Author Topic: Chicago Test (Read 4576 times)

Randy · « **on:** June 10, 2004, 11:08:05 AM »

This is what we are having to night. I was not going to use corn meal thought two tablespoons would not hurt. I will post pictures tonight and give a review of the taste and texture.
Man what a mess when I added the oil and Crisco but the dough took it up after adding the cornmeal.

Revised Chicago-style Deep Dish Pizza Dough
1 package SAF yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
9.5 oz warm water (90deg)
3 tablespoons Crisco
3 tablespoons Clasico Olive Oil
16 oz Bread flour
2 tablespoons yellow corn meal
2 Teaspoon salt

KitchenAid instructions
Put everything in the bowl except for the Cornmeal Crisco and Olive oil mix until a ball forms on speed 1(stir speed) then knead at speed 2(knead speed) for 5 minutes. Add Crisco Olive oil and the corn meal to soak up some of the oil knead for 5 more minutes. Let rest for 15 minutes then place in cooler for overnight rise. Take out 2 hours in advance of panning and flatten into a disk. Divide the disk in half then form into balls.
When ready to cook flatten one of the balls in a 10 “pan with olive oil in the bottom until the dough covers the bottom. Use fingers from the top to pinch up the sides about ½ way up the pan and about 3/16” thick. Bake on low rack in oven preheated to 450F for 20 minutes or more.

Randy · « **Reply #1 on:** June 10, 2004, 07:30:41 PM »

This was my best Chicago yet. No doubt a biscuit crust. Very easy to hold a piece in one hand without folding and it held its shape. No tatse of cornmeal.

Randy · « **Reply #2 on:** June 10, 2004, 07:31:27 PM »

A side view.

Randy · « **Reply #3 on:** June 10, 2004, 07:34:54 PM »

The next test will reduce the yeast to 1 1/2 teaspoons and see what happens. I will also reduce the Crisco by one tablespoon. But next week back to a New York or American pizza.

Wayne · « **Reply #4 on:** June 11, 2004, 11:06:01 AM »

Look sgood. Especially the crust. Kind of like how many of my pan pizzas come out. I do believe I'll have to give this recipe a try. I just love a nice, thick, cheesy chicago pizza.

Randy · « **Reply #5 on:** June 11, 2004, 11:20:02 AM »

Wayne this recipe still requires a bit more work.
here are my latest changes. Note I haved moved the oil back to the beginng but still leave the Crisco to the half way point with the cornmeal and I have added 1 more oz of flour, but is untested.

The reduction in Crisco is only for better eating reasons

It was very good and it had the stifness of a Chicago slice.

Randy

Revised Chicago-style Deep Dish Pizza Dough
1 package SAF yeast(will try 1 1/2 teaspoons next time)
1 tablespoon sugar
9.5 oz warm water (90deg)
3 tablespoons Crisco(Try 2 tablespoons next time)
3 tablespoons Clasico Olive Oil( mix oil at the beginning)
17 oz Bread flour
2 tablespoons yellow corn meal
2 Teaspoon salt

KitchenAid instructions
Put everything in the bowl except for the Cornmeal and Crisco and mix until a ball forms on speed 1(stir speed) then knead at speed 2(knead speed) for 5 minutes. Add Cornmeal and Crisco knead for 5 more minutes. Let rest for 15 minutes then place in cooler for overnight rise. Take out 2 hours in advance of panning and flatten into a disk. Divide the disk in half then form into balls.
When ready to cook flatten one of the balls in a 10 “pan with olive oil in the bottom until the dough covers the bottom. Use fingers from the top to pinch up the sides about ½ way up the pan and about 3/16” thick. Bake on low rack in oven preheated to 450F for 20 minutes or more.

Randy

Pierre · « **Reply #6 on:** June 12, 2004, 01:27:26 PM »

Randy, that's a really good looking Chicago. Your getting a really nice color on that crust.

Pierre

DKM · « **Reply #7 on:** June 17, 2004, 04:49:16 PM »

Looks good Randy.

Have you thought about using corn oil?

DKM

Randy · « **Reply #8 on:** June 17, 2004, 09:44:09 PM »

I have DKM but i think I need the Crisco for the crust flakness.
But I might try cornoil in place of the olive oil.

Randy

DKM · « **Reply #9 on:** June 17, 2004, 11:54:06 PM »

That could work.

I've noticed that if I let the dough become sort of scrappy with a still a little bit of raw flour and then slowly and the oil to the still mixing dough, I can get a flaky crust.

