Detroit-style pizza (DSP) has been on the scene since its inception back in the 1940s with its distinctive shape, thick, fluffy base and crispy, golden cheese “frico” crust (for more about this style and other pan pizzas, read more here). At Ooni, we’re such huge fans that we created our own Detroit-style Pizza Pan, blending traditional design with modern technology to make these authentic and delicious pizzas at home. We also enlisted chefs, authors and pizzaioli from around the globe to put their own distinct spin on this classic. What would a DSP look like if it had originated in Scandinavia, France, Italy, the UK or beyond? We aimed to find out. Each offering is a creative, tasty rendition of this American pizza powerhouse.
For France-based food writer, YouTube host and photographer Guillaume Marinette (@guillaume.marinette) the tarte Tatin – an upside-down fruit tart of soft, caramelized apples atop a flaky pastry base – is more than delicious; it’s nostalgic. He first made it at home as a child and has created a decidedly more grown-up version that takes inspiration from an unlikely source: Detroit-style pizza. Think pastry, but with a thicker, softer crust and tender, sliced apples coated in silky, melt-in-your-mouth caramel instead of tomato sauce and cheese.
Like many famous dishes, the tarte Tatin is a French dessert with quite a bit of lore around how it came to be, not unlike who invented Detroit-style pizza. Sometime around 1880, sisters Stéphanie and Carole Tatin created it at their Hôtel Tatin (now La Maison Tatin) in Lamotte-Beuvron, a town in north-central France. Some say that one of them forgot to put the pastry into the mould and, realising her mistake, added it to the top just before baking, while others claim Stéphanie Tatin dropped her apple tart on the floor, picked it up, and decided to bake it anyway. However it came to be, it’s since been placed on the menu at the famous Maxim’s de Paris, appeared in Julia Child’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” and is enjoyed worldwide.
Traditionally, tarte Tatin is made with pie dough or puff pastry, but Guillaume’s version uses a thicker dough mixed with sugar and cinnamon. Sliced (instead of whole) Golden Delicious apples are then roasted in our Detroit-style Pizza Pan (instead of a skillet), followed by the caramel, and finally, the dough. The pièce de résistance involves inverting the pan to serve it, which makes it an exciting experience each time with no pressure to be perfect! Sweet, fluffy, fragrant, and – dare we say – more addictive than a classic tarte Tatin, you’ll want to add this one to your dessert rotation.
Want to try more twists on the classic Detroit-style pizzas? Check out our classic Detroit recipes, or click below for other DSP-inspired recipes from around the world!
