Description
Crafting homemade Chicago style deep dish pizza delivers pure culinary magic from the Windy City’s most iconic dish. Layers of rich sauce, melted cheese, and hearty toppings create a mouthwatering experience you won’t forget.
Ingredients
- 300 ml (1 ¼ cups) warm water
- 115 g (½ cup) cornmeal
- 400 g (3 ¼ cups) all-purpose flour
- 60 ml (¼ cup) olive oil
- 60 g (¼ cup) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 ¼ tsp (1 packet) active dry yeast
- 1 ¼ tsp salt
- 800 g (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 225 g (2 cups) mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 300 g (10 oz) Italian sausage, cooked and crumbled
- 60 g (½ cup) grated Parmesan cheese
- 50 g (½ cup) pepperoni slices
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp sugar
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Extra grated Parmesan
- Fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Yeast Activation: Dissolve yeast in warm water with sugar, letting it foam and activate for 5 minutes.
- Dough Preparation: Mix flour and salt, creating a well for yeast mixture and olive oil. Knead on a floured surface until smooth and elastic, transforming the texture into a silky consistency.
- Dough Rising: Transfer to a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in volume, approximately 1-1.5 hours.
- Filling Preparation: Brown Italian sausage in a skillet, sautéing with onions and garlic until vegetables become translucent. Simultaneously, develop a robust tomato sauce by combining crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes, simmering until thickened and intensely flavored.
- Pan Setup: Generously oil a 9-inch deep-dish pizza pan, optionally dusting with cornmeal for extra crispiness. Punch down the risen dough and carefully stretch to line the entire pan, pressing up the sides to create a deep, sturdy crust.
- Layering: Strategically build layers starting with mozzarella cheese, seasoned sausage and vegetable mixture, then additional cheese and Parmesan. Evenly distribute the richly developed tomato sauce over the cheese layers.
- Baking: Place in a preheated 425°F oven, baking until the crust turns golden and cheese bubbles and melts, approximately 30-40 minutes.
- Finishing: Allow pizza to rest for 10 minutes after removing from the oven to set the layers. Optionally garnish with fresh basil leaves for a bright, aromatic finale to this deep-dish creation.
Notes
Manage Yeast Activation: Ensure water temperature is between 105-110°F to properly activate yeast without killing it, creating perfect dough rise and texture.
Control Dough Elasticity: Knead the dough precisely 8-10 minutes to develop gluten structure, which guarantees a chewy, tender crust with ideal structural integrity.
Layer Strategically: Place cheese directly on dough to prevent soggy bottom, creating a protective barrier that maintains crisp crust and prevents sauce from making pizza wet.
Customize Dietary Options: Substitute traditional ingredients with gluten-free flour, plant-based cheese, and turkey sausage to accommodate various dietary needs without compromising authentic deep-dish flavor profile.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 9
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg