Mentaiko and Corn Detroit-Style Pizza Recipe

Makes 3 pizzas
Prep time: 1 hour
Total time: 2 to 3 days

INGREDIENTS

for the pizza dough:
5 cups|715 grams bread flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon rice oil, plus more for brushing 
2 ¼ teaspoons instant dry yeast, preferably Lesaffre Saf-Instant Yeast

for the corn sauce:
3 (15-ounce|425-gram) cans corn kernels, preferably Libby’s 
kosher salt

for the mentaiko cream:
1 ¼ cup|285 grams labne
4 ounces|115 grams Japanese mayonnaise
4 ounces|115 grams mentaiko

for the pizzas:
2 pounds|900 grams brick cheese, grated
1 ½ cups|365 grams corn sauce
¾ cup|120 grams corn kernels
mentaiko cream
thinly sliced chives

DIRECTIONS

1. Make the pizza dough: Combine the flour, sugar, salt, oil, yeast, and 1.9 cups|445 grams cold water in a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Knead on low for 8 minutes, then portion the dough into 3 (400-gram) balls. 
2. Brush three 8-inch-by-10-inch Detroit-style pizza pans with oil and place the balls in each. Brush the tops of each with more oil and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 48 hours. Check daily to make sure the surface of the dough is not cracking. Mist with water and brush with more oil as needed. Two to three hours before you want to bake the pizzas, remove the pans from the fridge and set out at room temperature for 30 minutes.
3. After the dough has tempered and working with one ball of dough at a time, pick up the dough and stretch it by pulling it gently at opposite corners to create a very rough rectangle shape. Lay the dough back in the pan and, using your fingertips, lightly punch down the dough and stretch to the corners and sides of the pan. If it almost touches, that's ok—it’ll rise to fill the gaps. Cover with plastic wrap and proof at room temperature for an additional 2 hours. 
4. Make the corn sauce: Drain one can of corn, reserving its juices, and set the kernels aside for topping the pizza. Refrigerate until ready to use. 
5. Dump the other two cans of corn along with their juices and the reserved juice into a blender and purée until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a medium saucepan. Heat over medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until thick, about 30 minutes. You may need to lower the heat as it gets thicker to prevent burning. You want it to have the same consistency as pizza sauce. Season with salt and set aside. 
6. Make the mentaiko cream: In a large bowl, mix the labne with the mayonnaise and mentaiko. Refrigerate until ready to use.
7. Bake the pizzas: Heat oven to 500°F. Working with one pizza dough at a time, sprinkle 1 ½ cups|150 grams of the brick cheese heavily around the edges where the dough meets the pan. Scatter another 1 ½ cups|150 grams of the brick cheese in the middle of the dough.
8. Using a spoon, evenly dollop ½ cup|125 grams of the corn sauce over the cheese. No need to try to spread the sauce—it’ll melt and distribute on its own. Sprinkle a third of the reserved corn kernels evenly over the cheese and corn sauce. Bake the pizza on the bottom of the oven for 14 minutes, turning halfway through. Things to look for: the cheese should get golden and the edges will look frighteningly dark brown—that’s good! Allow the pizza to rest 1 minute, then, using a spatula or paring knife, loosen the edges of the pizza from the pan. Lift the pizza out of the pan and transfer to a cutting board.
9. Cut the pizza into four pieces with a mezzelune and divide the slices among plates. Dollop each piece with the mentaiko cream and sprinkle with chives.

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