Gino's East Pizza Crust - Page 3

I'm really getting curious with the crust. Does anyone now had made it perfectly? :)

Wow, I have been gone for a long time.  just coming back to see how many people have tried out my recipe for Gino's crust. 

I am really happy to see the passion in all of you and dedication to follow the recipe to the tee:-)  I never had a thought to figure out

Gino's east recipe until 1992 when I moved to florida and could not get good pizza (at least not chicago style pizza---even the thin crust tasted different)

so, I thought the books would have it since "everything you want to know should come from a book."  well, I got The Great chicago style pizza cookbook and was dissapointed.  I actually found out that the cornmeal made the crust taste bitter.  Gino's on Rush uses cornmeal, however, they do it right by not adding that much.  The books say to add like 1/2 cup, but in reality , you can only add 1 tablespoon per

1 lbs of flour.

some asked why add creme of tartar?  well, it actually adds a unique flavor which is not there otherwise.  it is very suble. 

This gino's crust makes an excellent thin crust also.  Just put flour on countertop and roll it out until thin.  then, since it is fragile, fold it in half and then in half again.  You probably need a pizza peel, but if you have a big cutting board that might work.  put cormeal on peel, then unfold dough.  sauce it and then put on cheese.

for those of you who live near chicago, you can go to a italian specialty shop and get Chellino cheese.  It is expensive, but is probably the best for thin crust since it makes a nice crust on top and does not burn as fast.  This is going to make your pizza taste like Aurelio's Pizza or Sanfratello's Pizza from south side of chicago.

however, using the Gino's crust, you will taste what happens when you mix it with thin crust and Chellino cheese.  the creme of tartar I think helps give it a depth.  so, you need to cook it on a stone. 

so, roll on counter

fold in 1/2, then in 1/2 again

cornmeal pizza peel

475 oven with stone in there

unfold pizza on top of cornmeal

put on sauce

romano cheese, then Chellino cheese

10 minutes to greatness

some asked about sauce I mentioned called Pastorelli Italian chef pizza sauce

here is a picture.  http://www.pastorelli.com/wdk_pas/wcm/content/products/pizza_sauce/icps_15oz/icps_15oz/15oz_italian_chef_pizza_sauce.jsp

The type of pan if you do deep dish is a tinned steel pan.  wash it and then season it by heating up oven to 500

coat pan with thin coat of corn and olive oil (the secret mixture).  then make sure there are no puddles

put in there for a good while not sure how long.  it might set off your smoke detector:-) 

Although Gino's is my specialty, I also have good recipes for Pizzeria Uno's, Lou Malatis , and for you south side chicago people, I also know Aurelio's Pizza (http://www.aureliospizza.com/menu/pizza.php) , Sanfratello's Pizza (http://www.sanfratellos.com/menu-dine-in-glenwood.pdf)  and Arrennello's Pizza with sweet sauce

( http://www.arrenellos.com/)

I am thinking of eventually making a video for production of not only showing recipes but also making each and every pizza so you can see me do it. 

let me know what you think

keep up with the pizza's

I guess i might be little late in making a comment about how to make the famous Gino's crust. I too studied it for years to trying and figure it out. I even got as far as talking to the old lady the made the original recipe many years ago. She hinted but wouldn't tell me. I finally figured it out. Took awhile.

In reviewing all the posts on this thread, no one has hit the nail on the head yet. Your on the right path, but just the wrong process. There isn't any food coloring in the pizza by the way.

If you want to know what ingredients your missing email me.

Mike

Hi

yes, I know there is no cornmeal in their deep dish.  I said if you take their deep dish and make it into a thin crust using cornmeal on the peel and sliding it into the deck over on the stone, it gives it a totally different interesting flavor.

