Chicago Deep-Dish Pizza
By Bryan RoofPublished on February 22, 2023
Time
1¾ hours, plus 1 hour 20 minutes rising
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Dough
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons water, room temperature1 tablespoon instant or rapid-rise yeast 3 cups (15 ounces/425 grams) all-purpose flour 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing pans1 teaspoon table saltSauce
1 (28-ounce/794-gram) can whole peeled tomatoes 1 (8-ounce/227-gram) can tomato sauce 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 teaspoons sugar 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning 1 teaspoon table salt 1 teaspoon ground fennel 1 teaspoon granulated garlic ½ teaspoon pepper10 slices deli mozzarella cheese (10 ounces/283 grams), divided6 ounces (170 grams) Italian sausage, casings removed, divided¼ tablespoon dried oregano ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Before You Begin
We call for two dark-colored 9-inch cake pans for this recipe. The dark pan color is essential for achieving a crisp bottom on the pizza. If you have only light-colored pans, you can increase the baking time by 5 minutes, but the crust will not be as crisp as in the dark pans. In step 8, if you prefer, transfer the pizzas to a cutting board before slicing.
Instructions
- Combine water and yeast in 1-cup liquid measuring cup and let sit for 5 minutes. Whisk flour, oil, and salt in bowl of stand mixer until oil is evenly incorporated, about 30 seconds.
- Fit stand mixer with dough hook. Add water-yeast mixture to flour mixture and mix on low speed until no dry flour remains, about 2 minutes. Increase speed to medium and knead until dough is smooth and elastic and clears sides of bowl, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer dough to unfloured counter and shape into ball. Place dough in lightly greased bowl and turn to coat. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let dough rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, transfer whole tomatoes to fine-mesh strainer set over bowl (or colander set in sink). Let tomatoes drain for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer tomatoes to medium bowl and, using kitchen shears or your hands, cut or break tomatoes into ½-inch pieces. Return tomatoes to strainer and let drain for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Return tomatoes to bowl; discard tomato liquid. Stir tomato sauce, oil, sugar, Italian seasoning, salt, fennel, granulated garlic, and pepper into tomatoes; set aside. (Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)
- Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease bottoms and sides of 2 dark-colored 9-inch round cake pans with 1 tablespoon oil each. Divide dough evenly between pans, cover with plastic, and let rest for 20 minutes.
- Using palm of your hand, press 1 piece of dough flat into pan bottom until dough meets edge of pan. Rotating pan as you work, press dough until it reaches about 1 inch up sides of pan. Arrange 5 mozzarella cheese slices in even layer, then press mozzarella into dough gently with your palms. If dough no longer reaches 1 inch up sides, repeat pressing.
- Break sausage into penny-size pieces and distribute half evenly over mozzarella. Press sausage lightly into mozzarella. Spread half of sauce in even layer on top of sausage, taking care to not push any sauce over edge of dough. Sprinkle pizza with half of oregano, then half of Parmesan. Repeat steps 6 and 7 to shape and top second pizza.
- Bake pizzas until top edges of crusts are well browned, about 35 minutes. Remove pizzas from oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Using bench scraper or sturdy metal spatula, cut each pizza in pan into 4 wedges. Serve.
for the dough
for the sauce
Time
1¾ hours, plus 1 hour 20 minutes risingYield
Serves 4Ingredients
Dough
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons water, room temperature
1 tablespoon instant or rapid-rise yeast
3 cups (15 ounces/425 grams) all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing pans
1 teaspoon table salt
Sauce
1 (28-ounce/794-gram) can whole peeled tomatoes
1 (8-ounce/227-gram) can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon ground fennel
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
½ teaspoon pepper
10 slices deli mozzarella cheese (10 ounces/283 grams), divided
6 ounces (170 grams) Italian sausage, casings removed, divided
¼ tablespoon dried oregano
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Ingredients
Dough
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons water, room temperature
1 tablespoon instant or rapid-rise yeast
3 cups (15 ounces/425 grams) all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing pans
1 teaspoon table salt
Sauce
1 (28-ounce/794-gram) can whole peeled tomatoes
1 (8-ounce/227-gram) can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon ground fennel
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
½ teaspoon pepper
10 slices deli mozzarella cheese (10 ounces/283 grams), divided
6 ounces (170 grams) Italian sausage, casings removed, divided
¼ tablespoon dried oregano
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Ingredients
Dough
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons water, room temperature
1 tablespoon instant or rapid-rise yeast
3 cups (15 ounces/425 grams) all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing pans
1 teaspoon table salt
Sauce
1 (28-ounce/794-gram) can whole peeled tomatoes
1 (8-ounce/227-gram) can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon ground fennel
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
½ teaspoon pepper
10 slices deli mozzarella cheese (10 ounces/283 grams), divided
6 ounces (170 grams) Italian sausage, casings removed, divided
¼ tablespoon dried oregano
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Why This Recipe Works
This recipe has been updated since its initial publication; the salt in the sauce has been reduced to 1 teaspoon. This Chicago-style deep-dish pizza is inspired by the pies at My Pi Pizza in Chicago's Bucktown neighborhood. Chef-owner Rich Aronson's pie is relatively thin (compared with other deep-dish pizza styles), but it is thick and crisp enough on the bottom to hold up without bending under the weight of the toppings. The dough, while sturdy, is surprisingly flaky and light. In classic Chicago style, toppings (Italian sausage and sliced mozzarella cheese, in this case) were gently pressed into the dough before the sauce was added, giving the finished pie a beautiful, tomato-forward appearance. A sprinkle of oregano and Parmesan cheese added a touch of salty funk and herby aromas.
Want more? Read the whole storyBefore You Begin
We call for two dark-colored 9-inch cake pans for this recipe. The dark pan color is essential for achieving a crisp bottom on the pizza. If you have only light-colored pans, you can increase the baking time by 5 minutes, but the crust will not be as crisp as in the dark pans. In step 8, if you prefer, transfer the pizzas to a cutting board before slicing.
Instructions
- Combine water and yeast in 1-cup liquid measuring cup and let sit for 5 minutes. Whisk flour, oil, and salt in bowl of stand mixer until oil is evenly incorporated, about 30 seconds.
- Fit stand mixer with dough hook. Add water-yeast mixture to flour mixture and mix on low speed until no dry flour remains, about 2 minutes. Increase speed to medium and knead until dough is smooth and elastic and clears sides of bowl, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer dough to unfloured counter and shape into ball. Place dough in lightly greased bowl and turn to coat. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let dough rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, transfer whole tomatoes to fine-mesh strainer set over bowl (or colander set in sink). Let tomatoes drain for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer tomatoes to medium bowl and, using kitchen shears or your hands, cut or break tomatoes into ½-inch pieces. Return tomatoes to strainer and let drain for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Return tomatoes to bowl; discard tomato liquid. Stir tomato sauce, oil, sugar, Italian seasoning, salt, fennel, granulated garlic, and pepper into tomatoes; set aside. (Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)
- Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease bottoms and sides of 2 dark-colored 9-inch round cake pans with 1 tablespoon oil each. Divide dough evenly between pans, cover with plastic, and let rest for 20 minutes.
- Using palm of your hand, press 1 piece of dough flat into pan bottom until dough meets edge of pan. Rotating pan as you work, press dough until it reaches about 1 inch up sides of pan. Arrange 5 mozzarella cheese slices in even layer, then press mozzarella into dough gently with your palms. If dough no longer reaches 1 inch up sides, repeat pressing.
- Break sausage into penny-size pieces and distribute half evenly over mozzarella. Press sausage lightly into mozzarella. Spread half of sauce in even layer on top of sausage, taking care to not push any sauce over edge of dough. Sprinkle pizza with half of oregano, then half of Parmesan. Repeat steps 6 and 7 to shape and top second pizza.
- Bake pizzas until top edges of crusts are well browned, about 35 minutes. Remove pizzas from oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Using bench scraper or sturdy metal spatula, cut each pizza in pan into 4 wedges. Serve.
for the dough
for the sauce
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