Chicago-Style Deep-Dish Pizza

My sister Stephanie called me (or I called her) this past weekend and told me about a very delicious pizza that she had made and so of course I had to try it.  This Chicago-style deep-dish pizza is it!  I loved making this pizza.  The dough was so lovely to work with, it made me very happy (a good dough will do that too me).  I know I've said this before, but I love having a sister who loves food like I do and who sends great recipes my way!

Chicago-Style Deep-Dish Pizza

Dough

3 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons sugar

2 1/4 teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast

1 1/4 cups water, room temperature

3 tablespoons butter, melted, plus 4 tablespoons softened

1 teaspoon plus 4 tablespoons olive oil

Sauce

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup grated onion

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

Salt

2 medium garlic cloves, minced

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

1/4 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Ground black pepper

Toppings

1 pound whole milk mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/2 ounce grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/4 cup)

FOR THE DOUGH:  Mix flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar, and yeast in bowl of stand mixer fitted with dough hook on low speed until incorporated.  Add water and melted butter and mix on low speed until fully combined, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping sides and bottom of bowl occasionally.  Increase speed to medium and knead until dough is glossy and smooth and pulls away from sides of bowl, 4 to 5 minutes.  (Dough will only pull away from sides while mixer is on.  When mixer is off, dough will fall back to sides.)

Using fingers, coat large bowl with 1 teaspoon olive oil, rubbing excess oil from fingers onto blade of rubber spatula.  Using oiled spatula, transfer dough to bowl, turning once to oil top; cover tightly with plastic wrap.  Let rise at room temperature until nearly doubled in volume, 45 to 60 minutes.

FOR THE SAUCE:  While dough rises, heat butter in medium saucepan over medium heat until melted.  Add onion, oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated and onion is golden brown, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Stir in tomatoes and sugar, increase heat to high, and bring to a simmer.  Lower heat to medium-low and simmer until reduced to 2 1/2 cups, 25 to 30 minutes.  Off heat, stir in basil and oil, and then season with salt and pepper.

TO LAMINATE THE DOUGH:  Adjust oven rack to lower position and heat oven to 425 degrees.  Using rubber spatula, turn dough out onto dry work surface and roll into 15- by 12-inch rectangle.  Using offset spatula, spread softened butter over surface of dough, leaving 1/2-inch border along edges.  Starting at the short end, roll dough into tight cylinder.  With seam side down, flatten cylinder into 18- by 4-inch rectangle.  Cut rectangle in half crosswise.  Working with 1 half, fold into thirds like business letter; pinch seams together to form ball.  Repeat with remaining half.  Return balls to oiled bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let rise in refrigerator until nearly doubled in volume, 40-50 minutes.

Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with 2 tablespoons olive oil each.  Transfer 1 dough ball to dry work surface and roll out into 13-inch disk about 1/4 inch thick.  Transfer dough to pan by rolling dough loosely around rolling pin and unrolling into pan.  Lightly press dough into pan, working into corners and 1 inch up sides.  If dough resists stretching, let it relax 5 minutes before trying again.  Repeat with remaining dough ball.

For each pizza, sprinkle 2 cups mozzarella evenly over surface of dough.  Spread 1 1/4 cups tomato sauce over cheese and sprinkle 2 tablespoons Parmesan over sauce.  Bake until crust is golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes.  Remove pizza from oven and let rest 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

*I need to buy 9-inch round pans that have higher sides.  My rolled out dough went above the rim of my pan, so I folded it down a bit to make the dough more level with the rim of the pan.

This recipe comes from America's Test Kitchen