@miloman:  why not just post your recipe and the missing ingredients? 

as far as accuracy, I think it is about as close as I can get because actually I worked there for a day and made the crust and the pizzas and saw the packet flavor enhancer and it said yellow dye, etc.. So, from my view, this is the recipe.

thanks

Spencer

OMG.  We went to Chicago last summer on vacation and ate at Ginos East.  The BEST pizza!  I wouldn't begin to try to make it at home but I'm sure ready to go back to Chicago for a slice (or two).  :) 

Spinnybobo--

Your recipe on page one is correct except for the kneading time. If you knead a Chicago deep dish crust for ten minutes, you will get bread, not the biscuit-like texture of the authentic deep dish pie. You need to mix for one minute and knead for no more than two minutes. Then let the dough rise a long time. At commissaries for Chicago pizza chains the dough sits in big piles, just oozing all that oil. A good ratio of flour to oil is 3 Tablespoons oil to 1 cup flour.

I find this site interesting, but rather confusing that you must go to the END to see the most recent entries..That being said, what is the most current and accurate receipe for Gino's East pizza dough, and sauce? would LOVE to see it (again??) to end confusion. My thanks to ALL...

Hi Miloman,

I would love to try your Ginos East pizza recipe!  How do you make it?

Many thanks!

Sue

Quit hitting refresh... lol

Exit your browser and reopen this site.

You're right a/b the corn meal in the downtown [original] location but they definitely dropped it in the prepacked deep dish now sold in the frozen food section.  Big disappointment.  The original is still the best.

Ok, I have never had Gino's East pizza, but made the dough yesterday morning, let it rise on the counter all day, made my own sauce, used pepperoni, salami, meatballs, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, parmasan cheese, onion, green pepppers, mushrooms saute'd with olive oil and garlic, used a sheet pan a little smaller than a half sheet, Turned out Awesome, Thumbs up, thanks for sharing, 98% of pizza places 50 miles radius from me are mediore at best and none of them do a chicago deep dish

Now if we could only recreate Sanfratellos and Aurelios sauces.............but that'd take up a whole new thread. *LOL*  Thank you [ALL] for sharing.  Bon Appetit! 

Quote:

Originally Posted by mersereaudesign 

If you know the recipie for the sweet arrenellos sauce I'd love to try to make it at home

Hi, 

best to go to an Italian Specialty store and get a 28oz can of Crushed Tomatoes in Extra Heavy Tomato Puree and 28oz can of something like Full Red

1 28 oz can of Crushed Tomatoes in Extra Heavy Tomato Puree

1 28 oz can of Full Red

10 tbsp Sugar

2 tbsp Salt

2 tsp Pepper

1 tsp Oregano

let it sit in the fridge.  don't cook it.  roll out dough thin, put on thick sauce, sprinkle on pecorino romano, then put on Low moisture whole milk mozzarella cheese to make it like Arrenellos

let me know how it works out

Spinnybobo

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevel 

Spinnybobo--

 

Your recipe on page one is correct except for the kneading time. If you knead a Chicago deep dish crust for ten minutes, you will get bread, not the biscuit-like texture of the authentic deep dish pie. You need to mix for one minute and knead for no more than two minutes. Then let the dough rise a long time. At commissaries for Chicago pizza chains the dough sits in big piles, just oozing all that oil. A good ratio of flour to oil is 3 Tablespoons oil to 1 cup flour.

Hi Stevel

I think it is preference.  I am sure it will work out with your method.  I am just giving my experience.  I noticed that I did get a light biscuit like texture when I needed it by hand for 8 minutes.  When I needed it less, it did have a nice texture, but it had less body/strength for holding the ingredients.  Bread is usually if you are kneading it twice after the first rise.  At Gino's East, when I worked there for a day as a spy, They made the dough, poured it on the counter, we weighed it, rolled it, then oiled pan, and put in in the pan.  We stacked it, then put it in the cooler for 3 days.  I actually liked doing it this way, letting it rise in the pan with oil in it and instead of the cooler, let it rise for 24 hours room temp.  It had a nice taste and better texture.

The oven I might add makes all the difference in the world.  Making this at home and in a stone oven are 2 different worlds.  I always wondered how it would be to make a stone box put on the inside of a regular oven simulating the same atmosphere as the bloggett ovens.

thanks

Spinnybobo

Quote:

Originally Posted by lo574 

Now if we could only recreate Sanfratellos and Aurelios sauces.............but that'd take up a whole new thread. *LOL*  Thank you [ALL] for sharing.  Bon Appetit! 

Aurelios uses canola oil and lets it rise for a few days.  They use Chellino Cheese mixed with Wisconsin Longhorn.  You can go to an Italian specialty shop and buy Chellino Cheese.  Make the crust using a regular pizza crust recipe except use canola oil and double the oil.  Let it rise for 2 days in the fridge.  Oil a flat pan (not a deep dish) or cook on stone.  Spread out dough.  To make it like Aurelios:  Let's say try to make their Spinach.  They use spaghetti sauce for that.  Just go get some good thick sauce-----like Classico, or from a specialty shop.  Use Chellino cheese----this is their secret.  It should taste very much like their pizza.

When I worked there, I learned the sauce through reading the ingredients on the label, and then trying to guess the proportions.  here is what I came up with:

Aurelios Sauce:

28 oz can of Tomato sauce with consistency of the sauce---maybe 6 in 1

1 tbsp Sugar

1/2 tbsp Salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp romano cheese

1/8 tsp garlic powder

1/16 tsp oregano

Sanfratellos is a very light simple sauce.  MOstly good quality tomoatoes with basic stuff like salt, pepper, sugar, 

Their cook told me the recipe.  They use same sauce for deep dish or thin crust.   They just water down sauce for deep dish

This is for Thin crust:

Sanfratellos Sauce:

1 28oz Can Extra Heavy Tomato Puree

1 tbsp Sugar

1/2 tbsp Salt

1/2 tsp pepper

For Deep Dish:

add 2 cups of water

Both Sanfratellos and Aurelios both use Chellino Cheese made in Joliet, IL 

This cheese makes the pizza.  Without it, it wont taste the same

Spinnybobo

Quote:

Originally Posted by SueK 

Hi Miloman,

I would love to try your Ginos East pizza recipe!  How do you make it?

Many thanks!

Sue

Hi SueK

did you try mine posted earlier?  It is about as authentic as you can get

Spinnybobo

Quote:

Originally Posted by HomeMadeCook 

I'm really getting curious with the crust. Does anyone now had made it perfectly? :)

Hi HomeMadeCook,

mine is perfect. posted earlier.  try it out

Spinnybobo

Quote:

Originally Posted by MuskyHopeful 



I made a deep dish pizza last night from a recipe I learned from Pizzamaking.com. It is supposedly quite close to the Lou Malnati's crust. Like the last poster pointed out, it has high oil to flour ratio. This recipe was 23%. The crust, however came out light and crunchy, but not greasy. It was darn good if I say so myself. It was also my first try, so I'm extra happy about it. I'm going to IL this weekend and am planning to eat at Lou's, then I'll know how I did with the crust.

I was so proud I took pictures. :D

Kevin

I like Muskies.

Looks awesome.  Great job:-)

Spinnybobo

Quote:

Originally Posted by nofifi 

Oh thank you, thank you, I've tried to duplicate that crust for years!!! I used saffron for the yellow flavor all these years in my pizza dough but it gets costly. Thanks again for the recipe!!!!!

haha.  thanks Nofifi

I got frusterated also.  lots of people helped it just took a long time and a lot of experimenting.  glad it worked out for ya.

Spinnybobo

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smilie 

I recently found out that Wikipedia has a page for "Chicago Style Pizza". I don't know who is editing the content on it but it needs some help.

There are some things on there that are right on but other statements make you wonder if the editors are from Chicago or if they have ever tried the various pizzas in Chicagoland.

A few people here could really make some improvements to the page to make it more accurate. I would do it but you guys really know your stuff ... So go and set the record straight!


