Pizza - Deep Dish

Yield: 2 pizzas   America's Test Kitchen recipe

Dough

3 cups unbleached flour

½ cup yellow cornmeal

2 t sugar

2-¼ t rapid rise yeast

1-¼ cup water room temp

3 T unsalted butter

1 t olive oil

4 T softened butter

1) Mix flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar, and yeast in bowl mixer.  Add water and melted butter and mix on low speed until combined (1-2 minutes).  Mix on medium until dough is glossy and smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl (4-5 minutes).

2) Coat large bowl with 1 teaspoon olive oil.  Transfer dough and cover tightly with plastic wrap.  Let rise at room temp. for 45-60 minutes.  Double in volume.

3) Laminate the dough (see below).  Roll into 12”x15” rectangle.  Spread softened butter over surface of dough leaving ½ inch border along the edges.  Roll dough into tight cylinder. With seam side down, flatten cylinder into 18”x4” rectangle.  Cut rectangle in half crosswise.  Working with 1 half, fold into thirds like a business letter, pinch seems together to form ball.  Repeat on other half. Return balls to oiled bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, let rise in refrigerator until nearly double in volume (40-50 minutes).

Sauce

2 T unsalted butter

¼ cup grated onion

¼ t dried oregano

2 medium garlic cloves, minced (about 2 teaspoons if from a jar)

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 small can tomato paste (not in orignal recipe)

¼ t sugar

2 T chopped fresh basil

1 T extra virgin olive oil

While dough rises, heat butter in medium saucepan over medium heat until melted. Add onion, oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated and onion is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, and sugar, increase heat to high, and bring to simmer. Lower heat to medium-low and simmer until reduced to 2 1/2 cups, 25 to 30 minutes. Off heat, stir in basil and oil, then season with salt and peppe

Cheese

1.25 pounds shredded whole-milk mozzarella cheese (original recipe called for 1 pound but that is too little).  Do not use pre-shredded cheese.  It is coated and does not melt as well.

Small amount of shedded parmesan cheese on top of pizza.

Toppings

One red onion, one red peppers, mushrooms, sausage.

Directions

~30 minutes before baking pizza set pizza steels in over and heat to 500 degrees. (Originally 425 degrees)

Coat two 8" (or 9”) pans with 2 T olive oil each.

Roll out dough into ~13” disks about ¼ inch thick.

Lightly press dough into pans and up 1 inch on the sides.

Add cheese (about 2.5 cups shredded cheese on each pizza)

Add toppings (other than sausage) directly over cheese.

Add sauce (1-¼ cups per pizza is what ATK calls for.  I add more).

Spread 2 T parmesan cheese on top.

Bake at 500 for 20-25 minutes until crust is golden brown.

Let rest at least 10 minutes (or longer) before serving.

Laminating the Dough

Equipment

Two 8" (or 9") round pans. I use silver ones.  I found the black ones would burn the pizza crust on the bottom.

Pizza steel (Like steels better than stones).  I find that baking the pizza on the stone for the entire cook time results in a better bottom crust.