DKM

Pierre · « **Reply #10 on:** June 18, 2004, 04:10:19 PM »

Hi Randy, I've got a Chicago dough in the fridge right now for tomorrows lunch. It'll be my 3rd Chicago to date. I thought I'd give your alteration on the recipe a try..... and took it one step further:

1 Tablespoon Cricso
4 Tablespoons Corn Oil
1 Tsp yeast

otherwise everything as you have it. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Pierre

Pierre · « **Reply #11 on:** June 18, 2004, 05:16:25 PM »

I just realized I never posted the results from my 2nd Chicago pie. In pie Nr. 2 I tried all crisco and corn flour instead of corn meal.

The pie turned out very good, the crust was flaky, just as Randy and Steve noted in their last tests because of the use of Crisco. The corn flour changed the overall texture though, it was different, softer perhaps too soft. I found the coarser texture of the dough with corn meal better (using DKM's original recipe).

I totally forgot to post the results and sorry, I had no pictures taken.

For tomorrows test, I'll take some pictures.

Pierre

Steve · « **Reply #12 on:** June 20, 2004, 09:13:42 AM »

Did you ever crack the seal on those 6-in-1 tomatoes?

Pierre · « **Reply #13 on:** June 20, 2004, 04:13:52 PM »

yes, for this third Chicago Pizza we broke the seal on the 6 in 1 All Purpose Ground Tomatoes !!

The tomatoes are a whole class better than any of the tomatoes I have been able to find here in Germany. I've went through at least a dozen different Brands (German, Italian and Turkish). We are apparently lacking really BIG brand names in Europe where the manufacturers stand behind their products and thus ours lack quality.

This third Chicago Pizza was a real dream. We liked it very much. The 6 in 1 tomatoes tasted great, they had, just like you and the others often described as, that fresh ripe taste..... just like grocer tomatoes used to taste like. The 6 in 1 tomatoes have the taste that I remember as a child when eating Beefsteak tomatoes or Cherry tomatoes.

Here in Europe we are sold tomatoes that have no taste at all because they are totally unripe when picked and transported over half of Europe.

And just like you wrote, you can eat these tomatoes right out of the can!! After trying my third spoon (Frauke had 2, Kimberly 1) we had to hold our selves back... I also opened a can of tomatoes of the best that I was able to find here so far and compared them directly to the 6 in 1. They were obviously lacking freshness and tomatoe flavour.

The winner is 6 in 1 !!

We followed your recommendation of sprinkling some spices over and then just spooning them out directly onto the pie and . (I added some fresh chopped Basil and ground oregano, some minced garlic and 2 dashes of ground pepper.)

Thanks Steve for sending the can.... it was really a delight !!

Pierre

Pierre · « **Reply #14 on:** June 20, 2004, 04:20:15 PM »

and here they are....

The very first can of 6 in 1 All Purpose Ground Tomatoes to land on German soil !!

Pierre · « **Reply #15 on:** June 20, 2004, 04:22:46 PM »

Randy, first the good news...... the crust turned out really good. It was crispier than my first 2 attempts, but still had that flakiness. It had a very good color, although I still prefer the golden hue that you are getting. Perhaps it has to do with your pan?

now the bad news..... no pictures

.

After taking 6 or 7 pictures of the 6 in 1 tomatoes the darn battery was at it's end.

And stupid enough, the camera uses one of those special batteries, not the standard AA or AAA. Oh, I could have kicked myself in the royal.... I am never going to buy something again that does not use standard or rechargeable batteries.

Pierre

Randy · « **Reply #16 on:** June 20, 2004, 05:21:20 PM »

Glad you were able to taste a bit of home.

Randy

Steve · « **Reply #17 on:** June 20, 2004, 09:00:57 PM »

I'm happy that you enjoyed the tomatoes. It's funny to see the picture of that can that I sent you... it had a long journey!

If you want more tomatoes, just let me know. I'll be happy to order them from Escalon and then ship them to you.

DKM · « **Reply #18 on:** June 22, 2004, 09:13:19 PM »

Now that's a pizza bond, to ship cans of tomatoes

Wayne · « **Reply #19 on:** June 23, 2004, 03:10:15 PM »

Lol well mine didn't come out anything like Randys. I don't know what I did wrong because I followed the recipe, but I must have totally botched something. I disappointed myself. The crust didn't rise well and was hard to work with. After it was cooked, the crust didn't rise much at all during baking. It stayed thin. Being a thick crust lover, I was disappointed with the turnout because to me, the crust is the most important and crucial part of a pizza. It's the base of a pizza, and a bad crust means a bad pizza. IT tasted ok but the color and texture and thickness were way off. Guess I need some practice. Wish I had a camera so I could post a pic, then maybe you could tell me wher eI went wrong.