Recipe: Chicago Deep Dish Pizza

CHICAGO DEEP DISH PIZZA
Source: The Frugal Gourmet Cooks American

DEEP-DISH-PIZZA CRUST:
This is easy, as you do not have to roll it out. You just push it into place in the pan. Please note that there is no sugar or salt in this dough.

2 packages Quick Rise dry yeast
2 cups tepid water (90 degrees F.)
1/2 cup salad oil
4 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup cornmeal
5 1/2 cups flour

In the large bowl of an electric mixer dissolve the yeast in the water. Add the oils, cornmeal and 3 cups of the flour. Beat for 10 minutes with the mixer.

Attach the dough hook and mix in the additional 2 1/2 cups flour. Knead for several minutes with the machine. It is hard to do this by hand since the dough is very rich and moist.

Pour out the dough on a plastic countertop and cover with a very large metal bowl. Allow to rise until double in bulk.

Punch down and allow to rise again. Punch down a second time and you are ready to make pizza.

Oil 9- or 10-inch round cake pans. Put a bit of dough in each and push it out to the edges, using your finges. (I oil mine with olive oil.) Put in enough dough so that you can run the crust right up the side of the pan. Make it about 1/8-inch thick throughout the pan.

THE FILLING FOR A 9- OR 10-INCH PAN:
1/3 pound sliced Mozzarella cheese
2 cups canned plum tomatoes, drained and squished
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon oregano
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
Salt to taste
3 Tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese for topping
3 Tablespoons olive oil

Place the Mozzarella in tilelike layers on the bottom of the pie. Next put in the tomatoes and the basil, oregano, garlic, and salt. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Drizzle the olive oil over the top of the pie and you are ready to bake.

ADDITIONAL VARIATIONS:
Before you put on the Parmesan cheese and olive oil drizzle you might like to add any or all of the following:

Cooked, crumbled Italian sausage, hot or mild
Yellow onions, peeled and diced
Pepperoni, sliced thin
Mushrooms, sliced
Green sweet bell peppers, cored and sliced thin

Put any or all of these on your pie and then top with the Parmesan and the olive oil.

BAKING THE PIE:
Bake the pie in a preheated 475 degree F. oven until the top is golen and gooey and the crust a light golden brown. This should take about 35 or 40 minutes.