3 Ways to Enjoy Small-Batch Pepperoni Detroit-Style Pizza

Discover the delicious world of Detroit-style pizza with this small-batch creation, made with a high-hydration dough and baked in a dark pan.

Whether you prefer a long ferment for deep flavors, a short ferment for a quick fix, or sourdough, this pan pizza, layered with brick cheeses, pickled jalapeños, pepperoni, and pizza sauce with an optional drizzle of hot honey, will satisfy your cravings.

Indulge in the crispy, caramelized edges and bold flavors that make Detroit-style pizza truly special.

A Brief History of Detroit-Style Pizza

Detroit-style pizza, a beloved regional specialty, traces its origins to the mid-20th century in Detroit, Michigan. This unique pizza style was created in 1946 by Gus Guerra at Buddy’s Rendezvous, now known as Buddy’s Pizza.

Distinctive for its rectangular shape, and thick, airy focaccia-like crust, with crispy, caramelized cheese edges, Detroit-style pizza is typically baked in blue steel pans originally used as automotive parts trays.

Topped with a layer of Wisconsin brick cheese that extends to the edges, and rich tomato sauce ladled over the top in racing stripes, this pizza has grown from a local favorite to a nationally celebrated dish, showcasing the ingenuity and culinary spirit of Detroit.

3 Ways to Prepare this Small-Batch Pepperoni Detroit-Style Pizza:

Karen, of Karen’s Kitchen Stories, chose this pizza as the bi-monthly bake for the Bread Baking Babes. She originally saw this pizza on a Diners Drive-Ins and Drives episode for Izzy’s Pizza Bus in Omaha, Nebraska.

For this challenge, she provided two different methods for our baking pleasure – a make-ahead slow fermenting dough with minimal yeast, and a same-day dough, made with lots of yeast. Everything else about the recipe ingredients is the same except the process of making the dough.

I tried the slow fermenting, minimal yeast version; the same-day version with 40% whole grain spelt, and added a third option – a slow fermenting sourdough dough.

Long Ferment Sourdough

My son and I enjoyed all three versions, but my favorite was the sourdough with the slow fermenting yeast dough coming in at a close second.

The same-day version with more yeast is still very tasty and the fact that you can prepare it in a few hours; makes it convenient and allows you to incorporate more whole-grain flour, and still get an airy crust.

Short Ferment 40% Whole Wheat Spelt

Don’t skimp on the toppings for this pizza!

When I found out what we were making this month, I wasn’t sure I wanted to try the pickled jalapeños and hot honey. I’m a wimp when it comes to heat so I just automatically assumed I wouldn’t like them.

As it happens, my youngest son is staying with me right now. I knew he would like the jalapeños and hot honey so I decided to take a chance. I figured I could just pick off the jalapeños if I didn’t like them.

I’ve made this pizza five times already and each time, I’ve challenged my tastebuds a little more. On the last version, made with a whole wheat spelt crust, I added the pickled jalapeños and drizzled it with hot honey. I enjoyed every bite.

Both of these ingredients are optional, but after trying the pizza with and without the jalapeños and with and without the hot honey, I have to agree with Karen, “the jalapeños add just the right “something-something” to the cheese and pepperoni.” And when you finish it off with a little drizzle of hot honey, it’s delicious!

What is brick cheese?

One of the keys to achieving the crispy, caramelized cheese edges on this pizza, is to use brick cheese. Brick cheese is a cow’s milk cheese that originated in Wisconsin in the late 1800s. It is named for its brick-like shape and the traditional practice of using bricks to press the curd during the cheese-making process.

Brick cheese has a semi-soft texture and a mild, buttery flavor when young, which becomes more pungent and tangy as it ages. This versatile cheese melts well, making it a popular choice for pizzas, particularly the iconic Detroit-style pizza, where it contributes to the characteristic crispy, caramelized edges.

If you are unable to find brick cheese, here are some substitutes that could work for recipes requiring its melting properties and flavor profile:

• Monterey Jack: Mild and creamy, it melts well and offers a similar texture to young brick cheese.
• Muenster: Offers a mild flavor and good melting qualities, making it a great alternative.
• Havarti: Creamy and slightly tangy, Havarti melts smoothly and can substitute for brick cheese.
• Mozzarella: Particularly whole milk mozzarella, which provides a good melt and mild flavor, though it lacks the tanginess of aged brick cheese.
• Provolone: With a bit more flavor, provolone melts well and can add a slightly sharper taste.
• Fontina: Creamy and nutty, fontina offers excellent melting properties and a richer flavor.

These cheeses can be used individually or in combination to replicate the texture and taste of brick cheese.

Additional Ingredients:

• Flours: I used a combo of all-purpose flour and home-milled spelt flour. Traditional Detroit-style pizza is made with all high-gluten white flour… but remember, this is the Omaha version!
• Cheeses: I couldn’t get my hands on brick cheese so I went with Karen’s suggestion and used a combination of grated mozzarella and muenster cheese. I also sprinkled Parmesan cheese on top.
• Pickled Jalapeños: I used sweet crispy jalapeños but any pickled jalapeño will do. Feel free to skip this ingredient, but I recommend it.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil: For the dough and the pan.
• Pepperoni: I used thinly sliced pepperoni.
• Hot Honey: Drizzle the final pizza with a bit of hot honey… or not.
• Crushed Red Peppers: Don’t skimp on this either.
• Pizza Sauce: Use your favorite homemade or jarred pizza sauce.

