Chicago Tavern-Style Thin Crust Pizza
A thin, crisp Chicago tavern-style pizza with a crackly base, tangy tomato sauce and a generous layer of cheese, designed to be cut into small squares for sharing. It is ideal for…
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Servings: 4 | Prep: 30 min | Cook: 14 min | Total: 104 min
Tags: Chicago-style, baked, crispy, pizza, sharing, tavern-style
Ingredients
- 250.0 g strong white bread flour (for a crisp, structured dough)
- 25.0 g fine semolina (helps add crunch to the crust)
- 4.0 g instant yeast (about 1 teaspoon)
- 5.0 g caster sugar (helps the yeast and browning)
- 5.0 g fine sea salt (for the dough)
- 15.0 ml olive oil (for the dough)
- 165.0 ml warm water (around 35–38°C)
- 200.0 g tinned crushed tomatoes (for a simple quick sauce)
- 15.0 g tomato purée (adds depth and thickness)
- 1.0 tsp dried oregano (for the sauce)
- 0.5 tsp garlic powder (for the sauce)
- 0.5 tsp fine sea salt (for the sauce, adjust to taste)
Instructions
- Combine the flour, semolina, yeast, sugar and dough salt in a mixing bowl, then stir in the warm water and olive oil until a shaggy dough forms, mixing for 1 to 2 minutes until no dry patches remain.
- Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 5 to 7 minutes at room temperature until it feels smooth, firm and only slightly tacky, then shape it into a ball.
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and leave it to rise in a warm place for 45 to 60 minutes until slightly puffed rather than doubled, as a restrained rise helps keep the crust thin and crisp.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce by stirring together the crushed tomatoes, tomato purée, oregano, garlic powder, sauce salt and black pepper, then leave it to stand for 15 minutes at room temperature so it thickens slightly and the seasoning mellows.
- Heat the oven to its highest setting, ideally 250°C or above, for at least 25 minutes so the baking surface is thoroughly hot, and taste the sauce before baking to check it is bright, lightly seasoned and not watery.
- Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface into a very thin round or rectangle about 30 to 32 cm wide, then transfer it to the baking tray and dock it all over with a fork so the base stays flat and bakes up crackly.
- Spread a thin, even layer of sauce over the dough, leaving a very small border, then scatter over the mozzarella and Parmesan and add the pepperoni if using, keeping the toppings light so the crust can dry and crisp rather than steam.
- Bake the pizza on the top or lower-middle shelf for 10 to 14 minutes at high heat until the cheese is bubbling, the top shows browned spots and the underside is deep golden and crisp when lifted at the edge.
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