Thick buttery crust topped with mozzarella, tomato sauce, and savory toppings in a Chicago style dish.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dough
01 - 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
03 - 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
04 - 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
05 - 1 1/4 cups warm water (approximately 110°F)
06 - 1/4 cup olive oil
07 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
→ Cheese & Toppings
08 - 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
09 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
10 - 1/2 cup sliced pepperoni or cooked Italian sausage (optional)
11 - 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
12 - 1/2 cup sliced bell peppers
13 - 1/2 cup sliced black olives
→ Tomato Sauce
14 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
15 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
16 - 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
17 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
18 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
19 - 1/2 teaspoon sugar
20 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
# How-To Steps:
01 - Combine warm water and yeast in a large bowl. Let stand 5 minutes until foamy. Add flour, cornmeal, salt, olive oil, and melted butter. Stir to form dough. Knead 5 to 7 minutes until smooth. Place in greased bowl, cover, and let rise 1 hour until doubled.
02 - Heat olive oil over medium heat in saucepan. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Stir in crushed tomatoes, oregano, basil, sugar, salt, and pepper. Simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
03 - Heat oven to 425°F. Grease a 12-inch deep-dish pizza pan or round cake pan with olive oil.
04 - Press dough into prepared pan, pushing up sides to form high edge. Evenly sprinkle shredded mozzarella over dough base.
05 - Layer optional pepperoni, mushrooms, bell peppers, and black olives evenly over mozzarella cheese.
06 - Pour tomato sauce uniformly over toppings. Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese on top.
07 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until crust is golden and sauce bubbles. Cover crust edges with foil if browning too fast.
08 - Allow pizza to rest 10 minutes after baking before slicing and serving.
