In the Midwest, Chicago deep dish pizza is a way of life. But, for those in other parts of the country, this pizza may seem like an out-of-the-box concept.

Stuffed with whole milk mozzarella, packed with your favorite toppings, and covered in an addictive thick tomato sauce, this pizza is simply divine.

Just by mentioning pizza and Chicago, people think of the famous deep dish. But, who shall we thank for the deep dish pie?

As the official cultural historian of Chicago Tim Samuelson says, there is not enough evidence to know who originally created the deep dish pizza. However, it is believed that the invention of Chicago's signature dish is inside the walls of Pizzeria Uno.

Though the original creator of the pie is uncertain, it is attributed either to the pizzeria’s founder Ike Sewell, or one of the pizza chefs, Rudi Malnati. As the chefs went from working in one restaurant, to another, the recipe spread and the deep dish pie slowly became one of Chicago’s trademarks.

The deep dish has a thick, crunchy yet smooth crust, satisfying melty mozzarella, great toppings, all covered up with aromatic and flavorsome tomato sauce.

Ready to try it out?

You can order a delish deep dish pie even if you’re not in the Chicago area with the Slice app.

The Secret Behind Deep Dish Pizza

So, what is the secret behind deep dish pizza?

Let’s take a look at the order by which this famous Chicago pizza is made. As the name says the pie is baked in a deep, round pan, therefore, you get a thick, two to three inches crust.

After the pan is lined with the dough, pizzaiolos cover the crust with cheese first. You may ask yourself why? Well, since deep dish pie is cooked around 30 to 40 minutes, if the cheese goes on top, it can easily burn. And that’s something nobody wants, right?

The cheese is followed by meat toppings like salami or pepperoni, different kinds of veggies, all lavishly covered with tomato sauce. You get the best taste in an upside-down kinda pie. Just don’t forget to grab a fork and knife before you dig in.

It’s in the Crust

It is enough to just say that the crust of the deep dish pie is thick. A lot of things happen to the dough so that at the end you can enjoy a thick but smooth, both crunchy and soft crust.

This is because the dough is laminated with butter. What does that mean? While kneading and rolling the dough covered with butter, pizza chefs leave it to rest before they knead it one more time.

The result? Buttery mouth-watering crust you can easily get addicted to.

The steel deep pan is lined with dough, that’s covered with mozzarella all over. And the chef adds different toppings and covers them in tomato sauce before the pie goes in the oven for about 30 minutes or more.

What about the Sauce?

The deliciousness of the crust and the toppings is crowned by the amazing tomato sauce on top. It is literally spilled all over the pie to lock in all the great flavors.

It is made of juicy tomatoes mixed with delish seasonings, which are slowly boiled into the thick sauce you won’t forget anytime soon.

After baking, the pizza is prepared for tasting, just give it a few more minutes to cool down before feasting. And since the sauce is on top, you may consider using a knife and fork to avoid the mess.

Deep Dish in the Pizza Hall of Fame

Though originated in Chicago, deep dish pizza is widely spread and loved by pizza lovers in the whole country.

This thick, savory pie became popular thanks to many pizza restaurants in Chicago which preserve the history and tradition of the recipe with some small changes and individual recipe secrets.

Some of the legendary pizza spots where you can try the original deep dish pie are Pizzeria Uno, Rosati’s Pizza, Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria and Pizano’s Pizza & Pasta.

This amazing pie has over 70 years of tradition and through the years it has become an American staple. Celebrate this midwestern classic with a slice. Order deep dish pizza for takeout or delivery via the Slice app.