Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza

The Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza was first created at The Pizzeria (later Pizzeria Uno) in 1943 in Chicago, Illinois. It is differentiated from other pizzas by being formed and baked in a deep pie pan instead of the typical flat baking sheet or pizza stone.

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I used a 9 inch springform pan for the pizza. A deep 9 inch cake or pie pan also works well. The dough usually has semolina or cornmeal added to create a hint of yellow in the crust. The majority of the cheese is added before the filling and tomato sauce to prevent it from burning due to the longer baking time.

More information on the history of the Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza.

I only used about 3/4ths of the sausage filling for the pizzas. The remainder was perfect for omelets the next morning! You can omit the sausage filling altogether, if desired, or substitute it with a filling of your choice. Instead of using an entire onion, I just used the remaining onion from the 4 tablespoons used for the tomato sauce.

Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza

Adapted from Annie’s Eats

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Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza

Course Main

Cuisine American

Keyword cheese, italian sausage, pizza, pork, sausage, tomato

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Resting Time: 2 hours

Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes

Servings 2 (9 inch) Pizzas

Ingredients

Dough:

• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 1/4 cups warm water 105-115 degrees Fahrenheit
• 3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened

Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 tablespoons grated onion
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 29 ounces tomatoes diced
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 4 tablespoons fresh basil chopped
• 3 teaspoons olive oil
• Pepper to taste

Topping:

• 4 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon olive oil divided
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 1 pound ground Italian sausage
• 1 green bell pepper seeded and chopped
• 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms sliced
• 1 pound mozzarella cheese shredded
• 1/2 ounce Parmesan shredded

Instructions

• Prepare the dough first by sprinkling the yeast over a bowl filled with the warm water and stir to combine. Let sit until frothy, about 15 minutes. In the bowl of a large food processor fitted with a dough blade, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, and salt. Process in water, yeast, and melted butter into the flour mixture until a smooth dough forms. Coat a large bowl with the olive oil. Add the dough, turning to coat. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Prepare the tomato sauce by melting 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, stir in onion, oregano, and salt. Once the onion is golden, add the garlic and fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and sugar. Increase heat to medium high to bring the tomatoes to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium low. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce reduces to about 2 1/2 cups, 25 minutes. Remove the pan from heat before adding basil and olive oil. Season with pepper and store in refrigerator until ready to use.
• Once risen, divide dough in half. Roll one half into a 8x6" rectangle. Spread 2 tablespoons of softened butter over the rectangle, leaving 1/2" around the sides. Roll the dough tightly, short end to short end, and place seam side down. Flatten the dough into a 9x2" rectangle. Fold 1/3 (short sidinto the middle, then the other side over the first side to form a square. Pinch together the seams and form into a ball. Repeat with other half of the dough and place both back into bowl. Cover and refrigerate until almost doubled, about 45 minutes.
• In a large skillet, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil over medium high heat. Add onion and cook until softened and starting to golden. Add sausage and cook, stirring and breaking up into small pieces, until browned. Reduce heat to medium and stir in peppers and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften. Drain any excess moisture and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease 2 (9") round pans, with at least 1 1/2-2 inch sides, with 2 tablespoons olive oil each. Roll each ball of dough into a 13 inch circle, 1/4 inch thick. Place in each pan and work the dough into the corners and up at least 1 inch on all sides.
• Cover the bottom of each pizza with Mozzarella. Top with a layer of sausage and vegetables. Cover with tomato sauce and top with Parmesan cheese. Bake in preheated oven until crust is golden brown and pizza is heated through, about 30 minutes. Let settle about 10 minutes before serving.