Deep Dish Pizza

Having grown up in the Chicago burbs, there is nothing better than a deep dish pizza. My husband and I are partial to Giordano's and my sister-in-law loves Lou Malnati's. Whatever your preference, there's no beating that first bite into cheesy, saucy, doughy goodness. I made my own version, using my pizza dough recipe from my Pizza Margharita recipe and an awesome sauce recipe. It wasn't as good as Giordano's (not sure any pizza really could be), but it was still extremely tasty, so try this recipe and get a taste of Chicago today!

You will need:
For the dough:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 (1/4 ounce) package active dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup warm water
1/2-1 tablespoon olive oil

1-2 teaspoons of oregano

cornmeal, for sprinkling

For the sauce:

1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
6 fluid ounces warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons honey
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
salt to taste

Toppings:

8 oz. mozzarella cheese

4 oz. parmesan cheese

Pepperoni, sausage, or veggies of your choosing

First, make dough according to Pizza Margharita pizza recipe (see here).

Make your sauce by combining and simmering all ingredients in a small sauce pan for 20-30 minutes to give the flavors a chance to meld.

Finally, sprinkle cornmeal into a deep dish pizza pan (I used a spring form cheesecake dish) and roll out your pizza dough into the pan, pressing the dough an inch and a half up the sides of the dish and pressing firmly into the bottom. Prick the dough with a fork to prevent dough from bubbling.

Layer the following on top of the dough:

-Mozzarella cheese and 3 oz. of the parmesan cheese

-Meat/veggie toppings

-Sauce

-Sprinkle last oz. of parmesan cheese on top

Bake at 425 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes, then cut and enjoy!

Pizza Margharita

 In our house, Sunday is pizza night. Since we usually spend the day grocery shopping, catching up on work, and getting ready to watch The Walking Dead (zombies are intense and require mental preparation), I usually like to just pop in a frozen pizza and relax on Sunday nights. That said, I have lately been fascinated by all the things I can just make myself, and I had yet to make homemade pizza dough....add to that the fact that my husband's favorite pizza, Pizza Margharita, is best when fresh, and I decided to see what I could whip up at home with this dough recipe. Turns out, making a pizza dough is actually incredibly quick and delicious, so give it a try!

You will need:
For the dough:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 (1/4 ounce) package active dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup warm water
1/2-1 tablespoon olive oil
cornmeal, for sprinkling

For the sauce:
28 oz. can of whole tomatoes, drained
6 oz. tomato paste
6 oz. tomato sauce
2 tablespoons of Italian seasoning (oregano, basil, etc.)
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 teaspoon of salt
*My sauce measurements are always by taste, so the spice amounts are an approximation

For the toppings:
Ball of fresh mozzarella cheese
Fresh basil leaves

First, get your sauce going. Simply mix all ingredients together in a medium saucepan, and use a wooden spoon to chop up the whole tomatoes. Bring sauce to a boil, then simmer on medium-low heat for at least half an hour (longer is better....but I was hungry).

While your sauce is simmering, preheat your oven to 425 degrees, then make your dough. Add sugar and yeast to the cup of warm water and allow to sit for ten minutes, or until the yeast gets foamy. Pour into a large bowl, and add the oil, salt, and flour.

Combine the ingredients until they start to form a mound of dough, then turn the mixture out onto a floured surface. Knead the dough for 5-8 minutes, until smooth and elastic. If the mixture is still sticky after a few minutes of kneading, add more flour.

Cover the dough and allow it to rest for 20-30 minutes (I think I lasted for 19; don't judge me). In the mean time, wash, thoroughly dry, and chop some fresh basil leaves. Cut your mozzarella ball into thin slices. Set aside.

After it has finished resting, divide the dough in half. I froze one ball of dough. The other I rolled out to fit my 13" pizza pan (using my rolling pin--dough tossing is a skill I will learn some other day). You can always use all of the dough if you are making two pizzas, of course. Sprinkle your pizza pan with cornmeal and place your dough on top, pierce all over with a fork, then pre-bake your soon-to-be pizza crust for 10 minutes.

Take your sauce off the stove and spoon over the top of the baked crust (be careful not to add too much, or your pizza will be watery; remember that the tomatoes still have a good deal of water). Layer the cheese slices and basil on top. Finally, bake for an additional 8-10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and the crust is slightly golden.

                                               

Pair with a good wine and an episode of The Walking Dead, and you're in for an intensely delicious meal. Enjoy!