Resources:

• Honeypeño Detroit Style Pizza – from Izzy’s Pizza Bus from Omaha Nebraska
• Diners Drive Ins and Dives episode
• History of Detroit Pizza
• King Arthur Baking
• Serious Eats – J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s take on the pizza
• Homemade candied jalapeños
• Homemade hot honey

3 Ways to Enjoy Small-Batch Pepperoni Detroit-Style Pizza

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• Author: Cathy - Bread Experience
• Yield: One 8- 9-inch Pan Pizza 1x

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Description

Discover the delicious world of Detroit-style pizza with this small-batch creation, made with a high-hydration dough and baked in a dark pan.

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Ingredients

Units MUS Scale 1x2x3x

For the Dough:

Yeast or Starter: For the long ferment, 1/8 tsp (.75 grams) instant yeast or 25g sourdough starter; For the one-day version, 2 1/4 tsp (7 grams) instant yeast

All Purpose Flour: 133 grams (1 cup)*

Spelt whole wheat flour: 14.5 grams (2 tablespoons)*

Water: 108 grams

Salt: 3.25 grams (1/2 teaspoon for table salt, more for sea or kosher salt)

Extra Virgin Olive Oil: 4 to 8 grams (1 to 2 teaspoons), plus more for the pan (about 2 to 3 teaspoons)

For the Toppings:

43 grams (1.5 ounces) Mozzarella cheese, freshly grated

128 grams (4.5 ounces) Muenster cheese, freshly grated

Scant 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

57 grams (2 ounces) pickled jalapeño slices

57 grams (2 ounces) thinly sliced pepperoni cups

170 grams (6 ounces) pizza sauce (homemade or jarred)

1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Finely minced parsley, optional

Hot honey, optional

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Instructions

For the Overnight Dough (Yeast or Sourdough):

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the yeast (or sourdough), all-purpose and spelt (or other whole wheat flour), and salt. Pour in the water, and oil and mix until thoroughly combined.
2. Stretch and fold the dough for a few minutes. Let rest, covered, for 30 minutes. Stretch and fold the dough. Cover, and let rest for an additional 30 minutes. Tightly cover the bowl, and place it in the refrigerator overnight or up to 3 days.
3. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 4-6 hours.
4. Coat the bottom and sides of an 8 or 9-inch square cake pan (preferably darker) with olive oil.
5. Transfer the dough to the pan and flip it to coat both sides with oil. Using your fingers, gently press the dough out to cover the bottom of the pan. If the dough springs back, which it probably will, cover and let it rest for 15 minutes and then try again. You may need to do this several times to get the dough to cover the bottom completely. Cover, and allow the dough to rise, until puffy, about 45 minutes to an hour, or longer, if necessary.
6. While the dough is proofing, heat the oven to 500 degrees F. with a pizza stone on a rack in the lower third of the oven (closer to the heating element).
7. Top the dough with the Muenster and Mozzarella cheeses. To get the lovely browning, be sure to sprinkle the cheeses all the way to the edges. Sprinkle the oregano over the top.
8. Next, layer the jalapeños, then the pepperoni, and then ladle the sauce over the pepperoni in stripes to mimic racing stripes. For the finishing touch, sprinkle on the Parmesan and crushed red peppers.
9. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the edges are a deep golden brown and the cheese is bubbly.
10. Remove the pizza from the oven and sprinkle with the parsley, if desired. Allow the pizza to cool in the pan for about five minutes and then remove it from the pan to a cutting board and slice.
11. Drizzle with hot honey to taste (optional, but tasty).

For the Same Day Dough:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the yeast, all-purpose and spelt (or other whole wheat flour), and salt. Pour in the water, and oil and mix until thoroughly combined.
2. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Cover, and allow it to rest for 15 minutes.
3. Coat the bottom and sides of an 8 or 9-inch square cake pan (preferably darker) with olive oil.
4. Transfer the dough to the pan and flip it to coat both sides with oil. Using your fingers, gently press the dough out to cover the bottom of the pan. If the dough springs back, which it will, cover and let it rest for 15 minutes and then try again. You may need to do this several times to get the dough to cover the bottom completely. Cover, and allow the dough to rise, until puffy, about 45 minutes to an hour.
5. While the dough is proofing, heat the oven to 500 degrees F. with a pizza stone on a rack in the lower third of the oven (closer to the heating element).
6. Top the dough with the Muenster and Mozzarella cheeses. To get the lovely browning, be sure the cheeses reach all the way to the edges. Sprinkle the oregano over the top.
7. Next, layer the jalapeños, then the pepperoni, and then ladle the sauce over the pepperoni in stripes to mimic racing stripes. For the finishing touch, sprinkle on the Parmesan and crushed red peppers.
8. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the edges are a deep golden brown and the cheese is bubbly.
9. Remove the pizza from the oven and sprinkle with the parsley, if desired. Allow the pizza to cool in the pan for about five minutes and then remove it from the pan to a cutting board and slice.
10. Drizzle with hot honey to taste (optional, but tasty).

Notes

*To incorporate more whole grain in the dough (~ 40%), use 60 grams of whole wheat spelt flour and 88 grams all-purpose flour.

• Cuisine: Pizza

Who are the Bread Baking Babes?

We are a group of bakers who get together every other month to bake bread! We would love for you to try this Small Batch Detroit-Style Pizza and share your experience making it. Karen of Karen’s Kitchen Stories is the host kitchen this month.  Check out her blog for the details on how to participate.

New recipes will be posted every other month on the 16th. Look for the next bake in August 2024. Check out our Facebook group to see the participants’ baking results during that time. If you would like to post your results with a Buddy badge on a blog, let us know in the comments or on the Facebook page.

The Bread Baking Babes

Karen’s Kitchen Stories– Karen(host kitchen)
A Messy Kitchen – Kelly
Judy’s Gross Eats – Judy
Bread Experience – Cathy
blog from OUR kitchen – Elizabeth
My Diverse Kitchen – Aparna
Thyme for Cooking – Katie (roundup)