Detroit-Style Pizza

Prep: 25 mins

Cook: 20 mins

Rising: 60 mins

Total: 105 mins

Servings: 4 servings

Yield: 1 pizza

Detroit-style pizza is a thick crust pie native to Michigan. The crust is fluffy and cooked in a large rectangular pan, much like a Sicilian-style pizza. The cheese is sprinkled all the way to the edges of the pizza, creating a crispy, crunchy, cheesy crust that is truly irresistible. The pizza dough is very moist before you cook it, which creates a chewy, yet soft crust on the inside. The pan is brushed with butter before adding the dough, making it crispy and crunchy on the outside.

There are many different restaurants in Detroit that carry this style of pizza as well as a few chains, like Little Caesars. Some of the pizzerias put the cheese first, then the toppings and sauce, while others do the sauce first. We put the sauce on before the cheese and on top along with the toppings. Any way you choose, this pizza is incredibly delicious.

Ingredients

For the Pizza Dough:

• 2 1/4 cups warm water

• 4 teaspoons salt

• 2 teaspoons yeast

• 2 teaspoons sugar

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

For the Pizza Sauce:

• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, preferably with basil

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

• 2 teaspoons sugar

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the Assembly:

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

• 16 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/4-inch dice

• 8 ounces sliced pepperoni

Steps to Make It

Make the Pizza Dough

1. Gather the ingredients.

   

2. Measure the warm water in a measuring cup. Add the salt, yeast, and sugar to the water. Allow it to sit for a minute to froth. 

   

3. Add the olive oil and flour and knead in the bowl of a stand mixer with the bread hook attachment. You can also knead with a wooden spoon. Knead until the dough is smooth but still quite sticky. The dough will be very moist.

   

4. Scrape down the sides and cover. Allow it to rise for at least an hour or up to 24 hours. If you rise for 24 hours do so under refrigeration.

   

Make the Sauce and Assemble the Pizza

1. While the dough is rising, prepare the sauce. 

   

2. Mix together all of the sauce ingredients in a bowl. Whisk until completely combined. 

   

3. Preheat your oven to 450 F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with the softened butter. 

   

4. Scrape the dough out of the bowl and into the baking dish. Grease your fingers with olive oil and press the dough into the pan so that it reaches the edges and is of even thickness. 

   

5. Coat the dough with a layer of sauce (about 3/4 cup). 

   

6. Add the diced cheese onto the top of the sauce. Add the cheese all the way to the edges.

   

7. Add the sliced pepperoni and a few more dollops of the sauce. You will not use all of the sauce. 

   

8. Bake on the lowest rack of your oven for about 20 minutes or until the top is browned, the edges are brown and crispy, and the bottom is golden. 

   

9. Carefully remove from the pan with a large spatula onto a cutting board. Allow the pizza to cool slightly and then cut it into squares. Serve immediately. 

   

Recipe Variations

There are so many different toppings you can add. Heartier toppings are what are most commonly used, but you can use your imagination. Try a combination of any of the following:

• Ham
• Bacon
• Olives
• Mushrooms
• Peppers
• Onions
• Italian Sausage

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories	1425
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 79g	101%
Saturated Fat 33g	165%
Cholesterol 167mg	56%
Sodium 4267mg	186%
Total Carbohydrate 124g	45%
Dietary Fiber 7g	25%
Total Sugars 11g
Protein 53g
Vitamin C 28mg	139%
Calcium 646mg	50%
Iron 9mg	49%
Potassium 904mg	19%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.