Yeast

[FLAVORMAN]

Just read the post from Pete-zza on crust flavor which I have been working on for quite some time. The other day I remembered I had a book somewhere with Chicago Style formulas included. After an hour or so of searching I found it and would like to share it with all of you. The title is "Chicago Style Pizza" and the author is Pasquale Bruno Jr.  It was first published in 1983 and I think that is about 10 years after the deep dish bug hit me. It is  a very informative paperback book and one ingredient I found very interesting..He suggests in two differant Chicago Style formulas the use of 1-11/2 packets of ADY for a 14 in deep dish. Some of you might have noticed in past posts I have screwed up the gram amount of Yeast used. I was wondering if maybe his suggestion of more yeast might give the flavor to the crust some of us are looking for,,I have not had the time to try it but will in the near future. He also suggests his formulas are the real thing for Gino's East,  Home Run Inn and Uno's.

[BTB]

Pat Bruno's recipes for Chicago pizzas have been around for a long, long time and have never been known to be accurate or even close to the real thing.  The recipes on this site for the various Chicago deep dish styles (e.g., Malnati's, Gino's East, etc) by many of our members are much closer to the real thing IMO.

[Mazz]

I too have that book (somewhere?).  The recipes are OK as a start.  But I agree with BTB, that the information on this site will get you much closer.  I never did find the recipes in Bruno's book to be very close at all to Gino's or Uno's or any other authentic Chicago restaurant.

The best thing I've found to enhance the flavor of the crust, is to allow the dough to rest and ferment.  When I make a pie, I let the dough rise for a couple hours, punch it down, bag it, and put it in the fridge for a day.  I then pull it out a few hours before making the pie, and let it rest until it warms to room temperature.

If I make the dough the same day as the pie, the crust is not bad, but it's not nearly as good if I make it a day early.

[FLAVORMAN]

Thanks for your replys. I agree the formulas in the book are no where near what is posted on this site. I must admitt I was amazed what a 6 hour bench rise did after the frig. Thanks again I think the additional bench rise did wonders. My wife of 40 years said  "now you have the secret"..