There are plenty of places in the US where you can access incredible, high quality pizza. But the reality is that it can be difficult to narrow down where exactly will you get the best pizza. The reason is simple, you have something like the Chicago pizza shipped, but also the highly covered New York pizza as well. Which is the better option between the two? Let’s find out as we learn more about what makes the New York pizza shipped different when compared to the Chicago counterpart.
Chicago pizza history
Modern pizza was first prepared in Naples, sometime in 1889, however it took a while for US based bakeries to create their own pizza. The first Chicago pizza was prepared during the fall of 1943, when the Pizzeria Uno was open. Ric Riccardo and Ike Sewell are the ones that invented this type of pizza, and they are the ones that blended their passion for business and cooking as they opened the Pizzeria Uno.
The reason why these two business owners decided to create their own pizza is because they had a lot of passion for Italian pizza and managed to access a lot of different recipes while going through Italy. During one of their trips, they got to enjoy pizza cooked in a pan, which is what they used as a template for their own Chicago pizza. It was and still is one of the most creative types of pizza, but at the same time it’s not very hard to prepare.
Chicago pizza characteristics
The Chicago style pizza is prepared in various different styles, however it’s mostly known as deep dish pizza. It all stems from the cooking style, as we mentioned earlier the pizza is baked and that means the pizza comes with a high edge. That being said, it also allows you to add lots of tomato sauce and cheese as well. You can prepare the Chicago pizza either as a stuffed pizza, or you can do it as a deep dish pizza too.
The stuffed Chicago pizza was first created during the mid-70s. There were 2 pizza chains named Giordano’s Pizzeria and Nancy’s Pizza that started to experiment with the original Chicago pizza and they were the ones who made Chicago stuffed pizza. The owner of Nancy’s Pizza said he based this recipe based on a scarcedda recipe that his mother was preparing when he was young. So the stuffed Chicago pizza also has a great Italian background, more specifically the Pizza rustica Lucana.
In Chicago you can also find a thin crust pizza which is popular in the Midwest too. As the name suggests, the crust is thin, but it also has the firmness that delivers crunchiness, which is not the case when compared to a New York pizza for example. The difference stems from the fact that bakers from New York imitated Italian pizza and they were tossing the dough by hand. The Chicago thin pizza creators were using mechanical sheets or they were rolling it. Which in turn managed to help make the crust thinner.
Another interesting aspect comes from the topping itself. In the US the most popular topping is pepperoni, and one would assume it’s the same for Chicago as well. That’s not the case, because a survey from 2013 showed that the most popular topping for Chicago pizza is actually Italian sausage.
Does Chicago pizza require the re-arrangement of layers?
Yes, and that’s due to the thick crust you can find in the case of this pizza. It looks close to a pie, so layers need to be a bit different when compared to regular pizza. Unlike other types of pizza, this one replaces the top layer that would normally be cheese with something like tomato sauce. Local pizza shops experiment with a variety of layers too, they can be vegetables, meats, sauces, other types of cheese and so on.
A very common thing for Chicago pizza is the deep dish cheese pizza. That normally differs from the regular slice since it adds an olive oil layer, but also chunky tomato sauce and some melted cheese. The melted cheese layer on its own can have up to a few inches.
Do you really need to prepare Chicago pizza in a pan?
Yes, this is the recipe created during the 40s and it has remained pretty much the same 80+ years later. The fact that it’s a deep dish recipe adds a lot of interesting options, since you can choose to add a large variety of layers, all with their own specific features. There’s also a reason why Chicago pizza shipped has a different layering order and why they don’t go with crust, sauce and cheese.
The idea here is that due to the size of the Chicago pizza, its cooking time is increased quite a bit. Which is why you can end up with situations where the topping and cheese will end up burning before the pizza itself is ready. That’s the reason why you have cheese as the first topping. Then you can add other layers like the meat topping, onion, bell peppers, mushrooms and so on. The uncooked tomato sauce is at the top, and this is a staple for any pizza made in Chicago. Even if there are variations, deep dish pizza tends to stick to the original recipe invented in the 40s.
New York pizza history
While the history behind Chicago pizza is quite interesting, a similar thing can be said about New York pizza as well. The story says that New York style pizza was first created in 1905 when Gennaro Lombardy opened up his Lombardi’s shop in Little Italy. At that time, his employee named Antonio Totonno Pero was cooking pizzas and they were selling pizza slices.
Totonno ended up creating his own pizza place named Totonno’s that also inspired another pizza maker who created Patsy’s in Harlem. All these 3 pizza shops are still open today, and they were all using coal fired ovens in order to create their pizza.
