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Stuffed Pizza vs Deep-Dish Pizza?
Here at Doreen’s, we always get asked if we have deep dish pizza or not (considering deep dish pizza originates from Chicago). We tell people, “no, but we have stuffed pizza”. This is usually followed up with the question, “what is stuffed crust and how is it different than deep dish?”
If you refer to Figure 1, this is one of our stuffed pizzas. View our stuffed pizzas on our menu here.
Thin crust, stuffed, pan, or deep-dish. When it comes to pizza, everyone has a unique preference. You might love the mushrooms toppings or maybe olives are your pick. But whatsoever, it’s hard to resist a cheesy, finger-licking, fresh and hot pizza from oven. Hungry already?
Stuffed pizza has grown in popularity and has become a specialty of Chicago. It is like a round pie with a high, golden, crunchy crust with a red sauce center, hiding a thin top crust over mozzarella magma. But did you know that this mouth-watering dish was a result of a family feud? Surprising isn’t it?
The Differences between Stuffed & Deep Dish Pizza
- Deep-dish pizzas have a crust that rises up to the sides of the pan. On the other hand, stuffed pizzas are even deeper than deep-dish pizzas. An additional layer of dough is used for covering the stuffed pizza.
- Another vital factor that differentiates stuffed pizza from its counterparts is the cheese. Stuffed pizzas are loaded with ounces of cheese. Deep-dish pizzas, however, have more tomato sauce and less cheese in comparison to stuffed pizzas. So if you are a cheese lover, stuffed pizza would definitely impress you. But if you want to have a more flavourful taste of cheese and sauce, then deep-dish pizzas are a perfect choice.
History
The story of stuffed pizza revolves around Nancy and Rocco, and their pizzeria, Nancy’s Pizza which became “Home of the Original Stuffed Pizza.”
The year was 1971, and Annunziata Palese and her husband, Rocco, had recently taken over Guy’s Pizza in Chicago. Rocco had joined his brother-in-law in the business just six months before. Unfortunately, they didn’t get along and Annunziata’s brother sold his share of the business to the new immigrants in the Hermosa neighborhood.
During this time, Annunziata, the woman behind Nancy’s Pizza was working as a housekeeper at the Northwest Hospital. As her husband needed help to run the business, she joined forces with him. Eventually, Rocco came up with stuffed pizza, which Annunziata wasn’t fond of in the beginning. On the other hand, Rocco’s friends loved his new invention. Obviously, the duo had their conflicts on a pizza which was going to make a mark in Chicago.
Later on, the couple sold Guy’s to open Ricci La Cantina on Lincoln Avenue. In 1972, they sold again, to open Rocco’s Pizza which lasted for just a few months. Then they opened yet another eatery called Stella Alpina with pizza pickup and delivery.
Finally, they came up with Nancy’s Pizza in 1974 at Lawrence Avenue. The stuffed pizza was revolutionary because it had a completely different taste. For a lot of people, the crust was their favorite part. In addition, it was loaded with so many ingredients and they didn’t skimp on the sauce which was delicious.
Stuffed Pizza Vs Deep-Dish Pizza
Stuffed pizzas are different from other types not just in taste, but also in their making. Usually, stuffed pizzas have a much deeper density. First, a deep layer of dough is spread out in the form of a bowl in a pan. Then toppings and cheese are added to it. There is still more stuffing to be added. An additional layer of dough is added on the top. The dough is then pressed on the sides of the crust.
In the next step, small holes are made on the top of the lid for allowing air and steam during cooking. Before baking a typical stuffed crust pizza, pizza makers normally add tomato sauce over the top crust.
As the name suggests, deep dish pizza, also known as Chicago-styled pizzas, is also deep in the crust. It is baked in a round steel pan. Oil is added for giving the outside of the crust a fired touch.
The deep-dish pizza was invented at the original location of Pizzeria Uno in Chicago in 1943. Pizzeria Uno was initially known as The Pizzeria and then Pizzeria Riccardo, but when Sewell, one of the founders of deep-dish pizza opened Pizzeria Due in 1955, Chef Rudy Malnati and Alice May Redmond named their first shop Pizzeria Uno.
When it comes to the fillings, they’re layered in an inverted order, with the cheese at the bottom, any meat and vegetable toppings in the middle and the tomato sauce on top. This prevents the cheese from burning, due to the longer cooking time required for deep-dish pizzas. Usually, the tomato sauce is the chunk version made from crushed canned tomatoes. Sounds tempting? Why not try our Chicago-styled deep dish pizza!
Now that you are familiar with the differences between the two popular pizzas from Chicago, how about you choose what you like more at Doreens Pizzeria.
You can pick a stuffed pizza from a variety of options such as sausage, pepperoni, seasoned beef, ham, meatball, mushroom, green peppers, spinach, Jalapeno, black olives, green olives, onions, tomatoes, pineapple , Canadian bacon, bacon bits, fresh garlic or 3 cheese( Monterey Jack, Cheddar And Mozzarella).
We also offer other specialty pizzas such as BBQ supreme, Taco pizza , Hawaiian supreme and many more. Sounds interesting? Well, if you are a pizza-lover and enjoy trying out new varieties, then we have a lot more coming for you. Come to Doreens Pizzeria and explore it on your own.
Sources
- History of stuffed pizza https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vpiXX_I35ptgqIBZc20pu4so_wqsku735i8ZEVee-Wc/edit?usp=sharing
- Difference between stuffed pizza and deep-dish pizza
- Origin of Deep-Dish Pizza
https://www.thespruceeats.com/chicago-style-deep-dish-pizza-2708753