Chicago Deep Dish Pizza
Ingredients for the pizza crust:
- 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
- 1 1/2 tablespoon sugar
- 1 packet fast-acting yeast
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons cornmeal
Ingredients for the filling and topping:
- 1/2 pound crumbled sweet Italian sausage
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 4 basil leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- Kosher salt and fresh black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 shredded Parmesan cheese
To prepare the pizza crust:
1. Dissolve salt and sugar in 1 1/2 cups warm water. Stir in the packet of yeast and allow the mixture to "foam" slightly, about 15 minutes. Place flour into a large mixing bowl and add yeast mixture. Stir to combine and then knead until the dough comes together, about 5 minutes. Place the dough into a bowl and cover with a cloth and allow to rise in a warm place for 30 minutes. Knead the dough again briefly, cover and allow to rise another 30 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.To prepare the filling:
1. Cook the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat until it begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and pepper and cook until they soften slightly, about 3 minutes more. Add the garlic, tomato sauce, 1/2 cup water, basil and oregano and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook together to allow flavors to blend, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.To prepare the pizza:
1. Generously oil two 9-inch cake pans. Cut the dough in half and press each into the cake pans making the edges slightly thicker than the center. Brush olive oil over each piece of dough and sprinkle each with cornmeal. Top each with half the mozzarella cheese and half of the prepared topping/sauce. Top each with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover and bake until slightly golden, about 15 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until the cheese is golden brown and melted, about 10 minutes more. Let pizza rest for 5 minutes. Cut and serve.Serves: 6-8
Active Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours