Homemade Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza – Indulge, in the world of Homemade Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza. Its crust strikes the balance between crispy and doughy adorned with tomato sauce, melted cheese, and an array of toppings to suit your taste – a true pizza lover fantasy!
I still remember the first time I attempted this pizza recipe on a chilly evening aiming to create a comforting meal. As I pulled it out of the oven its irresistible aroma filled the kitchen immediately captivating my husband and son. Their eyes widened with anticipation as we each took our bite. The result? Instant success! Even my picky son devoured his slice. Eagerly asked for seconds. My husband went far as to declare it as the best pizza he had ever tasted.
What makes this Homemade Chicago-style Dish Pizza truly special?
Once you dive into this pizza experience you’ll realize it’s no ordinary pie. Drawing inspiration from the heart of Chicago itself every slice exudes authenticity. Crafted with the ingredients available each mouthful guarantees perfection, in flavor and texture. And here’s where it gets exciting – you can customize it according to your desires; whether you crave pepperoni or bacon or any other topping that makes your heart sing making every pizza one of a kind!
What You Need To Make This Homemade Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza Recipe?
All-purpose flour: Spooned and leveled ensures you’re not overpacking the flour, which could result in a denser crust.
Yellow cornmeal: This isn’t just for texture; it gives our crust that signature taste distinct to Chicago-style pizza.
Platinum Yeast from Red Star: Specifically mentioning this brand means we’re after top-notch quality. It ensures a consistent and perfect rise to our crust every time.
Butter: The recipe uses both melted and softened butter, adding layers of flavor and texture to our crust. While melting is straightforward, ensure the softened butter is easy to spread but not oily.
Grated onion: In the tomato sauce, this not only provides moisture but also a gentle sweetness and depth. Using grated onion, as opposed to chopped, ensures a smoother sauce without big chunks.
Crushed tomatoes: For the best sauce, use high-quality canned tomatoes. It’s the backbone of our sauce, so quality matters!
Cheese: For the mozzarella, consider buying a fresh block and shredding it yourself. It can make a difference in both flavor and meltability. The parmesan adds a nice salty touch to the topping.
Optional toppings: While pepperoni and bacon are listed, feel free to get creative! The beauty of pizza is its versatility, so don’t hesitate to experiment.
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Steps To Make Homemade Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza:
Step 1: Oh, sweetheart, let’s make something magical! First, get a bowl. Mix together your flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar and yeast. Now pour in the water and melted butter. Just be careful not to make it too hot. Stir everything until you have a dreamy dough.
Step 2: Once your dough looks heavenly give it a break in a bowl coated with olive oil. Let it rise like the sun for 1 to 2 hours.
Step 3: Now onto the sauce! Melt some butter in a pan. Add those onions, salt oregano, and red pepper flakes. Stir them until they turn brown before adding the garlic and crushed tomatoes. Let it simmer until it becomes rich and thick.
Step 4: When your dough has risen enough roll it out into a rectangle shape. Spread some room-temperature butter over it. Follow the instructions illustrated below for the steps. Once ready top it off with cheese toppings of your choice and that sauce we prepared earlier.
Step 5: Finally, pop it into the oven! Bake at 425°F for 20 to 28 minutes or, until brown.
Step 6: Once the baked goods are ready allow them to cool for a while. Then slice them and serve them. Observe the expressions on people’s faces!
Tip:
For achieving an exceptionally crispy crust you might want to consider pre-baking the crust for 5 to 7 minutes prior, to adding the toppings. This technique, called “blind baking ” assists in establishing the structure of the crust and prevents it from getting soggy when you add the sauce and toppings. However, it’s important not to overdo this step—remember that you’re not trying to fully bake it at this stage just giving it a head start!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can I use a different type of yeast?
Definitely! However, if you want the crust to rise perfectly I recommend using the Platinum Yeast from Red Star.
How can I store leftover sauce?
You can keep it in a sealed container. Refrigerate it for up to 2 days. Alternatively, you can freeze it for up to 2 months.
Can I use other toppings?
Absolutely! Feel free to customize your pizza with any toppings you like. Just remember that you might need to adjust the baking time.
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Planning to try this recipe soon? Pin it for a quick find later!
<Remember it later>
Planning to try this recipe soon? Pin it for a quick find later!
Homemade Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza
Ingredients
Pizza Crust (makes 2):
- 3 and 1/4 c 406 grams all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)
- 1/2 c 60 grams yellow cornmeal
- 1 and 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp 12 grams granulated sugar
- 2 and 1/4 tsp 7 grams Platinum Yeast from Red Star instant yeast (1 standard packet)
- 1 and 1/4 c 300ml slightly warm water
- 1/2 c 115 grams unsalted butter, divided (1/4 c melted, 1/4 c softened to room temperature)
- olive oil for coating
Tomato Sauce for Both Pizzas:
- 2 tbsp. 30 grams unsalted butter
- 1 small onion grated (about 1/3 c)
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes optional, but recommended
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- one 28-oz 794 grams can crushed tomatoes
- 1/4 tsp granulated sugar
Toppings for Both Pizzas:
- 4 c about 16 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 c 45 grams grated parmesan cheese
- optional: 1/2 c sliced pepperoni
- optional: 4 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
Instructions
For the Pizza Crust:
- In a bowl combine flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar and yeast.
- Add water and 1/4 cup of melted butter to the mixture. Stir until a dough forms.
- Shape the dough into a ball. Coat it with oil in a separate bowl. Cover it. Let it rise until it doubles in size.
- Roll out the dough into a rectangle measuring 15x12 inches. Spread 1/4 cup of softened butter on top of the dough.
- Roll up the dough lengthwise then cut it in half to form two balls. Place them in the fridge to rise.
For the Tomato Sauce:
- Melt butter in a saucepan. Add onion, salt, oregano, red pepper flakes and garlic to it.
- Add tomatoes and sugar to the saucepan mixture. Allow it to simmer until the sauce thickens.
To Assemble:
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C).
- Take one of the dough balls. Roll it out into a circle measuring 12 inches in diameter.
- Fit this rolled-out dough into a dish cake pan measuring 9x2 inches.
- Fill half of the pan with mozzarella cheese followed by your desired toppings.
- Pour tomato sauce on top of everything and sprinkle some parmesan cheese well.
- Bake for 20 to 28 minutes or until you achieve a golden crust.
- Allow your pizza to cool for around 10 minutes before serving.
- Repeat these steps for your second pizza.
- Enjoy your Chicago-style Deep Dish Pizza!
Notes
I’m Bitty, owner of nodashofgluten.com, where I share simple, delicious recipes for all tastes, including gluten-free. Check out my “About Me” page for more info!
