Detroit-Style Pizza

MAKING DOUGH
Put the yeast in a small bowl, add the warm water, and whisk vigorously for 30 seconds. The yeast should dissolve in the water and the mixture should foam. If it doesn't and the yeast granules float, the yeast is "dead" and should be discarded. Begin again with a fresh amount of yeast and water

Combine the flour and malt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook.

With the mixer running on the lowest speed, pour in most of the ice water, reserving about 2 tablespoons, followed by the yeast-water mixture. Pour the reserved water into the yeast bowl, swirl it around to dislodge any bits of yeast stuck to the bowl, and add to the mixer. Mix for about 15 seconds, stop the mixer, and add the poolish or tiga.

Continue to mix the dough at the lowest speed for about 1 minute, until most of the dough comes together around the hook. Stop the mixer. Use your fingers to pull away any dough clinging to the hook, and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a bowl scraper or rubber spatula. Check the bottom of the bowl for any unincorporated flour. Turn the
dough over and press it into the bottom of the bowl to pick up any stray pieces. If the dough isn't holding together, add small amounts of water (about 1/2 teaspoon to start) and mix until the dough is no longer dry and holds together.

Add the salt and mix on the lowest speed for 1 minute to combine.

Stop the mixer, pull the dough off the hook, and add the oil. Mix the dough for 1 to 2 minutes, stopping the mixer from time to time to pull the dough off the hook and scrape down the sides of the bowl, until all of the oil is absorbed. The dough won't look completely smooth.

Use a bowl scraper to transfer the dough to an unfloured work surface, then knead it for 2 to 3 minutes, until smooth (see Kneading the Dough, page 24). Cover the dough with a damp dish towel and let rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Use the dough cutter to loosen the dough and to cut it into halves or thirds (depending on the weight called for in each recipe). Weigh each piece, adjusting the quantity of dough as necessary. You may have a little extra dough.

Form the dough into balls (see Balling the Dough, page 26). Set the balls on a half sheet pan, spacing them about 3 inches apart. Or, if you will be baking the balls on different days, place each ball on a quarter sheet pan. Wrap the pan(s) airtight with a double layer of plastic wrap, sealing the wrap well under the pan(s). Put the pan(s) in a level spot in the refrigerator and refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours. Allow the dough to rest for 1 hour

Place dough into a large bowl

Press it down slightly, and rub a little olive oil over the top

Cover in container and refrigerate for 24 hours

Remove the dough from the refrigerator after 24 hours and put it in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Mix for 30 seconds on the lowest speed to degas the dough, removing any air bubbles.

Weigh the dough to 625g or 22oz and adjust the quantity of dough as necessary. You may have a little extra dough. I did and ended up tossing it.

Form the dough into a ball and refrigerate another 24 hours.

Remove the dough ball from the refrigerator and leave wrapped at room temperature until the dough warms to 50°F to 55F. This should take about 1 hour

Smear the butter in a 10 by 14-inch seasoned black-steel Detroit pan or non-stick pan which worked perfect for me (and you probably don't have to use so much butter or oil but I did it anyway. Spread the oil over the butter.

Transfer the dough to the pan and flip the dough to coat both sides with the oil. Using your fingertips, push the dough outward into an even layer, Try to reach the comers, but don't worry if the dough does not fill the pan. Put the pan in a warm spot for 30 minutes, then push the dough again to fill the corners and to degas it.

Let the dough rest for 1 to 1/2 hours, until it has risen (the timing depends on the temperature of the room). It will not have doubled. If the dough shrinks away from the edges of the pan, do not press on the dough again or it may not rise property

Meanwhile, set up the oven with two pizza stones or baking steels and preheat to 500°F for 1 hour if you have a normal oven. I used my indooor oven for Bake 1 & 2 and my Pizzello Forte 16" pizza oven for the final bake to ensure that crispy edge and bubbling cheesy top was done perfect.

To make the sauce (see Detroit-Style Pizza Sauce Recipe), combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan and puree with an immersion blender. Set aside.

Place the pizza pan on the top stone and bake for 6 minutes (the dough will set and be lightly colored). Remove from the oven, sprinkle the brick cheese evenly over the dough, covering to the edges. Stack 1/4 cups (170 grams) of the Cheddar cheese around the edges of the dough you want it to rise slightly up the sides of the pan. Sprinkle the remaining Cheddar evenly over the top.

Return the pan to the top stone to bake for about 7 minutes. The pizza will be lightly colored and the cheese will be bubbling on the sides. Rotate the pan 180 degrees and transfer it to the bottom stone. Continue to bake for another 8 to 9 minutes, until the cheese around the edges of the pan is charred. Meanwhile, heat the tomato sauce over medium-low
heat until hot.

Remove the pan from the oven. Use a long metal spatula to chisel and loosen the sides of the pizza, then remove the pizza from the pan and place it on a cutting board.

Cut the pizza into quarters. Ladle 2 vertical racing strips of tomato sauce down the length of the pizza and spread it out slightly with the bottom of the ladle. Finish with a dusting of pecorino and oregano and a drizzle of garlic oil.