Deep Dish Pizza

Deep Dish Pizza is a Chicago-style pizza famous for its thick, buttery crust and high pie-like edge, making it distinct from traditional Italian pizza. One of its most unique features is the reverse layering technique starting with a generous layer of cheese directly on the dough, followed by toppings, and finishing with chunky tomato sauce on top. This method prevents the cheese from burning during the long baking process and gives the pizza its signature rich, hearty texture.

The Origins of Deep Dish Pizza

The story of Deep Dish Pizza began in the late 19th century, when large waves of Italian immigrants moved to the United States, settling first in major East Coast cities like New York before expanding into the Midwest with Chicago becoming one of the most significant centers of Italian-American culture.

Pizza became increasingly popular in America during the early 20th century. The countrys first pizzeria, Lombardis Pizza, opened in 1905 in Manhattan, New York, founded by Italian immigrant Gennaro Lombardi. Remarkably, Lombardis is still in operation today.

Chicagos Deep Dish Pizza, however, was born in the 1940s, during World War II a time when the U.S. government imposed strict food rationing to support the war effort. Interestingly, key pizza ingredients such as flour, corn oil, salt, and yeast were not restricted, allowing pizzerias to thrive even during wartime.

The Creation of Chicagos Signature Dish

Deep Dish Pizza was created at 29 East Ohio Street in downtown Chicago. According to historical accounts, Ike Sewell and Ric Riccardo, owners of the famous Riccardos Restaurant & Gallery, had planned to open a new restaurant together in the city center.

Initially, they wanted to open a Mexican restaurant, inspired by Sewells Texas roots. However, their plans were disrupted when wartime restrictions made it difficult to obtain licenses for serving alcoholic beverages a vital part of restaurant operations. As a result, they decided to switch concepts and open a pizzeria instead. The restaurant was first named The Pizzeria, later renamed Pizzeria Riccardo, and finally became Pizzeria Uno in 1955.

Sewell and Riccardo experimented with creating a new kind of pizza, different from the thin-crust Italian classic. They used a deep, cast-iron pan to bake it, pressing a thick dough up the sides to form a tall crust that could hold generous amounts of cheese, toppings, and tomato sauce. The result was a pizza with a crisp outer crust, a soft interior, and an intensely rich flavor the Deep Dish Pizza we know today.

A Dish That Defines Chicagos Food Culture

Deep Dish Pizza was designed to reflect Chicagos culinary spirit bold, hearty, and indulgent.

The preparation requires specific techniques to achieve its perfect balance of texture and flavor. The thick dough is baked in a deep pan to support the dense filling, with layers of mozzarella cheese placed at the bottom, followed by toppings, and finally tomato sauce spread over the top to keep everything moist and flavorful during baking.

The baking process takes longer than regular pizza and requires a high oven temperature to ensure even cooking, crispy edges, and gooey melted cheese without burning the sauce.

From Local Specialty to Global Favorite

Over time, Deep Dish Pizzas popularity spread beyond Chicago. Pizzerias across the United States and around the world began adapting the recipe and concept to create their own versions, turning this Chicago invention into a global comfort food icon.

You can find all the ingredients you need at Rimping Supermarket.