Chicago Deep Dish Pizza

Please don't be scared off by homemade pizza it really isn't hard to make and this Chicago style was so easy.  You will love the taste of the crust, it is good enough to eat without the filling.  Any oil will work but after reading a number of different, often heated arguments on discussion boards I bought a small bottle of corn oil.  I have only used olive oil or canola oil for as long as I can remember.  Reading all the input it seemed to get the flavor of true Chicago pizza the corn oil would do the trick.  I will try it again with olive oil especially if I am using it other than a pizza.
I also think a cast iron pan is important to get that crusty bottom.  This crust recipe came from "stevel6" on Chowhound.com  I doubled his measurements for one pizza, and measured out the Tablespoons of oil to be about 3/4 cup for the doubled recipe.  Having never made it or eaten it before I just went with the measurement, I think the Tablespoon measurement is so you add it as needed.  I didn't know what the dough should look like so just went with the measurement and it worked great.  Below is the doubled recipe I used and I love how it came out. From here you could use a bought sauce or your favorite sauce, but wanting to try the traditional style I found this recipe for sauce from Emeril Lagasse off of Food Network.......Love Emeril !!

That looks like a huge piece but that is an 8" plate...this is
so hearty you will be full on one piece, not saying
you won't have a second piece but you'll be full on one.

Chicago Deep Dish Pizza

Crust

Ingredients:

12 T warm water 

2c flour

6 T oil olive, canola, corn your choice

1 1/2 tsp yeast  (I had packets so used 2)

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

Directions:

I put all ingredients into food processor pulse just a couple times (don't over do it) till mixed somewhat of a ball forms quickly.  Dump it out onto lightly floured surface and knead no more than 2 minutes this is important.  The kneading of the dough longer lets the gluten get elastic like a traditional pizza, with less kneading you are getting more of a biscuit/bread type dough.  Put dough in bowl cover and let rise for 4-6 hours.  If you don't have a warm place for it turn the oven to about 200° when warm turn off oven place bowl in oven to rise. Punch dough down let rest about 15 minutes sprinkle some corn meal into bottom of pan then press into 12 inch cast iron skillet.

Assembling pizza:  Top dough with sliced or shredded mozzarella, then whatever "toppings" you would like we did peppers, onions, mushrooms, sausage.  I put toppings in quotes because they will actually be on the bottom of the pizza.  Then top with sauce then a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese on top.  Bake 475° for 30 minutes.  Crust edge should be golden.

****This made enough for 1 12inch pizza when I realized I needed more I made this same recipe using rapid rise yeast since I was out of time and it came out just as good, you couldn't tell a difference between them.  

Homemade

Sauce:

For one pizza:

2 T olive oil

1 T chopped garlic

2 tsp fresh basil

1 tsp fresh oregano

1/4 tsp fennel seed

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp red pepper

1 28oz can San Marzano or Plum tomato (I found Cento Brand bottom of shelf)

1 T red wine

1 tsp sugar

Directions:

Saute garlic and spices about 30 seconds then add rest of ingredients and allow to simmer at least 30 minutes.  It will thicken I simmered it at least an  hour.  Using a potato masher mash tomato if they were whole.  For very little effort this produces an amazing sauce.  Allow to cool before assembling pizza.

You can tell here how wet the dough was, but
easy to work with.

Assembling--mozzarella on bottom, toppings in middle
then sauce, the topping of fresh Parmesan.

Dough wants to recede from edge I kept pushing it back up
as I put ingredients into crust.

Pizza with Whole Wheat Crust

I started making this when we couldn't get whole wheat crusts from the local pizzeria's, we now have a couple who do a whole wheat crust that is very good.  However this is so easy to make and I like being able to add to the crust different spices, grains or sometimes grated Parmesan.  I will make homemade sauce if I have time but have found some jarred sauces that are pretty good if I don't ...... if I am making homemade sauce it has to be able to simmer for a long time.

Pizza

Makes one very large pizza or 2 med.  I did a large and made small rolls out of the extra dough.

Crust:
 2 c whole wheat flour  http://www.kingarthurflour.com/
1 1/2 c white flour (haven't tried the whole grain white flour yet but am anxious to)
1 tsp salt
1 pkg rapid rise yeast
1 T olive oil
1 1/2 c warm water about 110degrees
corn meal (to prepare pan)

Put dry ingredients in food processor including yeast and pulse a couple times, I put olive oil in water and drizzle through processor tube while running do not use all of the water watch it start to form a ball and you know you are done.  Remove from processor and knead dough to form smooth ball, place in bowl that has light coating of olive oil sit in warm spot for about 10 -15  min.  If it is winter I warm the oven and then turn it off leave the door ajar and set the bowl in there, the rest of the year I feel the house is warm enough.

Sprinkle pan with corn meal.  Stretch dough to fit pan, roll if that helps you.  I usually stretch it to the desired shape and then roll out to get the exact fit.  I sprinkle pan with corn meal, then place dough on top.  Sprinkle dough with a small amount of grated cheese, then spread on sauce and add toppings.

-----my favorite brand never realized it makes a difference
until I tried this brand, it is available in our local stores

cover dough and let rise about 15 min

For a different taste I saute the onions and mushrooms till slightly  browned before putting on the pizza.  

Tonight I served it with salad and a Blue Moon.  As with a lot of homemade meals sometimes it just comes out better than others, or maybe we were just in the mood for it but tonight's was great.