Perfect Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza Recipes

CHICAGO-STYLE DEEP-DISH PIZZA

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine 1-1/2 cups flour, cornmeal, yeast, sugar and salt. In a saucepan, heat water and oil to 120°-130°. Add to dry ingredients; beat just until moistened. Add remaining flour to form a stiff dough., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes., Punch dough down; divide in half. Roll each portion into an 11-in. circle. Press dough onto the bottom and up the sides of two greased 10-in. cast-iron or other ovenproof skillets. Sprinkle each with 2 cups mozzarella cheese., In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste and seasonings. Spoon 1-1/2 cups over each pizza. Layer each with half of the sausage, pepperoni and mushrooms; 1 cup mozzarella; and 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. , Cover and bake at 450° for 35 minutes. Uncover; bake until lightly browned, about 5 minutes longer.,

TRUE CHICAGO-STYLE DEEP-DISH PIZZA

Steps:

• Mix sugar, yeast and 11 ounces room temperature water (about 80 degrees) in a bowl and let bloom for 15 minutes. Combine flour, salt and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Once yeast has bloomed, add to dry ingredients along with corn oil. Gently combine with a rubber spatula until a rough ball is formed.
• Knead on low speed with the dough hook for 90 seconds. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl and proof until doubled in size, about 6 hours. Punch down and let dough settle for 15 more minutes.
• Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F.
• Coat bottom and sides of a 12-inch cake pan or traditional Chicago style pizza pan with melted butter. Using your hands, spread out about three-quarters of the dough across the bottom and up the sides of the pan (save the remainder for another use). Cover entire bottom in mozzarella, all the way up to the edge. Cover half with a thin, even layer of raw sausage. Cover the other half with the pepperoni. Top with a couple handfuls of crushed tomatoes. Spread out with hands to the edge. Sprinkle top evenly with grated Parm.
• Bake, rotating halfway through, until golden around the edge, about 25 minutes. Let rest for about 5 minutes, then either gently lift pizza out of pan or just cut your slice out of the pan like a pie!

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.

THE REAL CHICAGO DEEP DISH PIZZA DOUGH

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water in a bowl. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes until the yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam.
• Combine yeast mixture, flour, corn oil, and kosher salt in a large stand mixer with a hook attachment; knead until dough holds together but is still slightly sticky, about 2 minutes.
• Form dough into a ball and transfer to a buttered bowl, turning to coat. Cover bowl with a towel and allow dough to rise at room temperature until double in size, 6 hours.
• Punch down dough and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Press dough into a 10-inch deep dish pizza pan.

PERFECT CHICAGO-STYLE DEEP DISH PIZZA

Steps:

• 24 Hours Prior to Baking: In a mixing bowl, add the water, sugar, yeast, flour, cornmeal, and salt.
• Mix on low speed for a few minutes until the dough comes together, then slowly add the oil. Continue to mix dough for 7 more minutes.
• The dough should be somewhat moist and smooth, but not sticky. Form the dough into a ball and place into a bowl twice the size of the ball. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and then put a dish towel over it and place in the refrigerator for 24hrs.
• Remove the bowl from the refrigerator about one hour prior to making the pizza. Set the bottom oven rack to its lowest position and preheat the oven to 450° F for at least 30 minutes prior to baking.
• After letting the dough rest for one hour, coat the bottom of a well seasoned 15" × 2" deep cast iron skillet with a light layer of canola/vegetable oil (do not use olive oil).
• Place the dough ball in the center of the pan and press it out until it covers the entire bottom. Then, using you fingers, work the dough up the sides of the pan about 1 1/2 inches.
• The top of the edges should be pinched up against the side of the pan. If the dough resists holding shape, cover with a towel and allow to rest for 15-20 minutes before trying again.
• Using sliced mozzarella (NOT fresh, only low-moisture), or a blend of sliced mozzarella and provolone, cover the bottom of the dough with cheese.
• Add your desired toppings (Italian sausage is very popular). If you are going to use pepperonis, it is recommended to chop them into 1/4's before layering them in the pizza.
• Top with 1 LARGE can of crushed tomatoes, no seasoning added. Use your hands if necessary to spread out the tomatoes. **Note that 6 IN 1 brand tomatoes are very fresh tasting, as are Bianco DiNapoli if you can find then at a store near you**.
• Finish topping with Italian herbs/seasonings (chopped fresh basil and dried oregano flakes are favorites) and finally with freshly grated parmesan cheese.
• Place the pan in the center of the bottom oven rack and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, turning once half way through, until the crust is golden brown.
• Remove the pizza from the oven and allow to cool for about 3 minutes.
• Remove the pizza from the baking pan and place on a cutting board or serving pan. Slice and serve.

