If you, like me, grew up in the Northern suburbs of Chicago, you may recognize the name Barnaby’s. No, this was not the name of a cousin or an uncle, but the name of a true Chicago legend… A pizza place.
When you think Chicago pizza, I assume you think of the luxuriously cheesy deep dish. While this is a true Chicago staple, many people don’t know that Chicago also has it’s own style of thin crust pizza and it’s unlike any other thin crust that you can find anywhere in the country!
But, I digress… Barnaby’s only sells the deliciously crispy thin crust pizza, cut into squares of course! No triangle New York style slices here. The other iconic thing about this restaurant?
For years Barnaby’s had a large vat of pimento cheese dip surrounded by Ritz crackers that lived on the counter. While you waited for your pizza to be ready, you could nosh on the gooey goodness of this dip. Just as many things, this communal bowl went away with the Covid-19 pandemic, but you can still order pimento cheese and Ritz crackers to go with your pizza!
This loaf is an homage to the communal bowl of pimento cheese from Barnaby’s.
Dough
½ Cup milk (or milk alternative), warmed
1 Tablespoon instant yeast
¼ Cup sugar
1 Egg
1 Egg yolk
½ Teaspoon kosher salt
2 Cups flour
7 Tablespoons butter at room temperature
Whisk egg, egg yolk, sugar, and salt in a large bowl until smooth and slightly pale in color. Whisk in warmed milk and yeast until combined.
Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix in the flour until almost fully mixed. Add butter about 1 tablespoon at a time (make sure it’s at room temperature!) and mix until incorporated. The dough should be smooth and slightly sticky.
Turn out the dough and knead for just a few minutes until very smooth. Transfer to a greased bowl and let rise for 1 ½ - 2 hours until doubled.
While the dough is rising, make the pimento cheese dip filling.
Filling
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 Egg white
4oz pimento peppers, chopped
1 Teaspoon kosher salt
1 Teaspoon granulated garlic
1/2 Teaspoon cayenne pepper
In a large bowl, whisk together the cream cheese and the egg white until fully incorporated. Stir in all additional ingredients. Cover the bowl and chill in the fridge until ready to assemble babka.
Once the dough is done proofing, place on a floured surface and roll into a large rectangle. The dough should be as thin as you can get it. This ensures the most swirls inside the loaf.
Spread the pimento cheese filling over the dough. Starting on the edge closest to you, begin to tightly roll the dough away from you until you run out of dough and are left with a log. Pinch the ends together to ensure no filling leaks out while baking.
Topping (If desired)
1/4 cup crushed Ritz crackers
Place in a loaf pan lined with parchment paper. Let rise for another 30 minutes. If desired, top with crushed Ritz crackers.
What a creative idea!