This recipe is my answer to Rochesterians’ adoration for Detroit Pizza. I mean they absolutely love it. Before I moved from Detroit to Rochester, I just had no idea. And, I admit that at first, I did not try Rochester’s Detroit style pizza because… I just moved from Detroit. But it is EVERYWHERE here (even more available than in Detroit) and it’s really good. Despite all the love that people in Rochester have for Detroit Pizza, home cooks around here also have the misconception that it is hard to make. Detroit Style Pizza is the only pizza that easily tastes just as good, if not better, when you make it in a regular oven. If you like gooey, cheesy carbs with a sweet/acid tomato finish, then you’re going to love this pizza.
The internet is a dangerous place. some Detroit Style Pizza recipes on the internet are not great. For instance, DO NOT cook pizza sauce ON your Detroit pizza! Next, do not par-cook your pizza dough! Also, you do not need to use a pizza stone. Phew. That said, if you like any of those things, go for it, but there are already recipes for those versions. A final note, my eldest child would like me to add: “Go Lions.”
Notes
Note about Cheese
Traditionally, Detroit style pizza is made with a blend of Wisconsin block cheese and mozzarella, but I cannot get block cheese in Rochester. But, please don’t let that stop you from making this pizza. It’s amazing with fresh mozzarella and Parmesan or with grated block mozzarella. If you can avoid it, don’t use pre-grated cheese, the cornstarch and potato start really does affect the flavor and pull of the cheese.
Note about Detroit Pizza Pans
You do not need to buy a special pan for this. The Detroit lore is that the original pans were the steel drip pans used by the auto plants. That said, for the best possible crust a metal pan makes all the difference. Ideally a steel pan or even better a cast iron pan that’s either 9×13 or 10×14 or something in that range. It does not require a pan that is a rectangle, but It’s more fun that way. I have never, and will never use a nonstick pan for this recipe, so I have no comment about how well they will or won’t work.
Note about Mixing Dough by Hand
If mixing dough by hand, in a large mixing bowl add the flour, yeast, salt, and warm water. Mix with a large spoon until dough starts to come together and incorporate into a shaggy dough. Pour the dough pour out onto a lightly floured counter and scoop and kneed in the dough for 4 minutes, then let the dough rest for 10 minutes, then kneed again for another 3-4 minutes until dough forms a ball. This is a sticky dough, so I much prefer to make this recipe in a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment.
Note about Toppings
Most toppings on a Detroit style pizza go on AFTER the pizza has been cooked. The only exceptions being pepperoni and raw onions (which I like to char on top of my pizza). Things we love to put on top of our pizza, include: peperonata, sauteed mushrooms, crispy bacon, pickled jalapenos, sausage, and whatever else we have in the fridge.
Key Ingredients
bread flour
instant yeast
tomato passata/puree
mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese
pizza toppings
Detroit Style Pizza with Love from Rochester– Recipe
This recipe is adapted from the recipe Detroit Style Pizza in Zingerman’s Bakehouse by Amy Emberling and Frank Carollo. It makes enough for 2 9×13 inch Detroit style pizza. This recipe uses a stand mixer. It requires about 20 minutes to make the dough, then 18-24 hours of rest, an hour for the dough to come to room temperature, and then another hour to assemble and bake the pizza.
Ingredients
Dough Ingredients
- 2 cup warm water (100 degrees)
- 5 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour (600g)
- 1 and ½ teaspoons instant yeast
- 1 and 3/4 teaspoons sea salt
- Oil for greasing the pizza pans.
- ¼-1/3 cup corn meal or coarse semolina flour (optional)
Sauce Ingredients
- Pizza Sauce
- 1 clove of garlic
- 26 ounces of best quality passata or puree or whole canned tomatoes
- ¾ teaspoon table salt
- 2 tablespoons Turbinado sugar or light brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- Spring of basil (optional)
Toppings
- 600 grams shredded or fresh mozzarella
- ½ cup or about 50 grams shredded Parmesan
- 12-18 pieces of pepperoni (optional)
- ¼ cup coarsely chopped white onion (optional)
- ½ cup chopped other veggies (optional)
- 6-8 basil leaves (optional)
Step One
The night before you want pizza: In the bowl of a stand mixer (preferred), add the flour, yeast, salt, and warm water. Mix with a large spoon until dough starts to come together then use a dough hook and mix on 3 for 4 minutes. After 4 minutes, scrape down the sides of the bowl, then mix for another 4-5 minutes. Dough should start to form a wet ball. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rest for 15
Step Two
While the dough rests coat two pans that are 9×13 or 10×14 (Detroit pizza size) or 12-13 inch round metal frying pans in neutral oil or a mixture of neutral oil and 2 teaspoons of butter. (I usually do a mix, because I find that I have trouble getting the butter into the cracks to have truly good coverage). Optional, sprinkle the bottom and corners of each pan with 2-3 tablespoons of corn meal.
Step Three
Once the dough has rested for 15 minutes, oil your hands, divide the dough in 2 and gently spread half on the bottom of each pan. It won’t fully incorporate into the sides and corners, and that’s fine, it will spread as it rises. Cover with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for about 18-24 hours.
Step Four
2 hours before you’d like to eat pizza, remove the dough from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature.
Step Five
About 1 hour before you’d like to eat pizza, preheat your oven to 500 degrees. You can use a pizza stone if you like, it’s helpful if your oven has trouble getting hot, but not necessary.
Step Six
While the oven warms, make the sauce: add about 1 teaspoon olive oil to the bottom of a 2 quart pan. Allow to get warm and then add the minced garlic. Allow to cook for about 30 seconds to soften the garlic. Then add the tomato puree, salt, sugar, oregano and spring of basil, if using. Once it comes to a simmer, reduce heat to a low to get to a slow simmer and stir every few minutes. Allow to simmer about 20 minutes, then turn off the heat and set aside.
Step Seven
Shred or thinly slice 600 grams of mozzarella or mix of mozzarella and Wisconsin brick cheese, and grate about 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle the Parmesan around the outer edge of the pizza crust. It’s ok if a bit lands on the sides of the pan and not on the crust. If you’re adding pepperoni or other toppings that you do not want to get charred, this is the time to add them. Then sprinkle/spread the mozzarella over the whole of the pizza.
Step Five
Bake pizzas 1 at a time works best in my oven for about 15 minutes each or until crust looks cooked and cheese is gooey and taking on good toasty color. Remove from oven, and pour two racing stripes of sauce length-wise over the pizza, then (if using) sprinkle chopped basil over top. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Pizza can be carefully served directly from the pan. With extra sauce on the side! Leftovers will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days.