Don’t rush the sauce. Let it simmer the full 30 minutes. I tried cutting it short once and the sauce was too watery and bland.
Use real mozzarella. Shred it yourself from a block. The pre-shredded stuff has coating on it that makes it weird. Fresh mozzarella is ten times better.
These are filling. One pizza feeds two hungry adults. Maybe three if you’ve got sides. Don’t try to eat a whole one yourself unless you want to be horizontal for the rest of the day.
Making It Your Own
I stick with pepperoni and bacon because that’s what everyone in my house agrees on. But you can do whatever.
Sausage is classic Chicago-style. Just cook it first and crumble it up.
My friend adds green peppers and onions. Not my thing but she loves it.
You can even do just cheese if you’re feeding picky kids.
Planning Ahead
The dough can hang out in the fridge for a full day after you make it. Just punch it down before you roll it out.
You can freeze the dough balls too. Wrap them good, freeze for up to 2 months. Let them thaw in the fridge overnight then bring to room temp for an hour before using.
The sauce keeps in the fridge for a couple days or freezes great.
Leftovers reheat pretty well in a 300-degree oven for about 20 minutes. Don’t microwave them – the crust gets weird.
Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza
I’ve been to Chicago twice and both times I ate deep dish pizza until I thought I’d explode. Worth it. When I got home, I couldn’t stop thinking about that thick, buttery crust and all that melty cheese buried under a mountain of tomato sauce.
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Course: Main CourseCuisine: American Prep Time: 4hours hrsCook Time: 30minutes minsTotal Time: 4hours hrs 30minutes mins Servings: 2
Ingredients
Pizza Crust (makes 2 pizzas):
3¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup yellow cornmeal
1¼ tsp salt
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
2¼ tsp instant yeast 1 packet
1¼ cups warm water
½ cup unsalted butter ¼ cup melted, ¼ cup softened
Olive oil for coating
Tomato Sauce:
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 small onion grated
¾ tsp salt
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes optional
3 garlic cloves minced
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
¼ tsp granulated sugar
Toppings:
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
½ cup sliced pepperoni optional
4 slices bacon cooked and crumbled (optional)
Instructions
Make the Crust:
In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar, and yeast. Mix briefly.
Add warm water (about 90°F) and ¼ cup melted butter. Mix on low speed or by hand until dough comes together and becomes soft and pulls away from the bowl, about 4-5 minutes. Add 1 tsp water if too stiff or 1 Tbsp flour if too sticky.
Form dough into a ball. Place in an oiled bowl, turning to coat. Cover with foil and let rise in a warm spot for 1-2 hours until doubled.
Punch down dough and roll into a 15×12-inch rectangle on a floured surface. Spread ¼ cup softened butter over the dough. Roll up lengthwise and cut in half. Form each piece into a ball, return to greased bowl, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Make the Sauce:
Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add grated onion, salt, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook 5 minutes until onion browns slightly.
Add garlic, crushed tomatoes, and sugar. Reduce heat to low and simmer 30 minutes until thick and fragrant. Set aside to cool.
Assemble the Pizzas:
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Roll one dough ball into a 12-inch circle. Press into a 9×2-inch cake pan, fitting it snugly and trimming excess. Repeat with second dough ball. Brush top edges with olive oil.
Layer each pizza: 2 cups mozzarella cheese on bottom, then toppings, then 1¼ cups sauce, then ¼ cup parmesan.
Place both pans on a baking sheet. Bake 20-28 minutes until crust is golden brown. Cover loosely with foil after 15 minutes if browning too quickly.
Let cool in pans for 10 minutes before slicing.
Notes
You need two 9×2-inch deep dish cake pans or 9-inch springform pans
Don’t skip the butter lamination step – it makes the crust flaky
Can use any instant or active dry yeast
Dough can be refrigerated up to 1 day or frozen up to 2 months
Sauce can be made 2 days ahead or frozen up to 2 months
Leftovers keep 5 days refrigerated; reheat at 300°F for 15-20 minutes
Nutrition (per serving, 1/4 of one pizza)
Calories: 420 | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 52mg | Sodium: 685mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g
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