Description
Chicago’s legendary Deep Dish Pizza brings hearty Midwestern comfort to your kitchen, blending thick, buttery crust with layers of melted cheese and zesty tomato sauce. Slice into this authentic culinary treasure that promises to satisfy serious pizza cravings and transport you straight to the Windy City’s classic pizzerias.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients:
- 3 ¼ cups (400 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (115 g) cornmeal
- 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast
- 1 ¼ cups (300 ml) warm water
- ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil
- ¼ cup (60 g) unsalted butter, melted
Cheese and Meat Ingredients:
- 2 cups (225 g) mozzarella cheese, shredded
- ½ cup (60 g) grated Parmesan cheese
- 300 g (10 ounces) Italian sausage, cooked and crumbled
- ½ cup (50 g) pepperoni slices
Sauce and Seasoning Ingredients:
- 1 can (28 ounces / 800 g) crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Extra grated Parmesan
- Fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Dissolve yeast in warm water with sugar, allowing the mixture to become foamy and activate for approximately 5 minutes.
- Combine flour and salt in a large mixing bowl, creating a well in the center for the yeast mixture and olive oil.
- Knead the dough thoroughly on a lightly floured surface until it transforms into a smooth, elastic consistency with a silky texture.
- Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, covering it with a damp cloth, and let it rise in a warm environment until it doubles in volume, approximately 1-1.5 hours.
- Brown Italian sausage in a skillet, rendering out excess fat and creating a rich, caramelized exterior.
- Incorporate finely chopped onions and minced garlic into the sausage, sautéing until the vegetables become translucent and fragrant.
- Develop a robust tomato sauce by combining crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, and optional red pepper flakes, simmering until the mixture thickens and intensifies in flavor.
- Prepare a 9-inch deep-dish pizza pan by generously coating with olive oil and optionally dusting with cornmeal for enhanced crispiness.
- Punch down the risen dough and stretch it carefully to line the entire pan, pressing the dough up the sides to create a deep, sturdy crust.
- Create strategic layers beginning with mozzarella cheese, followed by the seasoned sausage and vegetable mixture, then additional cheese and a sprinkle of Parmesan.
- Ladle the richly developed tomato sauce over the cheese layers, ensuring an even distribution across the pizza.
- Bake in a preheated 425°F oven, allowing the crust to turn golden and the cheese to bubble and melt for 30-40 minutes.
- Allow the pizza to rest for 10 minutes after removing from the oven, which helps set the layers and makes slicing easier.
- Optionally garnish with fresh basil leaves to add a bright, aromatic finish to the deep-dish creation.
Notes
- Activate yeast precisely with water between 100-110°F to ensure proper fermentation and rise without killing the yeast.
- Knead dough thoroughly to develop gluten, creating that signature chewy Chicago-style pizza crust with a robust texture.
- Use high-protein bread flour for a stronger, more elastic dough that can withstand the heavy toppings and long baking time.
- Optional cornmeal sprinkle on the pan creates an extra crispy bottom crust, enhancing the traditional deep-dish pizza experience.
- Drain excess sausage fat to prevent a greasy pizza and maintain a balanced, rich flavor profile.
- Layer cheese directly on the dough before sauce to prevent a soggy crust and create a delicious protective barrier.
- Allow pizza to rest after baking, which helps set the layers and makes slicing cleaner and more precise.
- For gluten-free adaptation, substitute bread flour with a high-quality gluten-free flour blend and add xanthan gum for better structure.
- Experiment with different cheese combinations like adding provolone or fontina for a more complex flavor depth.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 780 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 43 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg