Detroit Style Pizza with Artichokes

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Detroit Style Pizza with Artichokes

Detroit Style Pizza with artichoke hearts, roasted peppers, Fresno chiles, and lemony arugula on top. Crispy edges, gooey cheese, and ready in just 30 minutes.

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Author: Gaby Dalkin

Ingredients

For the Pizza

6 tablespoons olive oil divided
1 pound pizza dough
2 ounces low-moisture mozzarella shredded from a block
¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 cup artichoke hearts drained and roughly chopped
1 cup roasted red peppers drained and sliced
2 fresno chiles sliced
2 cloves garlic thinly sliced

For the Arugula Topping (optional)

2 cup fresh arugula
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.
Pour 3 tablespoons of the olive oil into a 9x13 inch metal baking pan and spread evenly to coat the bottom and sides. Place the pizza dough in the pan and press it out gently with your fingertips to fill the pan to the edges. If the dough springs back, cover it and let it rest for 10 minutes before pressing again.
Scatter the shredded mozzarella evenly over the dough, making sure the cheese reaches all the way to the edges of the pan so it will caramelize against the sides. Sprinkle the Parmesan over the top.
Arrange the artichoke hearts, roasted peppers, sliced Fresno chiles, and garlic evenly over the cheese. Drizzle the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil over the toppings.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the crust is deeply golden and crispy on the bottom and edges and the cheese is bubbling and golden on top.
While the pizza bakes, toss the arugula with the lemon juice, olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper in a medium bowl.
Remove the pizza from the oven. Use a spatula to loosen the edges from the pan and transfer to a cutting board. Pile the dressed arugula generously on top, slice into squares, and serve immediately.

Notes

Be generous with the oil in the pan. Three tablespoons of olive oil in that 9x13 pan might feel like a lot but it is exactly right. That oil is what creates the incredibly crispy, golden bottom crust that makes Detroit style pizza so special. Do not skimp.

Let the dough rest and stretch at room temperature. Cold dough fights you. Pull it out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before you plan to press it into the pan. Press it gently to fit, and if it springs back, cover it and let it rest for another 10 minutes before trying again. Patience wins here every time.

Get the cheese all the way to the edges. This is the defining characteristic of Detroit style pizza. The cheese touching the hot oiled sides of the pan is what creates that caramelized, crispy cheese crust around the perimeter. Do not leave any exposed dough on the edges.

Use low-moisture mozzarella, not fresh. Fresh mozzarella has too much water content for this style of pizza. Low-moisture block mozzarella melts beautifully, gets golden and stretchy, and creates that iconic cheese pull and crispy edge. Shred it yourself from a block for best results.

Do not go overboard with toppings. Detroit style pizza is about the cheese and the crust. Keep the toppings in a single, relatively even layer so they cook evenly and the dough underneath bakes through properly.

Your oven needs to be screaming hot. 475 degrees F fully preheated before the pizza goes in. A hot oven is what gives you the crispy bottom crust and the perfectly melted, golden cheese on top in the same short baking window.

Dress the arugula at the last second. Toss the arugula with the lemon and olive oil right before it goes on the pizza so it is fresh and just barely wilted from the heat of the pizza rather than completely soggy.

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