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Chicago Deep Dish Pizza (New & Improved Recipe)

Name: Chicago Deep Dish Pizza (New & Improved Recipe)
Prep time: 1440 min
Cook time: 90 min
Ingredients: 375 g AP flour; 10 g salt; 40 g unsalted butter (cold, cubed); 220 g warm water (90F/32C); 6 g instant yeast; 50 g unsalted butter; 100 g white onion (grated, 1 small or ½ large); 20 g garlic (minced); 800 g crushed tomatoes (canned); 800 g whole peeled tomatoes (canned); 75 g tomato paste; 10 g salt; 20 g sugar; 2 g dried oregano; 2 g dried basil; 2 g crushed red pepper/chili flakes; 450 g 80/20 ground pork; 7 g salt; 10 g sugar; 5 g paprika; 3 g dried sage; 2 g black pepper; 2 g red chili flake; 5 g garlic (grated or finely minced); 3 g fennel seed (toasted, crushed); 10 g red wine vinegar; deep dish pizza pan (i'm using a 12"x2.25" Lloyd pan linked here, but a 12" cast iron pan will also work well); olive oil; dough (recipe above); 12-15 slices full fat mozzerella (sliced into a medium thickness)

This new and improved Chicago Deep Dish pizza recipe takes my version 1.0 to new levels with a crispier crust, more authentic sauce, and a few other improvements that take it over the top.

Prep Time: 1

Cook Time: 1 30

Servings: pizza

Ingredients

DOUGH (makes 1 pizza):

375 g AP flour
10 g salt
40 g unsalted butter, cold, cubed
220 g warm water, 90F/32C
6 g instant yeast

SAUCE (makes enough for 2 pizzas):

50 g unsalted butter
100 g white onion, grated, 1 small or ½ large
20 g garlic, minced
800 g crushed tomatoes, canned
800 g whole peeled tomatoes, canned
75 g tomato paste
10 g salt
20 g sugar
2 g dried oregano
2 g dried basil
2 g crushed red pepper/chili flakes

HOT ITALIAN SAUSAGE (makes enough for 2 pizza):

450 g 80/20 ground pork
7 g salt
10 g sugar
5 g paprika
3 g dried sage
2 g black pepper
2 g red chili flake
5 g garlic, grated or finely minced
3 g fennel seed, toasted, crushed
10 g red wine vinegar

BUILDING THE PIZZA:

deep dish pizza pan, i’m using a 12″x2.25″ Lloyd pan linked here, but a 12″ cast iron pan will also work well
olive oil
dough, recipe above
12-15 slices full fat mozzerella, sliced into a medium thickness
5-6 slices of provolone, sliced very thinly
225 g hot italian sausage, recipe above
pepperoni, thinly sliced
grated parmesan cheese

Metric – US Customary

Instructions

DOUGH (makes 1 pizza):

Dissolve the yeast into the warm water.
Add flour, salt, and cold butter to a food processor and spin for about 15 seconds or until butter is mixed into the flour then stream water/yeast mixture into the flour/butter in the food processor while it’s spinning.
Spin for 45-60 seconds until you have a mass that has come together into a mass that’s somewhere between dough and a pie crust.
Transfer the dough into a bowl, then round it into a ball shape, tucking the ball up under itself as you go to create some tension across the surface of the ball.
Cover the dough with a lid or plastic wrap and allow to ferment at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
Refrigerate, covered, for 12-24 hours.

SAUCE (makes enough for 2 pizzas):

Heat a sauce pan over medium high heat. Add in butter and allow to mostly melt, then add onion and garlic stir to combine and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and soft.
While the onions cook, in a large bowl or container, combine the tomato products and use your hands mix and squish the whole tomatoes into smaller ½”/1.5cm pieces. You could also blitz a few times with an immersion blender if you prefer, but the hand method gives you more control and creates a nice rustic texture.
Into the tomato mixture, stir in salt, sugar, oregano, basil, and chili flakes.
Back to the onions/garlic on the stove… When the onions and garlic have softened and have taken on some color, add the tomato mixture into the sauce pan. Lower heat to medium and reduce the sauce by 40-50% which should take 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. When done, the sauce should be quite thick and hold a bit of a trail when you pass a spoon through it.

HOT ITALIAN SAUSAGE (makes enough for 2 pizza):

Combine all ingredients and mix well until combined and slightly tacky.

BUILDING THE PIZZA:

Remove dough from the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature for about 30-45 minutes before rolling it out. When it’s ready to roll it should have increased in size by about 30%. If it hasn’t, proof a bit longer at room temperature before rolling out.
Preheat oven to 425F/220C while you make your sauce and prep the rest of your ingredients.
Add a very generous amount of olive oil to your pizza pan, spreading it around to coat the bottom and sides of the pan.
Flour your work surface and flip dough out onto the work surface, flouring both sides of the dough. Pat a bit to degas, then roll it out into a 14″/35cm round, adding a bit more flour to any areas that are sticking to the rolling pin along the way.
Flip the rolled out dough over one hand/arm then gently lay it into the oiled pizza pan, pressing the dough up the sides of the pan and into the corners, ensuring there aren't any air bubbles underneath.
Shingle on 12-15 slices of the medium-thick full fat mozzarella, followed by 5-6 slices of provolone.
Next add about half of the italian sausage (8oz) in quarter-sized pieces.
Spoon on half of the sauce then spread into an even layer to cover.
Top that with 25-30 slices of thin pepperoni.
Finally, finish that with a generous amount of grated parmesan.
Bake at 425F/220C for 45 minutes.
After baking, remove pizza from the pan and allow to cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes to keep the crust crisp.
Return to the pizza pan to cut (this keeps it warmer a little longer) or cut it on a cutting board for cleaner slices.
Serve and garnish with more parmesan.