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Detroit Style Pizza

This recipe is a 2 day process as the dough requires overnight chilling in the refrigerater.

Detroit Style Pizza Pan

The book this recipe is based on has a list of different pan sizes, and for each pan size how many ounces of dough and cheese to use for the pan. Doing a bit of super complex algebra I worked out the following linear functions to determine how much dough and cheese to use for any size pan.

  • Dough weight (in ounces) = (pan width * pan length) / 8
  • Cheese weight (in ounces) = dough weight * 0.75

The pan I use is 10.5" x 15.5", but any size will do. You just have to adjust how much dough and cheese you use. The main thing to keep in mind is you want at least 2" if not 3" sides to the pan.

Note for me: After making this pizza a couple of times, for my size pan just use all the dough and 25oz of cheese.

Cheese

Traditionally Detroit style pizza uses Brick cheese (yup, that's a thing). But if you can't find Brick cheese, use equal parts low moisture mozzarella, mild cheddar, and Monterey Jack cheese.

Pizza Sauce

This is a great, easy, uncooked pizza sauce for Detroit style pizzas.

Ingredients:

  • 1 28oz can of crushed tomatoes
  • 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Add all the above into a bowl and stir. Taste and add more salt, vinegar, or lemon juice as needed.

Put into fridge until ready to use, microwave a bit to warm up just before topping the pizza.

Day 1

Making The Dough - Time: 10 minutes

Note: The dough recipe below will work for any pan that is 304 square inches or less.

Ingredients:

  • Unbleached bread flour: 567 grams
  • Kosher salt: 11 grams
  • Instant yeast: 4 grams
  • Water, cool (60F): 454 grams
  • Olive oil: 28 grams
  • (more olive oil for when stretching the dough)

Mixing Steps:

  • In a bowl add flour, salt, and yeast and stir a bit to combine.
  • Add all of the water and stir with wooden spoon for 30 seconds to form a coarse, shaggy dough.
  • Add olive oil and mix for 60 seconds. It may look too wet to be a good dough but it's fine.
  • Let the dough rest for 5 minutes to fully hydrate.
  • Mix dough for another 60 seconds to form a smooth, sticky dough. It should be soft and sticky to the touch, but have a little resistance when pressed with a wet finger.
  • Pour 1 teaspoon of olive oil on a surface and use fingers to spread into 15" circle.
  • Wipe a bit of olive oil on a plastic dough scraper and use the scraper move the dough onto the middle of the oiled surface.

The Stretch & Fold Technique - Time: roughly 30 minutes

  • On the oiled surface, flatten the dough with oiled hands into a circle about 3 times the size of the original dough ball.
  • Using the oiled plastic scraper lift one third of the circle, folding it into the center.
  • Lift the opposite third of the circle and fold it over the first fold, essentially tri folding a circle of dough.
  • Fold the two wide ends in the same manner, to make the dough into a loose ball.
  • Using the scraper, flip the dough ball over so the smooth side is up.
  • Cover the dough and let rest for a minimum of 5 minutes, but up to 60 minutes. A longer rest for more fermentation of the dough.

Repeat the above process for a total of 4 times, adding more oil to the surface as needed. The dough will firm up after each stretch and fold. After the final stretch and fold the dough will be soft and smooth, but firm enough to be moved.

Panning & Dimpling The Dough - Time: roughly 1:40

  • Add 2 tsp of melted butter and 2.5 tsp of olive oid into your pizza pan and oil the pan all over, including the sides.
  • Transfer dough into the center of the pan.
  • Rub the top of the dough with some olive oil and use your fingertips to dimple the dough from the center outwards, expanding it out towards the sides. Don't force the dough too much, just start working it out so it covers about a third (or less) of the pan.
  • Cover pan with plastic wrap and let dough rest at room temp for 20 minutes.
  • At 20 minute intervals, dimple the dough from the center outwards, expanding the dough to cover more of the pan.
  • when it looks like the dough will only need one more dimpling, sprinkle some King Arthur Pizza Seasoning over the surface of the dough. This shit is magical!
  • After the third or fourth dimpling, the dough should evenly cover the entire surface of the pan.
  • Cover the pan with plastic wrap and put into the refrigerator for the night to rest. This is a cold fermentation technique known as retarding the dough.

Day 2

Proofing The Dough - Time: 4 hours

  • Cut the cheese up into 1/4" cubes.
  • 4 hours before you want to bake the pizza pull the pan out of the fridge and remove the plastic wrap.
  • Top the dough with one third of the cheese and gently press them into the dough (but not too hard).
  • Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise and proof for 4 hours. The dough should bubble up around the cheese. (if you can, use an oven with a proof setting)

Baking the Pizza

  • Preheat the oven to 500F.
  • Top the dough with a layer of pepperoni slices.
  • Add the remaining cheese cubes, making sure to get plenty around the edges where the dough meets the pan.
  • Bake the pizza for 8 minutes
  • Rotate the pan 180 degrees and bake for 5 more minutes. The cheese should be just starting to turn golden brown and the edges a bit darker.
  • Take pizza out of the oven and using an spatula carefully slide it around the edges to separate the crust from the pan, then lift the pizza out of the pan and onto a cutting board.
  • Use a spoon to spread two or three stripes of pizza sauce across the top of the pizza.
  • Cut into squares.
  • Eat the hell out of it.