HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE CHICAGO STYLE DEEP DISH PIZZA
Prepare the dough: In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar and yeast.
Add water and melted butter and mix on low speed with the dough hook until well combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Occasionally scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Increase speed to medium-low and knead until dough is shiny, smooth and begins to pull away from sides of bowl, 4 to 5 minutes. (You can easily make this by hand by combining water and butter with a spatula and then kneading by hand.)
Grease a large bowl with 1 teaspoon olive oil.Using a greased spatula, transfer the dough to the bowl, turning to coat the dough with oil. Cover well with cling film. Let rise at room temperature for 45 to 60 minutes until almost doubled in volume.
Make the sauce: While the dough is rising, heat the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until melted. Add onion, oregano, and salt; Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and the onion is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add tomatoes and sugar, increase heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until reduced to about 2 ½ cups, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat, add basil and olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Laminate the dough: Place the dough on a dry work surface and roll out into a 15×12 inch rectangle. Using a spatula, spread the softened butter over the surface of the dough, leaving a ½-inch border around the edges.Roll the dough from the short side into a narrow roll. Flatten the cylinder, seam side down, into an 18-by-4-inch rectangle.
Cut the rectangle in half widthwise. Fold one half into thirds like a business letter. Join the seams together to form a ball. Repeat with remaining half.Return the balls to the oiled bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let rise in the refrigerator for 40 to 50 minutes, until almost doubled in size. Meanwhile, place the oven rack in the lowest position and preheat the oven to 200°C.
Bake the pizza: Grease two 9-inch round cake pans with 2 tablespoons each of olive oil.
Transfer 1 dough ball to a dry work surface and roll into a 13-inch circle. Transfer the dough to the pan by rolling it lightly around the rolling pin and rolling it out in the pan. Lightly press the dough into the pan, working into the corners and 1 inch from the top edge. If you cannot roll out the dough, wait 5 minutes before trying again.Repeat the process with the remaining dough ball.
For each pizza, sprinkle the surface of the dough evenly with 2 cups of mozzarella. (If using meat or vegetable toppings, add them to the cheese immediately.) Spread 1 ¼ cups of tomato sauce over the cheese (or toppings) and sprinkle the sauce with 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until the crust is golden brown.Remove the pizza from the oven and wait 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
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