As its name suggests, Detroit-style pizza originated in the Motor City. As the story goes, sometime in 1946, Gus Guerra and Concetta “Connie” Piccinato started serving it at Buddy’s Rendezvous. How exactly did the high-edged, forged-steel pans these pizzas have become associated with enter the picture? A matter of lore. It’s said they were originally used in local automotive plants.

However it came to be, this style’s soft base and frico (cheese crisp) crust was a hit. And while it took decades to reach prominence, the style (traditionally made with Wisconsin brick cheese) has taken off across America, turning heads beyond the States.

This recipe, first shared in the Ooni community group by Toronto-based recipe developer Annie Hung, is a simple at-home 85% hydration dough that guarantees a beautifully crisp cheese “crown,”. In Detroit, they use black anodized aluminum 8 x 10 or 10 x 14 (20 x 25 or 25 x 25cm) inch pans but you can use a baking pan (two to three inches deep) close in size to the one recommended below and be totally fine! With a pan-stretched dough and just toppings to prep day-of, it’s a great hands-off (and show-stopping!) recipe for entertaining family and friends.