Deep-Dish Pizza, Chicago Style
Chicago’s best-loved food is deep-dish pizza. Do it up right, just as they do in the windy city, with heaping portions of spicy, hot Italian sausage, green peppers, fresh mushrooms, and onions. You can cheat a little and use refrigerated dough, but if you don’t want to upset the mob, try making your own dough from scratch (see page 194). Chicago-style pizza and our beloved home of Austin, Texas, have more of a connection than one might realize. Reportedly, the famous Chicago-style deep-dish pizza was invented by former University of Texas football star Ike Sewell. Go Horns!
Recipe information
Yield
makes 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly coat a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
Step 2
Heat 2 teaspoons of the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the sausage, onion, bell pepper, and red pepper flakes to the pan and cook, breaking up any lumps with the back of a spoon, until the sausage is browned, about 8 minutes. Drain the sausage mixture, and set aside.
Step 3
Return the pan to medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until the moisture evaporates, about 5 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a small bowl and set aside. Wipe the pan clean.
Step 4
Return the pan to medium heat and add the remaining teaspoon of olive oil. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly until lightly browned. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato sauce, oregano, and fennel. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes or until the sauce is slightly thickened.
Step 5
Unroll the pizza crust dough and press it into the bottom and halfway up the sides of the prepared casserole dish. Place a single layer of the mozzarella slices in the bottom of the pan to cover the dough (about 6 slices). Spoon the sausage mixture evenly over the cheese, then spoon the mushrooms over the sausage. Pour the sauce over the casserole and top with the shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan cheeses.
Step 6
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the crust is browned and the cheeses bubble.
