Recipe(tried): Pizzeria Uno's Chicago Deep Dish Pizza and Pizza Sauce (copycat recipe)

PIZZERIA UNO'S CHICAGO DEEP DISH PIZZA
(copycat recipe)

FOR THE PIZZA DOUGH:
1 1/2 cups (scant) water (11 oz) (room temperature, about 70 to 80- degrees F)
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (or one 0.25 oz packet)
1 teaspoon white granulated sugar (0.38 oz)
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (don't use bread flour, we want a biscuit like dough) (18 oz)
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal (3.5 oz)
1 teaspoon table salt (0.25 oz)
1/2 cup cooking oil (7 tbsp corn or canola oil and 1 tbsp olive oil) - corn oil adds a buttery flavor to the crust (3.5 oz total)
FOR THE BOTTOM (CHEESE) LAYER:
1/2 pound sliced mozzarella cheese
FOR THE MIDDLE (TOPPINGS) LAYER:
1/2 pound Italian Sausage, hot or mild, crumbled
1/2 pound pepperoni, sliced thin
1/2 yellow onion, cut into thin rings
1/2 green bell pepper, cored and cut into thin rings
1/2 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup black olives, thinly sliced
FOR THE TOP:
Pizza Sauce (prepared and cooled, recipe follows)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan Cheese (to sprinkle on top)
1/4 cup Olive Oil (to drizzle over top)

TO PREPARE THE PIZZA DOUGH:
Add yeast and sugar to 1 1/2 cups water; stir well. If not using instant yeast, allow the yeast to bloom in water for about 15-minutes. If using instant yeast, you can use the water mixture right away.

Stir in flour, cornmeal and salt. Mix well. Stir in cooking oil(s). Mix for 1 minute then knead for 2 minutes. You can use a stand mixer or by hand. Add more flour or warm water, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed, to make a workable dough. Don't over-knead, we want a biscuit like dough for deep dish pizza.

Form dough into a ball, place in a large mixing bowl, coat dough lightly with oil, cover bowl and let dough rise in a warm place for 6 hours.

WHEN READY TO MAKE THE PIZZA:
Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. Punch down dough and allow it to rest 10 to 15 minutes.

Roll out or press dough into a 12-inch deep-dish pizza pan. Press dough evenly onto bottom and up inner sides of deep dish pizza pan.

FOR THE BOTTOM (CHEESE) LAYER:
Add a layer of sliced mozzarella as the bottom layer on top of the dough. Place the cheese in tile-like layers covering the dough on the pan bottom.

FOR THE MIDDLE (TOPPINGS) LAYER:
Add toppings, evenly distributed across pizza, as the middle layer.

FOR THE TOP (PIZZA SAUCE):
Finally ladle the cooled pizza sauce evenly over the toppings as the top layer on the deep-dish pizza. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over sauce and drizzle with olive oil.

Bake the deep-dish pizza in a preheated 475 degrees F oven until the top is golden and gooey and the crust is a light golden brown, about 35 to 40 minutes.

PIZZA SAUCE
(makes 3 cups)

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
1 tablespoon dried basil, crushed
1 tablespoon dried oregano, crushed
1/4 teaspoon anise seeds (or fennel seeds)
1/2 teaspoon table salt (or to taste)
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes, (or to taste)
1 (28 oz) can Italian-style whole peeled tomatoes, lightly squished (use "6 in 1 Brand - All Purpose Ground Tomatoes", if you can find it)
1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon white granulated sugar

In a saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the herbs, seeds, salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, balsamic vinegar and sugar, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool completely before using.

Total Time: about 7 hours (6 hour dough rise, 30 to 45 minutes baking)
Makes 1 (12-inch) Chicago deep-dish pizza