Another place that also started creating the New York style pizza was Di Fara Pizza who opened in 1964 and they started to combine the regular, Neapolitan style of pizza with the New York one. As you can imagine, the New York pizza is a bit different when compared to the Neapolitan pizza, but it certainly retains a lot of its ingredients and the style as a whole.
What makes New York pizza different?
When you order New York pizza shipped, you will see that there are a few things which make it stand out. For starters, this type of pizza adds more ingredients when compared to the Neapolitan pizza. Olive oil and sugar are added to the bread flour (which is high in gluten), and then you also have water and yeast to help create the dough. As we mentioned earlier, the New York pizza is hand-tossed.
One of the reasons why a lot of people say the v pizza is great is that it all comes down to the texture and flavor. It’s rumored that the tap water found in NYC actually has a variety of minerals which help enhance the taste and appeal of this pizza. While that’s debatable, there’s no denying that the New York pizza has a great taste, and it managed to impress a lot of people.
The tomato sauce used for New York is also very complex, and usually it has a lot of seasoning. This can include crushed red pepper, basil, oregano, salt, sugar and garlic, but also canned tomatoes and olive oil. By comparison, the Neapolitan sauce usually has just salt and some crushed tomatoes.
When it comes to the cheese used for the New York pizza, most of the time you will have grated mozzarella (low moisture). You won’t use fresh slices like it’s the case for Neapolitan pizza. You can have multiple toppings however, ranging from various types of cheese, meats, vegetables and so on. In regards to the more common ingredients you can add on top of a slice, these can be grated cheese, dried oregano, but also red pepper and garlic powder. Of course, every pizza shop is able to adapt and customize these condiments depending on their style and legacy.
Does the flour used for New York matter?
Yes, in fact the dough use for New York pizza is actually made from high gluten bread flour. It’s a very important aspect of the recipe, because the gluten here adds a lot of growth to the pizza, and it’s also said to help enhance the overall taste. While the tap water supply rumor might or might not be true, there’s no denying that the New York pizza shipped does have a great taste and a very specific texture.
Comparing Chicago pizza with New York pizza
Both types of pizza have become iconic over the years, and they truly stand out when it come to their quality. However, there are some things that make New York pizza very different from Chicago pizza. Here are some of the main differences.
Cheese
Chicago pizza uses a multitude of cheese types, and these are spread over multiple layers. On the other hand, New York pizza relies on grated mozzarella with a very low moisture content. This is important, because it ensures the cheese will not split. When that happens, the pizza itself can be soggy, and it’s not ok. So yes, the cheese used for each type of pizza is very different. In the case of Chicago style pizza, it allows for more creativity since there are a large variety of pizza types to choose from.
Sauce
When it comes to the sauce used, New York pizza tends to have a very thin layer at the top of the crust. It mostly has to do with the fact that you have a very light crust to work with. The sauce also includes a lot of seasoning, yet it’s all in a very small amount. The Chicago pizza creators use only chunky sauce for their pizza, which is added in a very large amount. Unlike the New York one, the Chicago styled pizza has a delicate flavor, hence the reason it lacks so much seasoning. Plus, you have way more sauce, so it would change the taste balance if that would happen.
Crust
As we mentioned earlier, the Chicago pizza comes with a very thick crust, this extends from the bottom and it goes almost to the top of the pizza. It has a bowl shape, hence the reason why it’s called the deep dish pizza. You can have an extra dough layer at the top of the pizza, but that’s not mandatory. New York pizza has a crispy, yet thin crust. It’s similar to the Neapolitan one, however it’s sturdier.
Topping
Each one of these pizzas has their fair share of toppings. Chicago pizza has many different toppings, but these are added inside the pie. That’s why these pizzas are sliced like a casserole. A New York style pizza has a single layer of each topping. They do that in order to maintain the ideal proportions. That’s also the reason why New York pizza is actually smaller in size too, since it doesn’t have that pie-like style which is so common for Chicago pizza. The New York one is lighter and it can be eaten as a snack, however the New Chicago pizza is very filling and a single portion is more than enough for most people.
Conclusion
Both New York pizza and Chicago pizza are incredible, very tasty and with an amazing flavor. However, they differ quite a lot when it comes to looks, quality and nutritional value. With that in mind, both pizza styles have their rich history and also their own merits. It all comes down to what you appreciate in a pizza, the cooking style, but also the topping and all the other factors. It’s a very good idea to try both the New York pizza shipped and the Chicago pizza shipped to find your favorite!