BTW I made my version of Lou's after reading this thread and getting the craving. Most of the recipes listed here are basically what I do. I use 2 parts water to 1 part canola oil and real butter combo. And I use 3 parts flour to 1 part semolina. The sauce is basically whole peeled tomatoes (packed in puree) that is handcrushed and sprinkled with grated parmesan.

Also someone asked about using or adapting this dough for thin crust pizza but IMHO this is not right. These recipes are best for pan pizza. Thin crust calls for a less flaky and more chewy dough. Except for very thin crust which should be cracker-like.

Hey Smilie,

sounds like you did a great job.  For the tomatoes, try going to an Italian specialty shop and getting Stanislaus SAPORITO® FILETTO DI POMODORO™

http://www.stanislausfoodproducts.com/products/real-italian-products/from-scratch-products#Saporito

It is already mixed with the basil which gives it that flavor.  I would change the oil from canola to a mixture of Olive and Corn, then 1/2 butter

Don't forget to oil the pan.  

that should work out well

take care

Spinnybobo

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevel 

You don't want to use bread flour, as true Chicago deep dish depends on a biscuit-like crust. Use AP.

Through many hours of experimentation, I found that the correct ratio of oil to flour is 3 TBS (not tsp) oil: 1 cup flour. Then a very short knead (1-2 minutes).

Uno's uses pastry flour and crushed whole tomatoes. Malnati's uses crushed tomatoes as well. Giordano's uses 6-in1 tomatoes and Stella cheese. Gino's East uses EVOO in their crust and crushed whole tomatoes (and, I believe, cream of tartar).

The golden color of Chicago deep dish pizza comes from a food coloring called "egg shade". The cornmeal myth seems to stem from a recipe published years ago by Jeff Smith, which isn't even close to how authentic Chicago deep dish is made, but which has been promulgated widely on the Internet.

sounds good Stevel.  

don't think I tried regular AP flour.  I know I tried pastry and it did make it heavier.  How did you find out about pastry?

sounds like everything else is right on target.  The other myth was Pat Bruno using cornmeal also which of course makes the pizza crust very bitter

Quote:

Originally Posted by lberns1 

Here is my shot at it using Spinny'bobos recipe and Caputo Tipo '00' flour:

 

 

 

Coming from Detroit, I only have Detroit style pans similar to what is used by Buddy's Pizza.  I think it turned out well.  I'll have to let it cook a little longer next time.  I made a Spinach/Mushroom/Feta as well.  

Hi Iberns1

awesome job

take care

Spinnybobo

How long does the dough need to set before cooking?  Do you let the dough rise in the pan first and then form it into the pan?  Also, do they use cream de tartar?  I spoke to the manager at Ginos a few months ago and he said that they use malted barley flower and whole wheat flower--do you know the other ingredients?  Also, thanks for the prevouis information!

heyfrabotta

after kneading the dough, I would let it set out 24 hours at room temp, or for 3 days in fridge.

They use a package called flavor enhancer that turns the crust yellow and also adds creme of tartar----it gets added to the dough when it is made.

Most managers are instructed to not tell you the ingredients.  Try to make it with those flowers and you will notice it does not taste the same.  This is why no matter how much cornmeal you add to the crust, it does not make it taste like it.  It is because they don't use cornmeal----common misconception.

It is no secret by now that you can go to the store and read the nutrition label on Gino's East frozen pizza and it will be a generally the same.  Most pizza places use high gluten flower -----bread flower.

take care 

Spencer

I presume you mean bread flour, correct?

Quote:

Originally Posted by spinnybobo 

heyfrabotta

...bread flower...

Thank you for the information--aweswome--yes i did mean bread flour!!!--Too much wine when writing to you--sorry!!

You're funny too!! 

Hi Spencer,

Where do you buy the flavor enhancer with the creme de tartar?  Do you have to use fresh bakers yeast or can i use dry?

Elyce