CHICAGO-STYLE DEEP DISH PIZZAS

Steps:

• While the dough is rising, make the tomato sauce. In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the herbs, seeds, salt, and black and red peppers, and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, wine and sugar, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool completely before using.
• Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.
• Oil 2 seasoned 12-inch round deep-dish pizza pans with the extra-virgin olive oil. Press 1 piece of dough into each pan, pressing to the edge and stretching about 1 1/2 inches up the sides. Let rest for 5 minutes.
• Layer the mozzarella cheese all over the bottom of the pies. Top each with half of the pepperoni, mushrooms, bell pepper rings, onions, black olives and sausage. Ladle the sauce evenly over each pizza and top with Parmesan.
• Bake until the top is golden and the cheese is bubbly and the crust is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, slice and serve hot.
• In a large bowl, combine the water, yeast, and sugar and stir to combine. Let sit until the mixture is foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Add 1 1/2 cups of the flour, the semolina, 1/2 cup of the oil, and the salt, mixing by hand until it is all incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Continue adding the flour, 1/4 cup at a time, working the dough after each addition, until all the flour is incorporated but the dough is still slightly sticky.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth but still slightly tacky, 3 to 5 minutes. Oil a large mixing bowl with the remaining 2 teaspoons oil.
• Place the dough in the bowl and turn to oil all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set in a warm, draft-free place until nearly doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Divide into 2 equal portions and use as directed.

HOMEMADE CHICAGO DEEP-DISH PIZZA

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine 1-1/2 cups flour, cornmeal, yeast, sugar and salt. In a small saucepan, heat water and oil to 120°-130°. Add to dry ingredients; beat just until moistened. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes., In a large skillet, saute the mushrooms in 2 teaspoons oil until tender. In a large bowl, mix the tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, garlic and seasonings., Generously grease a 13x9-in. baking pan or dish with the remaining 2 teaspoons oil. Punch dough down. Roll out into a 15x11-in. rectangle. Transfer to prepared pan, pressing onto the bottom and halfway up the sides of pan. Sprinkle with 2 cups mozzarella cheese., Spoon half of the sauce over the cheese (save remaining sauce for another use or for dipping). Layer with the sausage, sauteed mushrooms and, if desired, pepperoni; top with the remaining mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese. , Cover and bake at 450° for 35 minutes. Uncover; bake about 5 minutes longer or until lightly browned. Sprinkle with basil if desired.

CHICAGO STYLE DEEP-DISH PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Remove skins from sausage and cook in heavy skillet, crumbling as you cook.
• Remove sausage to plate covered with paper towel to drain.
• Remove fat from skillet.
• Sauté sweet pepper and onion in olive oil in the same skillet over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
• Add pepperoni, basil, oregano and black pepper; cook another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Unroll pizza dough and place in well-seasoned 10-inch cast-iron skillet.
• You may need to stretch slightly so dough comes up about 1 inch on the sides.
• Spread dough with 2 tablespoons of the pizza sauce.
• Spread half the vegetable filling evenly over and top with half of the sausage.
• Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese and dot with 3 tablespoons sauce.
• Top with half of the mozzarella cheese.
• Repeat layering again.
• Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is golden brown.