Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza

Nothing like a Deep-Dish Pizza... Chicago style! Great recipe to make on a weekend! Filled with your favorite toppings... Make it your favorite. You’re going to love it!

Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza

Yield: 3 – 4 servings

Ingredients:

Crust:

1 package or 1 1/2 teaspoons yeast
1 1/4 cup water
3 - 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/3 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup olive oil

Sauce:

8 ounces jarred pizza sauce
or 8 ounce can tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Dash black pepper
Dash red pepper, optional

Pizza assembly:

2 tablespoons cornmeal
Pizza topping options:
1 links cooked sausage, ham, 20 slices pepperoni, onions, pineapple, mushrooms, peppers, olives, etc.
2 - 2 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated or shaved

Equipment needed:

Medium mixing bowl
Dry measuring cups
2 cup liquid measuring cup
Measuring spoons
Fork
Dish towel
Rubber spatula
Cutting board
Chef knife
8 – 9 inch (large) spring form pan

Making homemade pizza is one of my favorite activities on a Sunday night. Great reason to turn the oven on and warm the house too! Depending on my mood I will made thin crust, but my favorite is deep dish! After eating many a deep-dish pizza in Chicago... I decided to try my hand at making one myself. Experimenting with different crusts was so much fun. This one turnedout the best... I hope you agree! Grab your stuff and let’s make crust!

Preheat oven to 425 F. Set rack at lowest setting in oven.

Many people think making pizza is difficult, so they order it from their local pizzeria. I’m all about scratch cooking, so I make pizza almost every weekend. Why pay $20 to someone, when you can make it at home for less than half? Most of the supplies are staples in your pantry too! Yeast stores well in the refrigerator or freezer and I always have a jar or a few packets on hand. Spices you should have... right? Tomato sauce... probably. Maybe you will have to buy cornmeal, cheese and your toppings.

Making crust is easy too! Dough prep is two steps... Starter and the crust. Begin making the starter by heating the water in a liquid measuring cup for about 45 seconds in the microwave. You should be able to put your finger into the water and it will feel a little bit hotter than body temperature. NOT SCALDING! I know it’s not scientific, but temperature should be about 110 –120 degrees. Too hot will kill the yeast, not hot enough will not activate it. Use a ready read thermometer if you wish. Pour water into a medium mixing bowl or stand up mixer along with the yeast, 1 cup flour, cornmeal, sugar and salt. Stir well with a fork until smooth. Set the timer for 10 minutes and allow the yeast ferment and do its thing. Mixture may start to bubble.

While dough starter is fermenting... make the sauce. You can use jarred pizza sauce if you like, but I prefer to make my own. I always seem to add more seasonings to jarred sauce anyway... so I make my own. Pizza sauce is a bit more robust in flavor than pasta sauce as there is less of it. A small can of tomato sauce and a few staple spices... allows you to make it however youwant it to taste. Taste it... Spice or sweeten it up... Make it what you like!

After dough starter has sat for 10 minutes, add oil and mix thoroughly. Add half of the remaining flour, ~3/4 cup, and stir well. Sometimes, I substitute 1/2 whole wheat flour to add a bit of fiber to the crust. Continue mixing and adding flour a little at a time until a ball is formed. (Dough will pull easily away from the sides of the bowl) Remember... you can always add more flour, but you can’t remove it. Dough should be pliable and hold together, but not crumble. Knead dough with dough hook in mixer on medium speed for 5 minutes or use your hands by pressing down with your fingers, while folding and turning dough... about 20 times. If dough is too sticky, add a bit more flour. Dough will appear more elastic and less sticky as you knead it. After kneading, form dough into a ball and leave it at the bottom of the mixing bowl. Cover bowl with a dish towel. Set timer for another 20 minutes to rest.

While you are waiting for the dough to rest/proof, start the topping prep. I’m all about efficiency in cooking, so dovetailing activities saves time. Our favorite toppings are Italian sausage, green onions and green olives. Sausage needs to be cooked if using fresh... so take it out of the skins and brown in a small skillet. Drain grease. Slice other ingredients too and set aside.

Now it’s time to make pizza!! Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of cornmeal on the bottom of a springform pan. Using a springform pan makes it easier to remove the pizza from the pan after baking. Sometimes I use a light spray of olive oil too. Place dough into center of pan and using your fingers, stretch and spread the dough to evenly cover the bottom and sides. Bring crust to at least 3/4 of the sides of the pan, making sure the bottom corners are not too thick. The sides of my springform pans are quite tall, ~4 inches, so halfway works. If using meat, like sausage, on your pizza... slightly press it into the bottom crust. Sprinkle with half of the mozzarella cheese. Pour the sauce over the cheese. Then continue with other toppings, onions, mushrooms, peppers, olives, etc. Add the remaining mozzarella cheese and top with parmesan... and a sprinkle of what I call “fairy dust” ... Italian seasoning or oregano for color. Bake on lower rack of oven... Preheated to 425 F. Bake for 30 – 35 minutes or golden brown and sauce is bubbling.Make sure you bake it long enough to cook through. Darker, golden brown = baked... not burnt!

**I also bake mine in the gas grill on hot summer nights... Turns out amazing. Preheat grill to 425 – 450. Turn off center burners and bake for 15 - 20 minutes or golden brown and bubbly!

Doesn’t your pizza look and smell amazing? Allow pizza to rest for a few minutes to setup. Run a knife around inside edge of pan to release anything that has stuck. Unlock spring on pan... Your pizza is ready for slicing... Enjoy!