When looking for the best pizza restaurants in Dyer, do you find it more challenging to decide whether to get a deep dish or thin-crust pie? Don’t be surprised if you are. Some people are devoted to New York-style pizza (thin-crust), while others favor Chicago-style deep dish pizza. The differences are so stark there are even two dedicated cities where you can get your favorite pie!
While one can appreciate both regions, each type is prepared differently, baked differently, and has an assortment of ingredients. Let’s explore these beautiful characteristics and see if you can choose much easier by the end of this article.
Going in Deep
Deep-dish, or Chicago-style, pizza, is most obviously thicker than its New York-style counterpart; the New York, also known as the Neapolitan style pizza (though Italians might start an argument with you on this one), or the thin-crust pizza. But what else separates the two?
For starters, the preparation. Chicago-style pizza is baked within an hour of kneading without any rest; this keeps the yeast very active. As a result, the dough rises and becomes very thick.
Deep-dish pizza is traditionally made by pressing a thick crust against the inside of a pan. This thick crust creates a bowl or quiche-like structure that holds many toppings.
This kind of pie also has a much higher cheese-to-crust ratio. The pizzas also have tomato sauce in large quantities and larger chunks of meat. Why so much thick cheese, tomato sauce, and meat? Simply put, because they can. Deep-dish pizzas take longer to cook than other varieties, so the extra ingredients only help extend the time before the pizza is done.
The end product is a golden, crispy, chewy, buttery crust akin to a loaf of good bread. No crust will be left behind when you have finished.
As one of the most well-known destinations for a deep-dish pizza, Chicago has inspired other cities to adopt its recipes. This will give more Americans a chance to weigh in with their favorites, such as the best pizza in Indiana.
Now Let’s Get Thin
Conversely, New York-style or thin-crust pizza consists of dough that has had plenty of time to rest, which allows the yeast to lose much of its activity. As a result, the dough rises very little when baked.
Thin-crust dough is also stretched or tossed for stretching to render the edge-to-center thickness will be about the same. The outer crust will rise slightly more, but not much. Its base ingredients center on pureed tomato sauce, shredded mozzarella cheese, and thinly-sliced meat to accommodate all of the other toppings.
As such, a thin crust will only support a few ingredients that cook quickly. This kind of pie may be regarded as a light snack for regular eaters. But others can quickly eat half a pizza by themselves and still feel like they can wolf down another one afterward.
One positive of thin crusts is their speedy cooking time. New York-style pizzas bake very quickly. In a traditional pizza oven, the temperature can reach up to 1000° Fahrenheit, and it takes only around two minutes for the pies to be ready.
Since everything cooks rapidly on this type of pie, thin sauce, thin cuts of meat, and shredded cheese are best. This quick way of cooking allows the outside of the crust to become charred and crunchy while the inside remains fluffy and chewy.
What’s Your Flavor?
Deep-dish and thin-crust pies have their unique advantages. Those who want a fuller, filling bite can go for the former, while foodies craving a light snack can go for the latter. We hope this guide helps you decide what pizza to order the next time you check out menus from pizza restaurants in Dyer.
But if you’re looking for the best pizza in Indiana, whether it’s Chicago-style or New York-style you’re craving, get take-out from Doreen’s Pizza! We offer Delivery, Carry-Out, and Catering options for all our customers and happily bring you a wide variety of delicious pizza and food. Order from us now!