Deep Love for Chicago-Style Deep-Dish Pizza

There’s no question that deep-dish pizza is one of Chicago's most iconic foods, loved by tourists and locals alike. But who exactly invented it? It turns out the details are a bit murky.

Let's begin with what we do know. The first establishment to serve deep-dish pizza was a place simply called The Pizzeria that opened in 1943 on the corner of Ohio and Wabash. The restaurant would later be known as Pizzeria Uno and is now known as Uno Pizzeria and Grill. What we don’t know is who exactly perfected the recipe for deep-dish pizza. The Pizzeria's owner Ike Sewell and his business partner Ric Riccardo are commonly credited with inventing the dish, but we don’t know for sure if they actually got their hands dirty in the kitchen. Adolpho “Rudy” Malnati Sr., who was manager of The Pizzeria, his son Lou, who worked as a bartender there, and Alice May Redmond, a cook at the establishment, are other possibilities. But whoever invented it, folks loved it, and Chicago pizzerias have been serving up deep-dish pizza ever since.

When The Pizzeria opened, Italian immigrants and other Chicagoans already had an appetite for pizza, which originated in the Naples region of Italy and had a thin crust. Deep-dish pizza put an American spin on the Italian dish. According to the Uno Pizzeria and Grill website, the original recipe for deep-dish pizza used a buttery crust with a tall edge and combined tomatoes and Italian spices with “more cheese than people could believe.” As the name indicates, the pizza is baked in a deep pan or dish rather than on a flat sheet. Whole slices of mozzarella are used instead of shredded cheese. And instead of merely using toppings for the pizza, deep-dish uses a combination of tomatoes and other ingredients to form a tasty filling.

Redmond would go on to make pizza at Gino’s East, which opened in 1966 just off of Michigan Avenue and was the city's second deep-dish pizzeria. And pizza was a family affair for the Malnatis. Lou would go on to open Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria, and Rudy Jr. would go on to open Pizano's Pizza and Pasta.

Stuffed pizza is a variation of deep-dish; it has a thicker layer of cheese and a second layer of crust on top of the filling. Stuffed pizza was first served at Nancy's Pizzeria and Giordano's, which both opened in 1974. Giordano's is especially beloved by my relatives who live in England; eating there is a top priority whenever they come to town, and once a pizza-eating contest even ensued.

Uno Pizzeria and Grill now has 100 locations across the U.S. and abroad. Their original pizzeria at Ohio and Wabash is a popular tourist spot. Pizza lovers can also take a pizza-themed tour of the city courtesy of Chicago Pizza Tours.

If you want to try your hand at making your own deep-dish pizza, the following recipe is for you. The made-from-scratch crust is spread onto the bottom and up the sides of a cake pan, and slices of mozzarella are placed on top of the crust. Then, a filling of tomatoes and bulk Italian sausage (the meat without the casing) are spooned over the crust and cheese. This recipe takes 3-½ hours to make from beginning to end, but this includes a 50-minute break to allow the dough to rise and another 50 minutes for the pizza to bake. And the end results are well worth the effort. Happy pizza-making!

Chicago-Style Deep-Dish Pizza                                                                                                                     

*Based on a recipe by the Better Homes and Gardens Test Kitchen

Ingredients

Olive or vegetable oil for greasing the pan and oiling hands

Cornmeal for sprinkling on the bottom of the pan

1 c. warm water (120°F to 130°F)

1 package active dry yeast

3 - 3 ½ c. all-purpose flour

⅓ c. vegetable oil

½ teaspoon salt

9 oz. mild bulk Italian sausage

14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained

1 tbsp. snipped fresh oregano or 1 tsp. dried oregano, crushed

1 tbsp. snipped fresh basil or 1 tsp. dried basil, crushed

8 oz. sliced mozzarella cheese

¼ c. grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

Extra grated Parmesan or Romano cheese to sprinkle over the top after baking

Directions

Generously grease a 10x2-in. round cake pan or a 10-in. springform pan with oil. Sprinkle the bottom of the pan with cornmeal and set it aside.

In a large bowl, combine the warm water and the yeast, stirring to dissolve the yeast. Let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in 1-1/2 c. of the flour, the 1/3 c. of oil, and the salt. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping the side of the bowl constantly. Then beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much of the remaining 1 ½ c. of flour as possible.

Place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Knead in the remaining flour by hand for about 8 minutes to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic. Shape dough into a ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease the surface of the dough. Cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place until it is double in size, about 50 minutes. Punch dough down (this is my favorite part). Cover again and let the dough rest for 5 minutes.

Place the dough in the prepared pan. Oil hands. Press and spread the dough evenly over the bottom of the pan and 1-1/2 in. up the sides of the pan. Cover again and let dough rise in a warm place until it is nearly double in size, about 30 minutes.

In the meantime, you can prepare to bake the pizza. Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a medium skillet, cook the sausage over medium-high heat until brown. Drain in a colander. Place the colander over a large bowl to catch the grease drippings. Using paper towels, pat the sausage and wipe out the skillet to remove the extra fat. Return the sausage to the skillet over medium heat. Stir in the drained tomatoes, oregano, and basil. Cook and stir until heated through. Break the sausage down into smaller pieces with the spatula.

To assemble the pizza, arrange the mozzarella cheese slices over the dough. Spoon the filling over the cheese, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan or Romano.

Bake for about 50 minutes. Cover the edges of the crust with foil during the last 10 minutes of baking to prevent overbrowning. Remove the pizza from the oven when the edge of the crust is crisp and golden brown and the filling is heated through. Cool for 10 minutes. If using a springform pan, remove side of pan. If desired, sprinkle with additional Parmesan or Romano. Cut into wedges.

Sources:

Caitlin Zaino, “The Deep Rooted History of Chicago’s Deep-Dish Pizza,” BBC (October 24, 2013).

Aimee Levitt, “The Story Behind Chicago Deep Dish Pizza,” National Geographic (March 24, 2024).

“About Us,” Unos.com.

Monica Eng and David Hammond, Made in Chicago: Stories Behind 30 Great Hometown Bites, 2023: 3 Fields Books, University of Illinois Press.