![]() ![]() The spread at Flo & Santos, complete with sausages and pierogi. It’s delicious, but there’s no real showmanship involved in its making-no big fires or smell of burning wood in the air. His pizzas are crunchy, with mozzarella cheese toasted orange and gold in the style of an Impressionist’s painting of an autumn day. “That has a real big impact on the flavor and how the pizza comes out,” says Pat Fowler, co-owner and general manager of Candlelite, a Rogers Park institution since 1950. Then there’s the oven: Most places use the very unsexy stainless-steel deck ovens that usually cook with gas or electricity-a very practical, get-the-job-done-right appliance. “With big companies, you become a number.” They’re not going to change their name is on that product,” she says. “I only use small independent businesses. (Many tavern pies only have a single topping so the thin crust won’t break under the weight.) George proudly states that Vito & Nick’s has been sourcing its ingredients from the same local family purveyors for as long as the pizzeria has been around. Most agree that the sausage, another point of Chicago pride, must come as little hand-rolled gobs with bits of charred fennel seed. Porter claims that getting the mozzarella from the Mancuso family in Joliet is “essential.” Some restaurants boast of using organic tomatoes in their homemade sauce, while others rely on cans of Stanislaus. More than a half century later, these taverns are still the best places to get a truly good Chicago pie, nestled in the same spots since they first cranked up their ovens. Something you don’t fill up on, so you can get home and eat a real dinner.” This explains one theory for the moniker “tavern style,” named for those pre–smoking ban rooms populated by working-class immigrants unwinding after a shift-spaces where neon signs, red plastic pitchers of watery beer, and thin-pies put out as a cheap snack to munch on (and as an encouragement to keep drinking) were all standard fare. “You have a beer in one hand and something to eat in the other. “It’s an original Chicago creation,” boasts Steve Dolinsky, Chicago food writer, television personality, and author of the book Pizza City, USA. Yet, for some reason, people outside the city hardly seem to know the style even exists. Some call it “party cut,” others say it’s “tavern style,” but to locals, it’s just “pizza.” Ask around, and most Chicagoans will tell you that the city’s greatest pies aren’t made in deep pans drowning in layers of cheese and meat at tourist traps like Uno and Lou Malnati’s. Instead, I took it as a small win for the Chicagoland area’s underappreciated contribution to the American pizza map: A circular pie with really thin crust, all cut into tiny squares. I could have been offended, but I wasn’t. A few minutes later I checked my comments and saw a response posted from a friend in Brooklyn: “Is that the way Chicago pizza is sliced? That is insanity.” When I finally sat down among the birthday parties and family dinners, and my pizza made it to my table, I did what many of us tend to do these days: I Instagrammed my meal. Not taking into account it was the start of the weekend, I drove around the small parking lot for ten minutes before a spot opened up. When I recently found myself in the neighborhood at 5:30 on a Friday night, hungry and without dinner plans, I decided to stop into the popular local restaurant on my way back to the city. Allow the pizza to cool for about 15 minutes (or longer, for less oozing) before cutting and serving.I grew up knowing the Chicagoland suburb of Northbrook for a few things: its pee-wee hockey team, bar mitzvahs, and the pizza at Barnaby’s. Remove it from the oven, and carefully lift it out of the pan onto a rack. Sprinkle with the grated Parmesan, and drizzle with the olive oil.īake the pizza for about 25 minutes, or until the filling is bubbly and the topping is golden brown. ![]() ![]() Add the sausage (or sautéed vegetables), then the tomato mixture. Add salt to taste you probably won't need any additional salt if you've used the Pizza Seasoning.Ĭover the bottom of the crust with the sliced mozzarella, fanning it into the crust. Combine them with the Pizza Seasoning or herbs, and the garlic and sugar (if you're using them). While it's baking, prepare the filling.ĭrain the tomatoes thoroughly. Let the crust rest for another 15 minutes.īake the crust for 10 minutes, until it's set and barely beginning to brown. The olive oil may ooze over the edge of the crust that's OK. Preheat the oven to 425☏ while the dough rests.Ĭontinue to stretch the dough to cover the bottom of the pan, then gently push it up the sides of the pan. Lay the dough in the pan, and stretch it towards the edges until it starts to shrink back. Blog Here's the (deep) dish: Chicago's favorite pizza ![]()
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