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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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 15x12-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 9x2-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 9x2-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