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Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza

Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword cast iron skillet, pizza

Ingredients

Dough Recipe

  • 3 ½ cups all purpose flour
  • ½ cup yellow cornmeal
  • 2 ¼ tsp yeast or you can use a .25 ounce pack of rapid rise yeast
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 ¼ cups water room temperature
  • 3 tbsp melted butter

For Rising and Laminating

  • 4 tbsp room temperature butter
  • olive oil

Toppings and Building

  • 1 tbsp room temperature butter for greasing pans
  • 24 ounces sauce your favorite sauce
  • 16 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
  • ⅓ cup parmesan cheese
  • meat and veggies see notes

Instructions

Making Dough and First Rise

  1. Combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, and yeast until mixed thoroughly.

  2. Add the melted butter and water and mix for 1-2 minutes. On a clean surface, pour dough (which will likely still be very crumbly) out and hand knead for about 5 minutes until combined.

  3. Take a little oil and coat the sides and bottom of mixing bowl that will allow your dough ball to double in size. Place the dough all into the bowl and then flip the dough allowing oil on both sides. Cover with hand towel or plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise for an hour.

Laminating Dough and Second Rise

  1. After the dough has risen an hour, place the oven rack on its lowest position and preheat to 425℉

  2. Turn the dough out onto a clean a slightly floured surface. Roll the dough out into a rectangle that is around 15x12 inches.

  3. Take room temperature butter, spread it all over the surface of the dough. Roll the dough from the short end (like rolling cinnamon rolls).

  4. Place the seam down on the counter and flatten the dough with hands until the dough is about 4 inches wide. Fold the dough into thirds (folding like a letter) and roll into a ball.

  5. Place back into the bowl to rise again and cover, except this time place it in the refrigerator for about 45 minutes

Topping Prep

  1. While the dough is rising, prep the toppings. Cut any veggies like mushrooms, sauté veggies like onions and peppers. Cook any meats like sausage.

  2. Gather cheese, sauce, and toppings

Building the Pizza

  1. Take a little butter and grease your skillet or pans

  2. On your floured countertop, roll the dough out until it is about ¼ inch thick and a roundish disk. Transfer the dough to the prepared skillet or pan and lightly press into corners. Let dough sit high on the sides, however, if any dough is too long for the sides, simply push down. Think of this like a pie crust. It is fine if it is thick.

  3. Add the mozzarella cheese to the pizza (yes, it is first), then add the toppings, spoon on the sauce, and top with the parmesan cheese.

  4. Bake the pizza for about 25 minutes or until the crust is golden. If the crust is getting browner than you would like, you could add foil.

  5. When pizza is done, remove from oven and allow to set for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Recipe Notes

Notes:

  • You can use whatever you want for toppings. I used a pound of sausage, a package of pepperoni, an onion, and a couple of bell peppers. So, we are looking at 1 1/2-2 pounds of toppings, and the pizza could have easily held more. Just think about the volume when adding and precook or pre-sauté all meat and veggies that need it. 
  • My pizza shows a little extra cheese on top and that is because I shredded too much cheese and just threw it on with the parm, however, I would not do that again. It made the cheese layer too solid. I would just stick to the third cup parm.
  • I made one pizza, but you could make 2
    • divide the dough after first rise and follow instructions on each half
    • split the cheese, sauce, and toppings and build accordingly
  • Unlike the traditional pizza dough that I make, this crust calls for room temp water and a refrigerator rising. This seems like it won't let the yeast work, however, it just is allowing it to rise slowly.