Description
Chicago’s legendary deep-dish pizza pie brings comfort and indulgence to your table with its thick, buttery crust and layers of rich ingredients. Cheese, sauce, and toppings meld together in a hearty slice that promises pure satisfaction for pizza enthusiasts.
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients
Crust Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 cups (591 ml) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons / 7 grams) active dry yeast
- 3/4 cup (177 ml) warm water
- 1/4 cup (59 ml) olive oil
Sauce Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 can (15 ounces / 425 grams) crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Filling Ingredients:
- 2 cups (226 grams) shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup (50 grams) grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup (75 grams) sliced pepperoni or cooked sausage (optional)
- 1/2 cup (75 grams) sliced mushrooms (optional)
- 1/2 cup (75 grams) chopped bell peppers or spinach (optional)
Instructions
- Activate the yeast by dissolving it in warm water with a touch of sugar, allowing the mixture to become frothy and alive with fermentation for 5-10 minutes.
- Create a sturdy dough foundation by combining flour and salt, then integrating the activated yeast and olive oil until a cohesive mass forms.
- Transform the dough through vigorous kneading on a flour-dusted surface, developing its elasticity and strength for 5-7 minutes until achieving a silky, smooth texture.
- Nurture dough development by placing it in an oil-coated vessel, covering it, and allowing it to rise in a warm environment until it doubles in volume, approximately one hour.
- Craft a robust sauce by sautéing onions and garlic in olive oil until they become translucent and fragrant.
- Enhance the sauce with crushed tomatoes, infusing it with oregano, basil, salt, and pepper, then allowing it to simmer and meld flavors for 15 minutes.
- Prepare the pizza vessel by heating the oven to 425°F, ensuring a perfectly crisp crust environment.
- Stretch the dough into a circular shape slightly larger than the deep-dish pan, gently pressing it to line the entire surface, including the sides.
- Construct the pizza’s foundation by layering half the mozzarella and Parmesan cheese directly onto the crust, creating a protective barrier.
- Distribute selected toppings like pepperoni or vegetables across the cheese layer for maximum flavor integration.
- Ladle the prepared sauce evenly over the toppings, ensuring complete coverage.
- Finish with a generous sprinkle of remaining cheese, creating a golden, bubbling crown.
- Bake the pizza until the crust transforms to a rich golden hue and the cheese becomes molten and inviting, approximately 25-30 minutes.
- Allow the pizza to rest for 5 minutes, enabling the layers to settle and making clean slicing easier.
- Serve the pizza piping hot, accompanied by marinara sauce or a crisp salad for a complete culinary experience.
Notes
- Always use warm water (not hot) when activating yeast to ensure proper fermentation without killing the yeast.
- Knead the dough thoroughly to develop gluten, which creates a chewy and elastic pizza crust with great texture.
- Allow sufficient rising time for the dough, as this develops deeper flavor and lighter, more airy crust structure.
- Consider using a cast-iron skillet instead of a traditional deep-dish pan for enhanced heat distribution and crispy bottom crust.
- For gluten-free adaptation, replace wheat flour with a high-quality gluten-free blend and add xanthan gum for better binding.
- Precook heavy vegetable toppings like mushrooms or zucchini to prevent excess moisture in the final pizza.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus 1 hour rise time)
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg