In 1943, Ike Seawell was credited for creating the first deep-dish pizza in Chicago.
Pizza night just got a lot more fun with this Chicago-style deep-dish version.
Not to mention, it’s a midwestern classic.
Credit: Blaine Moats
Sprinkle bottom of pan with cornmeal; set pan aside.
Make Dough
In a large bowl combine warm water and yeast, stirring to dissolve yeast.
Let stand for 5 minutes.
Stir in 1-1/2 cups of the flour, 1/3 cup oil, and the salt.
Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping side of bowl constantly.
Beat on high speed for 2 minutes.
Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you could.
Knead Dough and Let Rise
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
Shape dough into a ball.
Place in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface.
Cover and let rise in a warm place until it doubles in size (50 to 60 minutes).
Cover and let rest for 5 minutes.
Press Dough Into Pan
Place dough in the prepared pan.
Make Filling
Preheat oven to 375F.
For filling, in a medium skillet cook sausage over medium-high heat until brown.
Drain in a colander.
Using paper towels, pat sausage and wipe out skillet to remove additional fat.
Return sausage to skillet.
Stir in drained tomatoes, snipped or dried oregano, and snipped or dried basil.
Cook and stir until heated through.
Layer Toppings
To assemble, arrange mozzarella cheese slices over dough.
Spoon filling over cheese; sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
If necessary, cover crust with foil during the last 10 minutes of baking to prevent overbrowning.
Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
If using a springform pan, remove side of pan.
If desired, sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese and basil leaves.
2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
