Chicago Style Pizza

Homemade Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza

Ingredients

1. For the Crust:
2. 2 packs rapid rise active dry yeast
3. 1 pinch sugar
4. 1 1/2 Cup warm water, about 100 degrees
5. 1/3 Cup vegetable oil
6. 2 Tbls olive oil
7. 1 stick butter, melted and cooled
8. 1 1/2 tsp salt
9. 1/2 Cup corn meal
10. 3 3/4 Cup all purpose flour
11. For the sauce:
12. 1 can (28 oz.) peeled plum tomatoes (preferable san marzano)
13. 1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
14. 1 Tbls basil, dried
15. 1 Tbls oregano, dried
16. 1 tsp garlic powder
17. 1 Tbls parmesan cheese
18. 3 cloves garlic, minced
19. salt and pepper to taste
20. For the Italian sausage:
21. 1 pound ground pork
22. 1/2 tsp oregano, dried
23. 1/2 tsp basil, dried
24. 4 cloves garlic, minced
25. 1 Tbls fennel seeds, crushed or ground
26. 1/4 tsp pepper flakes
27. salt and pepper to taste
28. Additional Ingredients Needed:
29. 4 Tbls olive oil, to grease pizza pan and sprinkle on top of the pizza
30. 3 packages of sliced mozzarella cheese
31. 1/4 Cup parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. For the crust:
2. A kitchenaid mixture is best to use for the crust. In the bottom of the bowl combine the yeast, oils, sugar, water and melted butter (melt the butter in the microwave and let sit on the counter for about 10 minutes so it is room temperature before adding). Whisk the mixture a couple times and let sit until the yeast starts to foam. About 10 minutes.
3. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, corn meal and salt. Add this about a cup at a time into the yeast mixture. Scrap down the sides occasionally until it is all mixed together. I use the hook attachment the whole time, so scrapping is necessary.
4. Put the mixer on high speed and let mix for 6 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the oven with only the light on. This will need to rise one time and will take approximately an hour. You want the dough to rise until it touched the plastic wrap. While the dough is rising you will make the remaining ingredients.
5. For the Sauce:
6. Take the plum tomatoes and squish them by hand, removing any hard core pieces. Mix with the remaining ingredients and set aside until pizza assembly.
7. For the Sausage:
8. Mix all ingredients together and set aside until pizza assembly.
9. Pizza assembly and cooking:
10. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
11. Taking a large deep dish pizza pan and coat the bottom and all sides with 2 Tbls of olive oil. Place the dough in the pan and try to work out as many of the bubbles as possible. Carefully stretch the dough and bring it up the sides of the pan as good as you can.
12. Layer the mozzarella directly on the dough, going in a circular motion. When you are at the corners try and get the cheese in the corner of the pan with the dough, this will help to ensure the dough goes up the sides of the pan. Layer the sausage on top in dollops. Add about half of the sauce on top and spread evenly. Top off with some parmesan cheese, drizzle of olive oil and more dried oregano.
13. Cook for 35-45 minutes. Check it about 25 minutes in and if the dough looks like it is getting dark, place foil over the whole pizza and continue to cook. It is done with the cheese is golden brown and bubbly.
14. Take out of the oven and let sit for 10-15 minutes before cutting. Cut and serve.
15. If you like more sauce, place the sauce on the stove and let simmer while the pizza is cooking. Serve with extra sauce on top, parmesan cheese and any other goodies you prefer!
16. Schema/Recipe SEO Data Markup by ZipList Recipe Plugin