Main Course

Deep Dish Pizza

November 18, 2015

I couldn’t post about Deep Dish vs. Thin Crust, with out giving both a try for myself! This ‪#‎PizzaWeek‬ I’m making the ultimate Deep Dish Pizza! It’s thick, saucy, and has mounds of baked cheesy goodness in every bite! Let’s dive in.

Add 1 cup of warm water to a mixing bowl.

Add 3 tbsp olive oil…

…1 tbsp sugar…

…1/2 packet (1/2oz) of dry active yeast…

…and a pinch of salt.

Combine mixture for 2 minutes, then set aside and let rest for 10 minutes.

Add 1 cup of bread flour…

…and 1/2 cup of semolina flour to the mixture.

Fold in the flour for 5-7 minutes.

Once the dough has a tacky consistency…

…transfer to a well oiled bowl—about 1 tbsp of olive oil.

Coat outside of the dough with oil and cover bowl in plastic wrap.

Let dough proof for 20 minutes in a warm and shaded area.

Once the dough has doubled in size, transfer the dough to a floured work surface.

Sprinkle flour on top of the dough.

Begin to knead the dough for 2-3 minutes.

Press the dough out into a circular shape, just smaller than the size of your iron skillet.

Coat the iron skillet in with olive oil…

…and use a pastry brush to make sure the entire surface, and sides, are coated in oil.

Add 2 tbsp’s of semolina flour the oiled skillet.

Move the skillet around until the flour has evenly coated the entire pan, sides included (add more semolina flour if necessary).

Transfer the dough to the skillet and begin to press it out, up the entire sides of the skillet.

Be sure the dough is evenly spread and securely pressed against the skillet.

Once the dough has been stretched, you can start topping the pizza by adding 4-5 tbsp ricotta cheese.

Spread the cheese evenly around the top of the dough.

Sprinkle with fresh thyme…

…fresh torn basil to taste.

Add 2 cups of a shredded mozzarella on top.

Top with a full layer of spicy pepperoni…

…and cover the entire surface of the pizza with 1 1/2 cups of marinara; spread evenly around the surface.

Add a a few dashes of parmesan!

Place the pizza, skillet and all, in a 400ºF oven for 30-35 minutes.

As soon as the pizza crust is a nice golden brown, remove the skillet from the oven. Use a metal spatula to scrape along the edges and ensure the pizzain not hooked to the pan.