Revolutionary Pizza

Chicago’s Dimo’s Pizza has developed a cult following due to its innovative approach to pizza making, offering pie-based versions of fish and chips, chicken and waffles, and the Chicago hot dog, in addition to classics like pepperoni, sausage and cheese pizzas. Syrkin-Nikolau and his co-conspirators take readers behind the counter to share the secrets for their imaginative platters of cheesy, yeast-based goodness. He’s serious about his pizzas and wants readers to appreciate the work that goes into them. The book is even dedicated to “all those who have slaved away in a kitchen preparing food, selflessly and without praise, so that others may enjoy it.” Pizzas like the Cure, designed with the hung-over in mind, combines ingredients typically found in a Bloody Mary with pepperoni, cheese, and olives to help revelers make it through the day, and the Steak ’n’ Eggs’ combination of grilled steak, scrambled eggs, and home fries offer a hearty take on breakfast. There’s also much more than novelty going on: the Argyle, a spicy Asian pizza topped with marinated tofu, lemongrass, and peanut satay, and Jamaican jerk chicken pies are worth checking flights to Chicago. A must-have for anyone serious about their pizza. (July)