | | | | 2 large cans whole Italian Plum tomatoes, well drained |
| Upon our return to our lovely, pizza challenged valley | | | | (I like Muir Glen) |
| we embarked on a mission to develop a recipe for a | | | | 4-5 cloves garlic, chopped |
| pizza that mimicked Giordano's stuffed pizza as | | | | 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper ( I also like to |
| closely as possible. I absolutely love their crust, its | | | | add 1 tsp of crushed red chili flakes) |
| flakiness is amazing and I have tried for years to | | | | 2 - 3 tsp. oregano |
| duplicate that style. After nine years, thanks to much | | | | 1 teaspoon salt |
| delicious trial and error and some great advice from | | | | 1 tbsp sugar |
| Buzz, a moderator from pizzamaking.com, I present to | | | | 2 bay leaves |
| you what I believe to be the best stuffed pizza recipe | | | | 1 cup chopped onions |
| west of Chicagoland. Another note, don't be intimidated | | | | Olive oil |
| by the length or scope of this recipe. It is worth every | | | | Heat large skillet over medium heat until nice and |
| second of time you will spend making it. Just pick a | | | | warm. Coat the bottom of the hot pan with a small |
| snowy / rainy day and have fun in the kitchen. | | | | puddle of olive oil. Add onions and sauté until |
| Chicago Style Stuffed Pizza | | | | translucent, adding garlic about halfway through |
| Makes two large stuffed pizzas | | | | cooking so it doesn't burn. Add drained tomatoes. Stir. |
| Dough: | | | | Add in salt, sugar, pepper, bay leaves, chili flakes and |
| 6 cups all purpose unbleached flour (King Arthur | | | | oregano. Cook for about five to ten minutes on |
| preferred) | | | | medium heat. I break up the tomatoes slightly with a |
| 1 heaping TBSP yeast | | | | potato masher or an immersion blender (don't forget to |
| 1 TBSP sea salt | | | | take out the bay leaves). The sauce should still be a |
| 2 TBSP sugar | | | | little chunky. Taste and add salt, pepper, oregano or |
| ½ cup olive oil | | | | more sugar as needed. Let sauce sit until you're ready. |
| 1 ½ cups warm water (you might need more) | | | | Spinach Filling: |
| Proof the yeast with an additional teaspoon of sugar in | | | | 2 pounds fresh spinach (or 3 packages frozen spinach, |
| your nice 100 - 110 degree water (I use filtered water, I | | | | thawed and drained) |
| swear it makes a difference). Mix the flour, salt and | | | | 1 yellow onion, chopped |
| sugar. Add yeast mixture. Use your hands to start to | | | | 4 cloves garlic, choppeda little olive oilsalt and pepper |
| form the dough into a rough ball, then add the oil a little | | | | to taste |
| a time until it comes together into cohesive ball (it will | | | | ½ tsp red chili pepper flakesa little nutmeg (freshly |
| still be a bit scrappy). Add more water if necessary. | | | | ground, about ¼ tsp or so) |
| Knead only two minutes, no kidding! This is the key to | | | | Lots of fresh basil leaves (about ½ cup) (if you're in |
| the flakiness of Giordano style pizza crust. The more | | | | pinch, use about 1 tsp of dried basil and add it to your |
| you knead, the more bread like it becomes. So a short | | | | spinach mixture) |
| knead is the real secret! | | | | 1 - 1 ½ pounds mozzarella (grated or thinly sliced) - I |
| Let the dough rise-because of the short kneading time, | | | | use 1 ½ pounds evenly divided between the top and |
| it will not rise very much. I let it rise for anywhere from | | | | the bottom of your filling, like a cheese sandwich.fresh |
| 2 - 8 hours. The longer the better! You can also put it | | | | Parmesan cheese for the top of pizza |
| in the fridge overnight if you'd like, and use it the next | | | | Sauté onions and garlic in olive oil with chili flakes until |
| day. Be sure that the dough is at room temperature | | | | mostly cooked, add fresh (or frozen) spinach, cover |
| before attempting to roll it out. Make your sauce and | | | | and cook over lowish heat until wilted. The idea here is |
| fillings now, so they are ready but not to hot when | | | | that the filling be very dry. If it's not, drain any water out |
| your crust is ready. | | | | as best you can. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg to |
| Once it has risen, divide the dough into 4 equal pieces, | | | | taste. Next, tear up a bunch of basil leaves into small |
| and repeat the following process for each crust. Roll | | | | pieces and add to filling once it's off the heat. I've heard |
| each one thin with a rolling pin. If it wants to bounce | | | | that cutting basil with a knife changes the taste, so I |
| back, let it rest 10 minutes or so. Then fold the dough in | | | | don't take any chances, I tear it by hand. You can also |
| quarters, let it rest a little and roll it out flat and thin | | | | try laying the basil leaves over your spinach filling |
| again (it should be at least 12" in diameter). You can | | | | before you put on the final layer of cheese. That's |
| repeat the rolling a third time, I encourage you to try it. | | | | how Edwardo's on Howard St. used to do it. Set your |
| Think puff pastry! This creates that flakiness I love in | | | | filling aside to cool before stuffing your crust. |
| Giordano's crust. | | | | Sausage and Pepper Filling: |
| Once it's rolled flat and thin for the final time, | | | | 2 pounds bulk Italian sausage (hot is good!) |
| immediately put one crust in a greased 12" deep dish | | | | 2 red, green or yellow peppers, thinly sliced |
| pan (I use olive oil). (I have several preferred pans; my | | | | 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced |
| current favorites are a Le Creuset paella pan and a | | | | 4 cloves garlic, chopped |
| dark metal, heavy duty, deep dish pizza pan. We've | | | | Olive oil |
| also used a great old cast iron skillet) The size of the | | | | Salt & pepper to taste |
| dough should be larger than the pan, so drape it over, | | | | 1 - 1 ½ pounds mozzarella cheese, grated or thinly |
| press it down, and cut off the edges. Now get right to | | | | sliced - I use 1 ½ pounds evenly divided between the |
| work stuff your pizza. Don't let the dough rise in the | | | | top and the bottom of your filling, like a cheese |
| pan. | | | | sandwich. |