Week #21: Michigan - Detroit Style Squared Pizza

Michigan:  Detroit Style Square Pizza

When I think of the state of Michigan, I think of Detroit, Wolverines, Eminem, Chrysler & Dodge, and Motown music.  I never once thought of Little Caesar’s Pizza.  That’s right, the home town of Little Caesar’s Pizza is in Garden City, Michigan.  The founder Mike Ilitch played farm baseball for the Detroit Tigers founded the national franchise back in 1959 (Courtesy of Little Caesar’s website).   When I was in high school, we used to eat Little Caesar’s pizza like it was going out of style. 

Going into this challenge, I wanted to tackle the Little Caesar’s Detroit Style Squared-pizza.  Any time there is a pizza known for the city, I have to take up the challenge and I am glad I did.  The pizza was outstanding and I definitely would make this pizza again.  So for all my readers who come from Michigan, I hope I made your pizza with authenticity!! 

Ingredients:

Dough:

1 1/2 cups warm water (about 110 degrees F)

1 package fast-acting yeast

1.5 cups all-purpose flour - plus more for dusting

1 tsp of salt
1 tsp of onion powder

Oil, for greasing bowl

Sauce:
1 large can of crushed tomatoes + 1/2 can of water
1 can of tomato paste
1/3 cup of chopped fresh basil
1/3 cup of dried Italian herb mix
1 tbsp of minced garlic
Salt & Pepper to taste
1/4 cup of olive oil

1 cup of Wisconsin Brick Cheese or 1/2 cup of mozzarella and 1/2 cup of white cheddar
1 cup of cooked Hot Italian turkey sausage
1/2 cup of sliced green onion

Crust: 

This is the first time I made squared pizza dough, but what I have learned is that it is the same recipe.  The only difference to making this pizza is how you form the crust.  When making the dough, pour 1/2 cup warm water and add the yeast.  Stir with a fork to dissolve. Let sit until foaming for 5 to 10 minutes. 

Add the remaining water. Add the flour, onion powder and salt all at once and mix together with your fingers.  I usually have a little extra water in case it doesn't get the right consistency. The dough should be very sticky. Add the oil and form into a ball.  Set aside and allow dough to rest for 15-20 minutes or so.  

Cooking the Crust:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Grease a square baking pan with canola oil.  Take the dough and form into a square to meet all the corners.  Ensure that the dough is evenly distributed in a square, because it will rise and you want to ensure it rises evenly.  Add a thin layer of olive oil onto the crust to enhance the flavors of the dough.  Cook for 10-12 minutes or until slightly brown.  All areas of the crust should be cooked and almost flakey.  Set aside.  Turn oven down to 400 degrees.

Sauce:

For the sauce, I made it the way that I would make a traditional sauce.  However, use your creativity and make it your own.  First, I added a can of the tomato paste and crushed tomatoes into a medium sauce pan.  Then, add the water and turn the stove on a medium temperature.  Cover and cook until sauce is all mixed well.  Add spices, oil, and basil.  Allow to cook for another 10 minutes or so and remove from heat. 

Meat:

The meat is completely optional and I would recommend doing your own thing.  I kept it simple, so I could focus more on the dough and taste of the pizza.  In a medium or large pan, heat 1 tbsp. of olive oil and add in the ground hot turkey sausage.  You can change the type of sausage to pork, chicken, or even a mild sausage.  The hot Italian brought in some good flavor with the meat, so I would recommend it.  Cook until pink is gone from the meat and remove from the heat.  Set aside.

Pizza:

Time to put all the ingredients to work.  First, put a layer of the brick cheese or variations all over the pizza.  Then, add the sausage and spread out thoroughly onto the crust.  Remember, the pizza is going to be in square slices, so you want to make sure each square has balanced ingredients.  Next, add the green onions onto the pizza.  Place back into the oven for 5-7 minutes or just until the cheese is melted.  Remove from heat and add a line of sauce on each side. If sauce is cold, warm up sauce on the stove first.  Wait until pizza cools down and eat. 

Pairing:

A few months ago, I discovered Founders Brewing Company who makes amazing craft beer.  They have some great and robust flavors, which make all the beers, taste really good.  I decided to go with the Founder’s Porter to edge off the sauce of the pizza.  You can also pair the pizza with their All Day IPA, Centennial IPA, Dirty Scotch Ale, or Red Rye IPA if it is in season.  For a wine, go with a white wine to balance out the sauce.  I would recommend something like a Pinot Grigio to balance out the acidity of the sauce.  It’s up to you!  

Learning Moments:

There is always a learning moment when cooking and making pizza.  Luckily, the learning moment was not a bad one, but great one!  This pizza took me back to the old days of eating those $5 pizzas and when I ate the crust, I literally could taste the brand of Little Caesar’s Pizza.  I never had a tomato based pizza where the sauce was on top.  It was very good and was used more of a dipping sauce, which is what Little Caesar’s is known for.  I will definitely make this pizza again and I would highly recommend it to anyone to try making their own version.  Enjoy!!