HOMEMADE CHICAGO STYLE DEEP DISH PIZZA

Ingredients

For the Dough:

• 3¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup yellow cornmeal
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast
• 1¼ cups water, room temperature
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon + 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

For the Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ¼ cup grated onion
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• ¼ teaspoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper

For the Toppings:

• 1 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 4 cups)
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Make the Dough:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar, and yeast.
2. Add the water and melted butter. Mix on low speed using a dough hook until fully combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl occasionally.
3. Increase the speed to medium and knead the dough until it becomes glossy and smooth, and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Coat a large bowl with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl and turn to coat the dough in oil. Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature until nearly doubled in volume, 45 to 60 minutes.

Make the Sauce:

1. While the dough is rising, heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until melted.
2. Add onion, oregano, and ½ teaspoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally until the liquid has evaporated and the onion is golden brown, about 5 minutes.
3. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
4. Stir in the tomatoes and ¼ teaspoon sugar, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until reduced to about 2½ cups, 25 to 30 minutes.
5. Off the heat, stir in the basil and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Laminate and Bake the Pizzas:

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F and adjust the oven rack to the lower position.
2. Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with 2 tablespoons of olive oil each.
3. Roll out the dough into a 13-inch circle and place it in the pan.
4. For each pizza, sprinkle 2 cups of shredded mozzarella evenly over the surface of the dough. Add toppings like pepperoni, if desired.
5. Spread 1¼ cups of tomato sauce over the cheese and toppings. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan.
6. Bake until the crust is golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes.
7. Remove the pizza from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Enjoy your delicious homemade deep-dish pizza!