Chicago Deep Dish Pizza

Name: Chicago Deep Dish Pizza
Total time: 150 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 3 1/4 cups (400 g) all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup (60 g) yellow cornmeal; 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast; 1 tsp sugar and 1 1/2 tsp salt; 1 1/4 cups warm water; 6 tbsp butter — 4 melted for the dough, 2 softened for laminating; 1 lb low-moisture mozzarella, sliced; 1 lb Italian sausage, cooked and crumbled; 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes, drained well; 2 cloves garlic, minced, 1 tsp dried oregano and 1/2 tsp salt, for the sauce; 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

A buttery, flaky crust pressed into a cast-iron skillet, layered with mozzarella and sausage, with chunky tomato sauce on top. The cheese pull is the whole point.

2 hr 30 min Medium Serves 6

Watch the video

Deep dish is built upside down: cheese first, toppings in the middle, sauce on top so the crust doesn't go soggy in the long bake. A cast-iron skillet gives you that crisp, almost fried bottom crust. Grade my cheese pull in the comments.

Ingredients

3 1/4 cups (400 g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (60 g) yellow cornmeal
2 1/4 tsp instant yeast
1 tsp sugar and 1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups warm water
6 tbsp butter — 4 melted for the dough, 2 softened for laminating
1 lb low-moisture mozzarella, sliced
1 lb Italian sausage, cooked and crumbled
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes, drained well
2 cloves garlic, minced, 1 tsp dried oregano and 1/2 tsp salt, for the sauce
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Gear I used

Tested in my own kitchen. Links may be affiliate links.

10-Inch Cast Iron Skillet 4.5

Method

1
Mix the flour, cornmeal, yeast, sugar and salt. Add the warm water and 4 tbsp melted butter and knead 5 minutes until smooth. Cover and let rise 60 minutes until doubled.
2
Roll the dough into a 15-inch circle, spread the softened butter over it, roll it up like a jelly roll, then coil it into a ball. Rest 15 minutes — this is what makes the crust flaky.
3
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Butter a 12-inch cast-iron skillet (or deep-dish pan) generously.
4
Press the dough into the skillet and 1 1/2 inches up the sides.
5
Layer the mozzarella slices over the bottom, then the sausage.
6
Mix the drained tomatoes with garlic, oregano and salt; spread over the top and finish with Parmesan.
7
Bake 30–35 minutes until the crust is deep golden. Let it rest 10 minutes — seriously — before slicing.