Pizza in Chicago is an experience unto itself. Forget the bread-like pan pizzas that you can get from the chain pizza purveyors; only real Chicago-style pizza cuts it here!
So what is it? First there is the semantics; Chicago Pizza is either deep dish or stuffed pizza, based upon the Chicago restaurant you are visiting. At it's essence, deep-dish pizza is dough pulled up into a high-sided round pan, over olive oil and and cornmeal. The secret is that the dough, once pulled up the sides of the pan, is parbaked to give the dough greater spring. Then and only then are the toppings added, beginning with the cheese - healthy slices of mozzarella usually to cover the whole bottom of the pie. And now what is added is the tomato sauce, sausage, pepperoni, extra cheeses or veggies. Otherwise, you end up with a soggy pizza. Indeed the dough is almost fried in the oil and cornmeal coating, resulting in a crunch but thick crust. I think the crust is almost as good as the pie itself.
Stuffed pizza differs in that a second layer of dough is added to the pizza after the cheeses and toppings have been layered on. The second dough layer is then covered with tomato sauce and whatever else you have ordered. In the photo at the left you see a deep dish pizza from Uno's. The photo on the right is a stuffed pizza from Giordano's.
In either case, you end up with a savory, thick and gooey pizza that you must eat with a fork and knife. Brooklyn style roll-up pizza? Fugettabboutit! If you see anybody rolling the pizza up (and if you can, well you have a mouth way too big and worthy of a Guinness Record), forgive them, for they know not what they do!
When in Chicago, most people gravitate to Uno's or Due's (sister restaurants) downtown, Giordano's, Lou Malnati's. Gino's East, Edwardo's or Connie's Pizza, but wherever you go, you will be assured of a taste experience that is so Chicago - big, bold and brassy! And for you misplaced Chicagoans needing that fix, Giordano's and Lou Malnati's will even ship overnight via Fedex - for a hefty price of course. But better still, AJ's here is Tucson carries a Gino's East Deep Dish Pizza right in their frozen pizza section:
Whatever choice you make, including vacationing in the Windy City, Bon Appetit!
