Celebrate National Deep-Dish Pizza Day with a decadent slice of Chicago-style scrumptiousness.
Super Simple Deep-Dish Pizza
This is always best with a home-made crust and sauce, but this Super Simple twist on Chicago-style pizza is yummy!!!
Butter, for greasing pan
1½–2 lbs prepared pizza dough balls, thawed, if frozen
½ c yellow cornmeal
1 lb sweet or hot Italian sausage, removed from casings if in links
24 Pepperoni Chips (see below)
14-oz favorite bottled pizza sauce
14-oz can crushed San Marzano tomatoes
1 tsp mixed Italian seasoning
¼ tsp oregano
½ tsp sugar
12-oz low-moisture (NOT fresh) Mozzarella cheese, shredded
½ c freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Generously butter bottom and sides of a 12” cast iron skillet. Roll pizza dough in cornmeal, pressing down and kneading to mix in the cornmeal. Transfer dough to prepared pan, pressing evenly across the bottom and 2” up the sides. Cover and let rest 10 minutes before filling. Meanwhile, cook, crumble, and drain the sausage in another skillet; set aside.
Make Pepperoni Chips by placing 24 pre-sliced pieces of pepperoni in a single layer on a triple thickness of paper toweling. Top with a single layer of paper toweling and microwave for 45 – 60 seconds. (This is to remove most of the grease, rather than make the crispy chips to serve independently.) Then prepare sauce in a bowl by combining pizza sauce, tomatoes, seasonings, and sugar.
Fill pizza by sprinkling Mozzarella cheese evenly in the crust. Then sprinkle the cooked sausage over the cheese. Spoon the sauce over the top, using the back of a spoon to press it to the edges. Top with a layer of Pepperoni Chips and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Place in oven that has been preheated to 425°F for 30 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing with a sharp knife and serving with a spatula.
KISS Tips: Check pizza after 15-20 minutes to be sure crust is not browning too quickly. If it is, tent loosely with foil. You can individually wrap and freeze slices and then reheat for 10-12 minutes at 375°F (never in a microwave).
