The Conant Avenue Blue Steel

Name: The Conant Avenue Blue Steel
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 250 g high-protein bread flour; 182 g filtered water; 5 1/2 g fine sea salt; 2 1/2 g diastatic malt powder; 1 g instant dry yeast; 5 g extra virgin olive oil; 3 tbsp olive oil or vegetable shortening; 12 oz Wisconsin Brick cheese, or a 50/50 blend of low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella and Monterey Jack; 14 oz crushed tomatoes; 1 tbsp tomato paste; 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 1/2 tsp garlic powder; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1/2 tsp sugar; 1/4 tsp fine sea salt; 5 oz natural casing pepperoni; 1 oz Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano

Chapter 1 — The Doughs

Born in 1946 from repurposed automotive drip trays, the true Detroit square is a triumph of working-class ingenuity and thermodynamic engineering. This isn't just pizza; it's a meticulously calculated fry-bake. The highly hydrated dough undergoes a rigorous twenty-four-hour cold retard to build structure and complex, malty flavor, but the real magic happens at the pan's edge. Wedged against the conductive anodized steel, the high-fat cheese undergoes a violent caramelization, forging the frico—a lacy, shattering, blackened crown that defines the Conant Avenue style. You want authenticity? Weigh your water, respect the proof, and don't flinch when the cheese goes dark.

Before you start

In a small saucepan, combine the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, olive oil, garlic powder, oregano, sugar, and salt.
Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, leaving the lid slightly ajar to allow steam to escape.
Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes until the sauce heavily coats the back of a spoon, then remove from heat and reserve for serving.

Ingredients

high-protein bread flour250 g
filtered water182 g
fine sea salt5 1/2 g
diastatic malt powder2 1/2 g
instant dry yeast1 g
extra virgin olive oil5 g
olive oil or vegetable shortening3 tbsp
Wisconsin Brick cheese, or a 50/50 blend of low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella and Monterey Jack12 oz
crushed tomatoes14 oz
tomato paste1 tbsp
extra virgin olive oil1 tbsp
garlic powder1/2 tsp
dried oregano1 tsp
sugar1/2 tsp
fine sea salt1/4 tsp
natural casing pepperoni5 oz
Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano1 oz

Method

01
Combine the warm water and yeast in a tared bowl on a digital scale and let hydrate for one minute.
Add the bread flour and diastatic malt powder, mixing until a shaggy, cohesive mass forms with no dry flour remaining, then cover with a damp towel to autolyse for 20 minutes.
02
Sprinkle the salt over the autolysed dough and vigorously pinch it in using a cold, wet hand.
Pour in the olive oil and fold the dough over itself until fully absorbed.
03
Turn the dough out onto an un-floured countertop and perform the slap-and-fold technique for 5 to 7 minutes.
The exceptionally sticky dough will eventually transition into a smooth, elastic, and glossy orb with strong structural integrity.
04
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled, airtight container and immediately place it in the refrigerator for 24 to 48 hours.
This slow cold retard is the mechanism that unlocks the dough's complex flavor and extensibility.
05
Meticulously coat the bottom and all four side walls of a 10x14-inch hard-anodized aluminum pan with the pan oil.
06
Transfer the cold dough into the center of the oiled pan and gently dimple it outward toward the corners until you feel resistance.
Do not force or tear the cold gluten network; simply cover tightly with plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes.
07
Uncover the relaxed dough and gently stretch it until it sits flush against all four walls and corners in an even layer.
Cover the pan once more and allow a double proof at room temperature for 2 to 2 1/2 hours until it inflates roughly halfway up the pan sides and displays prominent gas bubbles.
08
Preheat your oven to 525°F with a baking steel positioned on the middle or lower-middle rack at least one hour before baking.
09
Lay half of the sliced pepperoni directly onto the raw, proofed dough.
Gently press down any massive surface bubbles first. Placing the meat under the cheese allows its spiced fats to render deeply into the crumb.
10
Meticulously line the entire perimeter of the pan with the cubed cheese, wedging a heavy volume directly against the oiled metal walls.
Distribute the remaining cheese evenly over the center to completely cover the pepperoni. Absolute precision here dictates the success of the frico.
11
Slide the heavy, assembled pan directly onto the preheated baking steel and bake for 14 to 17 minutes.
At the 12-minute mark, the cheese against the edges should be aggressively bubbling and turning a deep, dark mahogany brown. Rotate 180 degrees halfway through if your oven runs unevenly.
12
Remove the pan from the oven and allow the pizza to rest in the pan for exactly 3 to 5 minutes.
This rest period allows the molten frico to solidify slightly and pull away from the metal walls.
13
Run a thin, offset metal spatula meticulously around the perimeter to detach the caramelized edge, then carefully lift the pizza onto a wire cooling rack.
Leaving it in the pan will trap steam and render the base soggy.
14
Ladle the steaming hot, reduced tomato sauce down the length of the resting pizza in three distinct, thick racing stripes.
Finish with a heavy grating of Pecorino Romano, then slice the rectangle into exactly six squares, ensuring every piece boasts a definitive frico edge.

Notes

Flour substitutions require critical hydration adjustments.
If forced to use standard all-purpose flour, drop the water weight to roughly 170 g to accommodate the lower protein content's reduced absorption capacity.
Pan selection is strictly non-negotiable for the correct fry-bake.
A 10x14-inch heavy-gauge, hard-anodized aluminum pan from LloydPans perfectly mimics the thermodynamics of the original automotive blue steel and is strongly recommended.

From Cook Pizzeria Food at Home.

The Conant Avenue Blue Steel

Before you start

In a small saucepan, combine the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, olive oil, garlic powder, oregano, sugar, and salt.

Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, leaving the lid slightly ajar to allow steam to escape.

Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes until the sauce heavily coats the back of a spoon, then remove from heat and reserve for serving.

Ingredients

Method

Combine the warm water and yeast in a tared bowl on a digital scale and let hydrate for one minute.

Sprinkle the salt over the autolysed dough and vigorously pinch it in using a cold, wet hand.

Turn the dough out onto an un-floured countertop and perform the slap-and-fold technique for 5 to 7 minutes.

Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled, airtight container and immediately place it in the refrigerator for 24 to 48 hours.

Meticulously coat the bottom and all four side walls of a 10x14-inch hard-anodized aluminum pan with the pan oil.

Transfer the cold dough into the center of the oiled pan and gently dimple it outward toward the corners until you feel resistance.

Uncover the relaxed dough and gently stretch it until it sits flush against all four walls and corners in an even layer.

Preheat your oven to 525°F with a baking steel positioned on the middle or lower-middle rack at least one hour before baking.

Lay half of the sliced pepperoni directly onto the raw, proofed dough.

Meticulously line the entire perimeter of the pan with the cubed cheese, wedging a heavy volume directly against the oiled metal walls.

Slide the heavy, assembled pan directly onto the preheated baking steel and bake for 14 to 17 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven and allow the pizza to rest in the pan for exactly 3 to 5 minutes.

Run a thin, offset metal spatula meticulously around the perimeter to detach the caramelized edge, then carefully lift the pizza onto a wire cooling rack.

Ladle the steaming hot, reduced tomato sauce down the length of the resting pizza in three distinct, thick racing stripes.

Notes

Flour substitutions require critical hydration adjustments.

Pan selection is strictly non-negotiable for the correct fry-bake.