HOMEMADE CHICAGO STYLE DEEP DISH PIZZA

The authentic Chicago style pizza has a thick base and a crispy topping of cheese and tomato sauce. This type of pizza is more like a pie and we will tell you how to make it at home.

Time: 1 Hour

Serving: 6

Ingredients

• ¾ cup warm water
• ¼ teaspoon sugar 
• ¼ teaspoon salt 
• ½ teaspoon yeast
• ½ cup olive oil 
• 2 ¼ cups flour
• Oil spray 
• 350 grams of sliced mozzarella cheese (or other gratin cheese)
• 300 grams of pepperoni or Italian sausage 
• ½ kg diced tomatoes
• ⅛ cup Parmesan cheese

Preparation 

1. DISSOLVE the sugar and salt in the warm water, add the yeast, oil, and ¼ cup of flour. Mix until you get a thick dough and add the rest of the flour until it is homogeneous. 
2. KNEAD until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 2 to 3 minutes of kneading by hand, and form into a ball. Drizzle a little oil in a bowl, place the dough and drizzle a little more oil over the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and let it ferment for 1 to 2 hours. 
3. PREHEAT the oven to 250°C, grease the bottom of a cake pan with the oil spray, and sprinkle a little flour. Place the dough in the center and press it to the edges. Make sure the dough is thin on the sides. 
4. STIR the mozzarella slices to fill the base and add the pepperoni slices. If you want to add another ingredient that can be burned, now is the time. 
5. STRAIN the tomatoes to remove any excess water from the cubes. Add to the top of the pizza until completely covered. Finish with the Parmesan and mozzarella cheese (if you have leftover from the base). Cover the pan with aluminum foil.
6. Lower the oven temperature to 220°C and place the pizza in the center of the oven. Bake for 35 minutes. 
7. REMOVE from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Slice and serve with a fork and knife. 

Enjoy!