blue martinis

source: LLM-generated from averaged Chicago-style home pizza methods

This is a flexible Chicago-style pizza dough built around cornmeal and oil. Pressed thin, it bakes into a crisp, cracker-like crust that’s comfortable being cut into squares. Pressed into a deeper pan, it holds toppings more like a pie crust. Structure comes from the pan and the bake, while oil limits gluten development, keeps the crumb tender, and encourages browning where the dough meets hot metal.

The topping order is deliberate and very Chicago. Cheese goes directly on the dough, followed by toppings, with fire-roasted tomatoes placed on top. The pizza toppings are finished with giardiniera, Italian seasoning, and a sparse layer of sharp white cheddar. Keeping the final cheese light lets the tomatoes remain dominant and gives a reliable doneness cue: when the cheddar melts and turns lightly golden, the pizza is ready.

The tomatoes should be well drained before topping. Any remaining surface moisture cooks off during baking, leaving a moist, concentrated tomato layer on top of a crisp crust. This wet-on-crisp contrast is the point. It’s the same logic that makes tomato-forward Chicago pies work and why the crust still snaps when you pick up a slice.

Giardiniera is the defining ingredient. Packed in oil, it brings heat, acidity, and texture and locks the pizza firmly into Chicago regional flavor. This is the same ingredient that shows up everywhere from beef stands to pizza counters, and it matters that it’s the oil-packed version. Use a true Chicago-style giardiniera, such as Marconi or La Preferida. If you know, you know.

This dough works well in cast iron, deep pans, or standard sheet pans. Oil in the pan lightly fries the bottom and edges during baking, producing a golden crust with a tender interior. The result lands somewhere between tavern-cut thin crust and pan pizza, which is a very Chicago place to land.

Leftovers are excellent. Cold slices at 3am or lunch the next day are often better than the first pass, once the flavors have had time to settle in and cohere. Make more than you think you need.

If you grew up around Chicagoland pizza culture, a lot of this will feel familiar. If you didn’t, there’s an entire genre behind it. One good reference point is Pizza for Everyone, a Chicago-centric pizza book that understands tavern cuts, deep pans, and everything in between.

Ingredients

Dough

• 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ¾ cup warm water (105–110°F)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ⅓ cup fine yellow cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ cup neutral oil (corn oil preferred; vegetable or canola work well)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Toppings

(Optional. These are what I used on 260109.)

• Pepper jack cheese, grated or sliced
• Pepperoni
• Green olives, sliced or crushed
• Fire-roasted diced or chunked tomatoes, well drained
• Chicago-style giardiniera packed in oil
• Italian seasoning
• Sharp white cheddar, used sparingly as the final layer

Mix

Stir yeast and sugar into warm water and let stand 5 to 10 minutes, until foamy.

In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, and salt. Add yeast mixture, neutral oil, and olive oil. Stir until a shaggy dough forms, then knead briefly until smooth. The dough should feel soft and relaxed.

Rise

Cover and let rise at room temperature for 1 to 1½ hours, until slightly puffy.

Pan and Shape

Pour 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil into a 10–12 inch cast-iron skillet, deep pan, or sheet pan. Place dough in the pan and press outward with fingertips, pushing toward edges and up sides if using a deeper pan. Rest 10 minutes, then finish pressing.

Assemble

Layer ingredients in this order:

1. Pepper jack cheese
2. Toppings of choice
3. Fire-roasted tomatoes (drained)
4. Giardiniera (use with caution)
5. Italian seasoning
6. Sparse sprinkle of sharp white cheddar

Bake

Bake at 425°F (218°C) for 30 to 40 minutes, until the edges are golden and the sharp white cheddar has melted and lightly browned. Cool briefly, cut into squares, and immediately eat the smallest corner.

Topping Notes

This pizza works best with restrained topping combinations.

Vegetarian versions work well using olives, giardiniera, and tomatoes alone. Pepperoni fits naturally here. Italian-style sausage also works well; the classic Chicago fennel-forward flavor can be approximated with certain breakfast sausages or standard sweet or hot Italian sausage links. Remove casings and add in nickel-sized chunks.

Avoid wet vegetables and overly complex combinations. Excess moisture softens the crust and dulls the contrast, which defeats the whole point.