Pizza night just got a lot more fun with this Chicago-style deep-dish version. The thick crust climbs the sides of the pan, allowing for loaded pizza fillings and toppings and a crisp outer crust. It may seem odd to layer the sauce on top of the cheese, but it's required for a deep-dish pizza to prevent a soggy bottom. Not to mention, it's a midwestern classic.
Tips for Making Deep-Dish Pizza
Get restaurant-worthy deep-dish pizza at home with these tips:
- Layer the ingredients in order. Making deep-dish pizza with the same technique as a traditional pie won't yield the same results.
- Don't skip the cornmeal. It contributes to a crisp crust.
- Use a deep pan. While a cast-iron skillet creates crispy edges, it's not tall enough to hold all of the filling. Use a cake pan or springform pan with tall sides.
- Don't use your regular pizza dough recipe. This pie needs a sturdy dough, like the one included here.
- Let the pizza cool before slicing to allow time for it to set.
Ingredients
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Olive oil or vegetable oil
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Cornmeal
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1 cup warm water (120°F to 130°F)
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1 package active dry yeast
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3 - 3 ½ cup all-purpose flour
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⅓ cup vegetable oil
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½ teaspoon salt
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6 ounce mild bulk Italian sausage
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1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
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1 tablespoon snipped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
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1 tablespoon snipped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
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12 ounce sliced mozzarella cheese
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¼ cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
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Grated Parmesan or Romano cheese (optional)
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Fresh basil leaves (optional)
Directions
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Prepare Pan
Generously grease a 10x2-inch heavy round cake pan or 10-inch springform pan with oil. Sprinkle bottom of pan with cornmeal; set pan aside.
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Make Dough
In a large bowl combine warm water and yeast, stirring to dissolve yeast. Let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in 1-1/2 cups of the flour, 1/3 cup oil, and the salt. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping side of bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.
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Knead Dough and Let Rise
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (6 to 8 minutes total). Shape dough into a ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface. Cover and let rise in a warm place until it doubles in size (50 to 60 minutes). Punch dough down. Cover and let rest for 5 minutes.
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Press Dough Into Pan
Place dough in the prepared pan. Using oiled hands, press and spread dough evenly over the bottom and 1-1/2 inches up the side of pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place until it nearly doubles in size (30 to 35 minutes).
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Make Filling
Preheat oven to 375°F. For filling, in a medium skillet cook sausage over medium-high heat until brown. Drain in a colander. Using paper towels, pat sausage and wipe out skillet to remove additional fat. Return sausage to skillet. Stir in drained tomatoes, snipped or dried oregano, and snipped or dried basil. Cook and stir until heated through.
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Layer Toppings
To assemble, arrange mozzarella cheese slices over dough. Spoon filling over cheese; sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
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Bake
Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until edge of crust is crisp and golden brown and filling is heated through. If necessary, cover crust with foil during the last 10 minutes of baking to prevent overbrowning. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. If using a springform pan, remove side of pan. If desired, sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese and basil leaves. Cut into wedges.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
| 621 | Calories |
| 34g | Fat |
| 50g | Carbs |
| 25g | Protein |
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings Per Recipe 6 | |
| Calories 621 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 34g | 44% |
| Saturated Fat 13g | 65% |
| Cholesterol 67mg | 22% |
| Sodium 871mg | 38% |
| Total Carbohydrate 50g | 18% |
| Protein 25g | 50% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
