Possible to make thick crust pizza at home?
Not necessarily deep dish, but a nice thick chewy crust you can bite into. Can it be done without a pizza oven? And is it possible to make with whole wheat flour (or if not all whole wheat, 50/50 whole wheat and white flour)? A friend of mine tried to do a deep dish, and while it was actually very good considering it was done in a conventional oven, it was in the oven forever, and still didn't seem to cook all the way through. Thanks!
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13 Comments:
Sure. I prefer thinner crust, but I've made thick crust pizza by using a whole pack of yeast (2.5 tsp) in a recipe that starts with 1 or 1.5 cup of water. This would probably yield 2 pies. After rising for about an hour, split the dough and press into a baking pan with raised edges. Let raise in the pan for another hour. Top and bake at the highest temp you can......thick, chewey crust.
derosa at 2:56PM on 02/11/09
I do it all the time. It takes a long time to cook,35-40 minutes, depending if you are doing it open on a normal Pizza or if you are doing Chicago style stuffed. A stuffed may take 45-40 minutes. Keep some bread flour in it, the whole wheat will limit rise. Some Chicago chains use a bit of corn meal in the crust to make it dense and chewy.
It is easy, but does require a lot of time in the oven. THe toppings tend to slow the cooking of the crust.
Meat guy at 3:03PM on 02/11/09
Also, you could use a Focaccia recipe, bake, pull it out 10 minutes before it's done, top it, then put it back in at your oven's hottest temps.
bitchincamero at 3:16PM on 02/11/09
I tried this one: http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/525/Pizza_Hut_Original_Pan_Pizza41605.shtml#reviews
It was good, but I agree with you on the long cook time. I used a higher temp and cooked it for less time and it ended up a little doughy (I tried to lower the temp and cook it for long, but the toppings got a bit crispy after a while) So, I would follow it more closely next time. I also omitted the dried milk, because I had none on hand. I did not use the sauce recipe. I think I will try bread flour next time.
All that said, I was good in the end.
whatseatingme at 3:55PM on 02/11/09
Actually I think thick crust pizza is better suited to a home oven than thin crust. Because you can't get a home oven to go up to pizza oven temps, thin crust pizzas often turn out dry and cracker like. Thick crust pizzas, OTOH, can be cooked longer at lower temps. I use the same pizza dough recipe for both kinds, although I will sometimes add oilve oil when I make thick crust. I wouldn't go higher than 50% whole wheat if you want it to rise properly.
SqueezeBottle at 5:16PM on 02/11/09
Another trick to use is to put your cheese under the sauce, so it won't burn during the long cook.
dmcavanagh at 5:27PM on 02/11/09
You might try using a cast iron skillet as a pan, too.
thepictsie at 5:33PM on 02/11/09
Thanks for the advice. I've been craving dough-y pizza, but not the price that pizza restaurants will charge for putting on lots of toppings. Looks like I have a project for the weekend!
cycorider at 10:25PM on 02/11/09
When I make thick pizza, I bake it almost all the way without the mozzie. I really despise burned mozzie and those conveyor ovens are the worst thing to happen to pizza since the opening of Dominoes.
Here's my recipe for Spinach Pizza and the dynamic behind par-cooking it before adding mozzie.
chiff0nade at 8:01AM on 02/12/09
I consistantly make thick crusted (double rise) pizza at home and the trick I employ is to put the unembellished crust in the oven and cook it about halfway before adding the sauce and toppings. The only thing to be careful about is the crust will tend to blister up and burn if you don't watch it and pierce the bigger bubbles as they rise. A glass door on the oven is almost a necessity so you don't keep letting out the heat unnecessarily.
czken at 9:10AM on 02/12/09
I agree with Squeezebottle... I always add a little extra olive oil and since I have never had good luck using all whole wheat flour, I usually go half and half with the flours and it's turned out consistently good.
calliope at 9:40AM on 02/12/09
We haven't yet tried thick crust but deep dish certainly works! Try 425 degrees for 30 minutes!
Hillary
Chew on That
Chew on That at 4:19PM on 02/12/09
@Chew on That- I checked out your deep dish pizza, as I am a pizza fanatic. Although I'm more of a NY thin crust fan, your deep dish looked delicious. My son likes an occasional deep dish, so the next time he's home from school I'm going to make your recipe. I was a little surprised by the 170 degree pre-bake. Does that kind of soften the dough and make the whole wheat a little mellower?
dmcavanagh at 9:23PM on 02/16/09