Mastering Detroit Style Pizza

RECIPE

DOUGH:
▪250g (1c) warm water, 90F/32C
▪3g (3/4t) instant yeast
▪9g (2t) salt
▪365g (3c) bread flour
▪Olive oil

Mix together water, yeast salt, and bread flour in a bowl with a spoon. When the mix forms into a ball and you can no longer mix with a spoon, wet your hand and continue mixing and kneading by hand for 1-2 more minutes.

Alternatively, you can use a stand mixer with dough hook and mix on med-high for 7-8 minutes.

Cover the dough with a lid and allow to ferment at room temperature for 30 min.

Perform 5-6 strength building folds then round and tuck the dough into a ball to create tension as shown in video @1:57. Cover and ferment at room temperature. Repeat the strength building folds and rounding and tucking. Now, cover and allow to ferment at room temperature for 1 hour. Finally, cover and ferment in the refrigerator for 8-24 hours.

Flip dough onto a floured surface and flatten into a rough square shape. Cut dough into 2 equal halves.

Oil 2 lloyd detroit pizza pans very well with olive oil. Add a dough half into each pan and use your fingertips to dimple the dough and stretch it into the pans. Cover and allow to proof for about 30 minutes in a warm place, 90F/32C (to achieve this, i heat an oven to it’s lowest setting for 2 minutes, then turn it off).

Dock the doughs with your fingertips once more to fully spread into the corners of the pans. Cover again and allow to proof at room temp for 30 more minutes.

SAUCE:
▪28oz/800g can crushed tomatoes
▪50g (3T) tomato paste
▪7g (1 1/2t) salt
▪12g (1T) sugar
▪1/2g (1/2t) dried oregano
▪1/2g (1/2t) dried basil
▪Pinch chili flakes
▪Olive oil
▪10g (2 cloves) garlic, minced

Add tomato paste, salt, sugar, dried oregano, basil, and chilli flakes into the 28oz can of crushed tomatoes and blend with an immersion blender until smooth.

Add a large drizzle of olive oil to a nonstick pan over medium heat, then add in minced garlic and saute until just fragrant, about 30-60 sec. Stir in tomato mixture and bring to a simmer and cook down for about 10 minutes or until reduced by half and thickened.

TOPPINGS/BAKING:
▪1/2lb/250g Wisconsin brick cheese, shredded (sub with full fat mozzarella)
▪Preheat oven (with pizza steel or stone) to 500F/260C.

After proofing the dough for the final time, top each pizza with about 125g/1/4lb of the shredded brick cheese, then add 4 generous spoonfuls of sauce and spread slightly, leaving some of the top of the pizza unsauced.

Bake in the pans on top of the pizza steel for 10-14 minus until cheese is melted and browned around the edges. Remove pizzas from their pans and allow to cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. To increase crispiness, load pizzas directly onto the pizza steel for an additional 3-5 minutes.