Easy Chicago Style Spinach Pizza Recipes

CHICAGO-STYLE PAN PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of a greased 9x13 inch baking dish.
• Crumble the sausage into a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir until evenly browned. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon, and sprinkle over the dough crust. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly over the sausage.
• Add mushrooms and onion to the skillet; cook and stir until the onion is tender. Stir in the tomatoes, oregano, salt, fennel seed and garlic powder. Spoon over the mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top.
• Bake for 25 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until crust is golden brown.

CLASSIC SPINACH PIZZA

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook pancetta over medium heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove to paper towels to drain. Saute garlic in drippings for 1 minute. Add spinach; cook just until wilted. Drain spinach mixture on paper towels., In the same skillet, saute mushrooms in oil until tender; add the pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Transfer to a small bowl and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in the mascarpone cheese, olives and pancetta. , Place crust on an ungreased pizza pan. Spread mushroom mixture over crust; layer with spinach mixture, provolone and Romano. , Bake at 450° for 10-12 minutes or until cheese is melted.

SPINACH PIZZA

Steps:

• Prepare pizza dough according to package directions. With floured hands, press dough onto a greased 12-in. pizza pan. , Spread Alfredo sauce over dough to within 1 in. of edges. Thinly slice or chop tomatoes; top pizza with spinach, tomatoes and cheese. , Bake at 450° for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is golden brown.

CHICAGO DEEP-DISH PIZZA

Steps:

• Pour water into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Sprinkle in yeast and let dissolve, about 10 minutes. Add olive oil, melted butter, sugar, salt, cornmeal, and most of the flour. Knead, stopping to scrape down the sides occasionally and adding more flour as needed, until smooth and elastic.
• Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface. Knead in extra flour if needed. Roll into a ball and place in a bowl greased with 1/2 teaspoon olive oil. Cover with a plate and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in volume, 1 to 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, let pizza sauce simmer in a pot over low heat until very thick, 60 to 90 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Poke dough to deflate and turn out onto your work surface. Press and stretch out dough into a round shape 3 to 4 inches larger than a 12-inch cast iron skillet. Brush skillet with 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil. Place dough in the skillet; stretch and pull to evenly distribute it over the bottom and sides.
• Lay provolone cheese over the bottom of the crust. Scatter fresh mozzarella on top. Add Italian sausage and firm mozzarella. Ladle pizza sauce generously on top. Grate Parmesan cheese on top. Fold the edges of the crust in towards the center to seal in the sides. Drizzle crust and center with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
• Bake in the center of the preheated oven until crust sounds hollow and pizza is beautifully browned, about 35 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

EASY CHICAGO STYLE SPINACH PIZZA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 500 degrees F.
• Press crust onto bottom and sides of well greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
• Mix spinach, mozzarella and 2 tablespoons Parmesan and spread it evenly over crust.
• Mix tomatoes, garlic, oregano and pepper flakes, and spread it over the cheese mixture.
• Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan.
• Bake 10 minutes at 500, then reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake for an additional 20 minutes.

CHICAGO-STYLE STUFFED SPINACH PIZZA

Steps:

• Crust: dissolve yeast and sugar in water in a large bowl; let stand until bubbly; stir in oil then stir in 4 cups of the flour until smooth; add additional flour as needed to form a stiff dough.
• Lightly flour the work surface; knead dough until smooth and elastic, about 7 to 10 minutes; put into a greased bowl; turn to coat top then let rise, covered, in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Sauce: heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; add garlic, cook 2 minutes; stir in tomatoes, oregano, basil, salt and pepper; simmer until very thick, about 30 minutes or so.
• Filling: mix spinach, mozzarella, mushrooms, parmesan, romano, garlic, olive oil, basil, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
• Heat oven to 450°.
• Punch down dough; let rest 10 minutes.
• Lightly oil a 12-inch pizza pan that is at least 2" deep.
• Roll two-thirds of dough into a 16-inch circle; let sides overhang the pan.
• Put the spinach mixture into center of dough; smooth evenly over the surface.
• Roll the remaining dough on a lightly floured surface to a 12-inch circle; place over the spinach filling then pinch the edges together and cut excess dough at the edges so that the bottom dough is level with the top crust.
• Pour sauce over the dough to cover.
• Bake until crust is golden, 20-40 minutes.
• Let stand 10 minutes before slicing into wedges for serving.
• Ice cold beer or root beer is great with this pizza.