Welcome

Hello and Welcome. My intent is to show how to prepare “elegant” dishes at home and enjoy a little up-scale dining, that doesn’t always require buying the “Top of the line”.

You won’t find any Casseroles, Squash, South West or Mexican here; I tend to stick with New England, European and Chinese food groups as I enjoy them most.

As I have High blood pressure and high Cholesterol, I do not use any salt nor consume any beef or beef products.

My recipes are designed for two adults with an accompanying dish (I hate the word "side" it relegates an otherwise wonderful experience to nothingness). Typically my recipes take 1-1/2 hours or less from start to table (not counting marinating). So with that, let’s get to it.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Ike’s Famous “Chicago Classic” Deep Dish Uno's Pizza

Well here it is as promised. Ike Sewell created the Chicago Deep Dish Pizza in 1943. This is my interpretation of it and is as true to the original Uno's pizza as you can get. It is not a “Build your own Pizza” as the balance to achieve the correct flavor is delicate.


PIZZA DOUGH:

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups of all-purpose flour
1 Package of Active dry yeast
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp sugar
½ Cup of milk
1 Tbsp Vegetable oil
½ tsp salt
½ cup &  ¼ cup of warm water

In a pan heat the 1 Tbsp of butter until it melts, add ½ cup of milk, add ½ cup hot water and heat. Add 1 Tbsp vegetable oil, 1 Tbsp Sugar ½ tsp salt. Stir to combine.

In a large bowl dissolve 1 pkg. dry yeast in ¼ cup of warm water. Pour in the previously prepared mixture into the bowl. Stir in 1-1/2 cups flour. Mix vigorously (Beat) for 1 min with a spoon. Add another 1-1/2 cups of flour and mix well.
Toss dough on floured bread board and knead for 5 min.
Place the dough in a large greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth and let rise for 1-1/2 hours. Punch down. Knead again for 1 to 2 min let rise again for another 1-1/2 hrs.

I have found that removing the sausage from the skin and frying to a golden brown first, removes a lot of grease and shortens the need for extended cooking time. I also recommend the use of Hot Italian sausage BUT NOT MADE BYJohnsonville they have put in more fat and changed the spices.

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound Hot Italian pork sausage ( Anything BUT Johnsonville brand)
1 ea  28 oz. Can of peeled, crushed plum tomatoes
1 lb. Whole Mozzarella cheese (Fresh if you can find it)
1 Tbsp fresh basil (1 tsp. dried )
1 Tbsp fresh rosemary (1 tsp dried)
1 Tbsp fresh oregano (1 tsp. dried)
extra virgin olive oil - as needed
Yellow corn meal - as needed

PREPARATION:

Remove the sausage from the casing and crumble. Add to a frying pan and fry till golden brow. Pour off the oil and set sausage aside. Thinly slice the Mozzarella. Finely chop the fresh herbs.

Place the tomatoes in a sauce pan, add the herbs and mix well. Simmer very slowly while you prepare the dough . (At least one hour).

ASSEMBLY:

I use a 12” Iron frying pan with the handle cut off. It’s very close to UNO’s (Not cast Iron). Most any 3” deep frying pan will do. No rack in the pan.

Using your fingers, coat the pan with the olive oil sides and bottom. Then sprinkle a coating of yellow corn meal to lightly cover the pan, spinning the pan and shaking the corn meal at the same time (Sides to). Spread the dough out, place it in the pizza pan and stretch it up the sides of the pan. Using your fingers coat the dough with olive oil. Then spread about 2/3 of the Mozzarella over the dough. The cooked-crumbled sausage comes next, spread to cover the cheese. Spread the sauce over the Sausage. Top with the remainder of the Mozzarella.

COOKING:

Place the pan on the lowest rack in the lowest position of the oven. Crank up the heat to 475 to 500 deg. And bake for 10 min. Move the pan to the center of the oven and reduce the heat to 350 deg. (Don’t wait for the oven to cool) just bake for 20-25 min. ‘till the crust starts to brown on the edges.

Let set for 5 min. Cut and serve.

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