Chicago Thin-Crust Tavern Pizza
A cracker-thin, cut-into-squares pizza that is actually the most commonly eaten style in Chicago neighborhood taverns.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 420 kcal
Equipment
- •Pizza stone or sheet pan
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- fat
- 20
- carbs
- 42
- protein
- 18
- calories
- 420
Instructions
- 1
Mix the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt together in a bowl.
- 2
Stir in the water and olive oil to make a stiff dough. Knead for 8 minutes until smooth.
- 3
Cover the dough and let it rise for 45 minutes. You can also refrigerate it overnight for better flavor.
- 4
Roll the dough out very thin to fit a sheet pan. Poke holes all over the dough with a fork.
- 5
Spread the pizza sauce in a thin layer all the way to the edges.
- 6
Scatter the mozzarella and cooked sausage evenly over the sauce.
- 7
Bake at 475°F for 10-14 minutes. The crust should be crisp and lightly browned.
- 8
Cut the pizza into small squares right after baking, classic tavern-style.
Chef's tips
Roll the dough thinner than you think is needed. Tavern crust should be crisp, not bready, and poking holes stops large air bubbles.
Storage
Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days.
Reheating
Reheat on a hot skillet or in a 400°F oven to restore crispness.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Rolling the crust too thick
- •Cutting the pizza into wedges instead of traditional squares
Serving suggestions
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