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Show of hands, please.
How many of you have had deep dish pizza?
Like, not Pizza Hut deep dish, but real, honest to goodness, there is a pound or more of cheese on this pizza, sauce on top, toppings not on top, deep dish pizza?
It’s my new mission to be sure that everyone experiences deep dish pizza the right way. What is the right way, you ask?
Thick, crunchy dough.
Sliced mozzarella, and lots of it. Provolone is nice, too.
Easy on the toppings.
Chunky-ish, simple tomato sauce. Nothing fancy and certainly nothing from a jar labeled “pizza sauce.”
That, my friends, is deep dish pizza. It’s actually super easy to make and it is super filling. One 12 inch deep dish will easily feed 4. Probably closer to 6, but I’m a big believer in having more than enough food to go around.
Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza
Ingredients
To make the crust:
- 3/4 cup warm water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 cups flour
- 1/3 cup vegetable or corn oil
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- softened butter for greasing the pan
- 2 tablespoons corn meal
For the sauce:
- 28 ounce can whole peeled tomates
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- pinch of sugar
- pinch of salt
Toppings:
- 12 ounces deli sliced mozzarella cheese
- 6 ounces deli sliced provolone
- pepperoni sausage, onions, etc.
Instructions
To make the crust:
- Add the water and yeast to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with dough hook. Let sit 5 minutes.
- Add the flour, oil, sugar, and salt to the bowl and turn the mixer to low. Mix until just combined and increase speed to medium, kneading for 2 minutes.
- Place the dough ball into a large, greased bowl and set in a warm place for 6 hours.
- Lightly butter a 12 inch cast iron skillet. Sprinkle the corn meal in the skillet.
- Punch down the dough and let rest for 15 minutes.
- Place the dough in the skillet. Use your fingers to press it into the bottom of the skillet and up the sides.
- Bake for 10 minutes in a preheated 450 degree oven.
- While the crust is parbaking, prepare the sauce.
- Drain the whole tomatoes and place in a blender or food processor. Add the Italian seasoning, sugar, and salt and blend until the tomatoes are mostly broken up, but still somewhat chunky.
- Remove the crust from the oven and layer the cheese slices in the crust.
- Add your favorite toppings.
- Pour on about 1/2 cup of sauce. Use more or less, depending on how saucy you like your pizza. We go pretty easy on the sauce. (There will be quite a bit of leftover sauce. Freeze it in a freezer bag or refrigerate and use within 5 days.)
- Return to the oven and bake for 20 more minutes or until the crust is golden and the cheese has melted.
- Let sit 5 minutes before serving.
A.A. Holek says
I am a native Chicagoan. You have NO idea how to make Chicago deep dish pizza.
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Cassi says
I’ve been looking through all of your recipes, and wow. Everything looks phenomenal!! Thank you for this site 🙂 I’ve copied and pasted so many already. Looking forward to making some!!
Jennifer says
So Tyler told me about this when he ate it at your house and I have to make it! 🙂 Pinning!
Katrina @ In Katrina's Kitchen says
Oh yes sign me up!! Love me some CHicago deep dish!
Joanne says
I have been majorly craving pizza for the past week and you are not helping! But in the best possible way.
susan says
Yes I have had Chicago Style Pizza, in Chicago no less, January 1999. The taste experience still lingers in my memories. Thanks for the recipe. I plan to make it for our Saturday pizza night.
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
I seriously need to try this beauty…it’s magical looking!
Amber {Sprinkled With Flour} says
We’re usually thin crust pizza eaters, but this looks so good I’ll have to try it!
Karly says
@Amber {Sprinkled With Flour},
This makes a good thin crust too. Just rolllllllll it out. 🙂
shelly (cookies and cups) says
I love how you think that serving will feed 6. Challenge accepted.
Karly says
@shelly (cookies and cups),
I just served this to 2 tween boys and myself and there was still half a pizza left! But, hey, if you want to eat the whole thing and probably never poop again, go right ahead. 😉
sally @ sallys baking addiction says
While I dooooo admit to liking thin crust pizza, it’s every now and then that I crave a bit more carby action with my tomato sauce. I had chicago style pizza for the first time a few years ago and it was incredible! And all that cheese…….. mmmm….. now I don’t even want my boring turkey sandwich for lunch anymore! Just want PIZZA!
Hayley @ The Domestic Rebel says
Ugh, I have NEVER had a “real” deep dish pizza. I’ve only experienced the commercialized Pizza Hut deep dish which, my friends, is NOT deep dish. That’s like saying your knockoff designer handbag is the real deal while the seams begin to burst in front of your very eyes (no, this isn’t a true story, why do you ask??) I want to bury my face into this thick dough and never resurface. SO making this!
mrsblocko says
Viva la Chicago Style pizza. All other pizza’s should tremble at the mention of CSP!
Recipe looks delish!
Cookbook Queen says
True Story: My kid has totally been bugging me for deep dish pizza. I don’t even know why, I assume he saw it on a commercial or something, which is where he gets most of his information on life.
This recipe is perfect timing!! Totally trying it. 🙂
Karly says
@Cookbook Queen,
do it do it do it