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Chicago-style deep-dish pizza is in a category all its own—unapologetically rich and layered, with a flaky, almost pastry-like crust. If you ask five Chicagoans what makes the perfect version, you’ll probably get five different answers. So, in the name of research, I ordered a few to try at home (some all the way from Chicago!). And as luck would have it, I also had a Chicago native staying with us while I was testing this recipe, so I had some built-in quality control. With his help, I think we got pretty close to the real deal.
What sets Chicago deep dish apart is its structure as much as its flavor. It’s baked in a deep pan, with a buttery crust that comes up the sides, creating a pie-like shell. The cheese goes in first, followed by the toppings, and then a layer of chunky tomato sauce on top. The dough itself is richer than typical pizza dough, thanks to the added oil, which gives it that tender, slightly flaky texture and helps it crisp and lightly fry against the pan as it bakes. It’s the kind of pizza you eat with a knife and fork—and every bite is worth it.
What You’ll Need To Make Deep Dish Pizza
- All-purpose flour: The foundation of the crust.
- Salt and Sugar: Flavor the dough.
- Cream of tartar: Just a bit helps keeps the crust tender rather than a chewy.
- Instant/rapid-rise yeast: This gets the dough rising quickly and can be mixed straight in with the dry ingredients. If you’re using yeast packets, you’ll need slightly more than one.
- Corn oil: Corn oil is traditional and gives the crust a subtle richness, but vegetable oil works too.
- Unsalted butter: Using softened butter to grease the pan helps the oily dough cling to the sides much better than liquid oil or melted butter; also gives the crust a buttery flavor.
- Whole tomatoes: Makes the classic deep dish pizza sauce; San Marzano tomatoes are best here. Drain well to keep the pizza from getting soggy.
- Sliced whole-milk mozzarella: Stick with whole-milk and avoid part-skim so the cheese melts into a rich, gooey layer.
- Raw Italian Sausage: Since this goes on raw in small pinches, it cooks right in the oven and releases its flavorful juices directly into the pizza.
- Dried oregano: A classic herb that adds that familiar savory aroma to the pizza.
- Parmigiano Reggiano: The freshly grated cheese goes on last to create a salty, savory crust on top as the pizza bakes.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the Dough. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, cream of tartar, and yeast. Add the corn oil and warm water, then stir with a spoon until the dough comes together into a shaggy mass.
Step 2: Knead and rise. Knead briefly by hand for about 30 seconds just until the dough comes together, being careful not to overmix. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, flipping to coat the top, then cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until doubled, about 5 to 6 hours.
Pro Tip: Don’t worry if the dough looks spotty or uneven; that’s normal for this high-oil dough, and it will smooth out.
Step 3: Make the sauce. Place the tomatoes and their juices into a colander in the sink to drain. Crush the tomatoes by hand to let the excess liquid and seed gel drain away, then set them aside.
Pro Tip: Removing as much water as possible from the tomatoes prevents the crust from getting soggy during the bake.
Step 4: Press the dough. Divide the dough into two halves. With floured hands, press the dough evenly across the bottom and about 1 1/2 inches up the sides of two generously buttered 9-inch cake pans.
Pro Tip: If you have a 12-inch deep-dish pizza pan, you can bake the entire batch of dough in that single pan instead of dividing it into two smaller cake pans.
Step 5: Layer the toppings. Cover the dough with the sliced mozzarella, then scatter small pinched pieces of raw sausage over the cheese. Layer the crushed, drained tomatoes on top, sprinkle with the oregano and salt, and finish with the Parmigiano Reggiano.
Step 7: Bake, rest, and serve. Bake on the bottom rack in a 450 degrees F oven for 25 to 35 minutes until the crust is deeply golden and the top is lightly browned. Let the pizza rest in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes to set. Run a thin spatula around the edge to loosen, then carefully lift it out onto a cutting board and slice with a serrated knife.
Pro Tip: Do not skip the 10-minute rest after baking. Letting the pizza settle keeps the heavy layers of cheese and sauce from sliding off the crust when you slice it.
Deep Dish Pizza
Serves 6 to 8 (Makes two 9-in or one 12-in pizzas)
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, plus 5 to 6 hours for the dough to rise
For the Crust
- 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 3/4 teaspoons salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons instant/rapid-rise yeast
- 1/2 cup corn oil
- 1 cup warm water (see note)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, for greasing the pan
For the Sauce
- 1 (28-ounces) can whole tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
For the Toppings
- 12 ounces sliced whole-milk mozzarella (not part-skim)
- 1/2 pound (8 ounces) raw Italian sausage
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Pinch of salt
- Heaping 3/4 cup (3 ounces) freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Make the Dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, cream of tartar, and yeast. Add the oil and water and stir with a spoon until the dough comes together into a shaggy mass.
Knead briefly by hand—about 30 seconds, just until the dough comes together. It will be sticky. Do not overmix. Lightly oil a large bowl (you can clean and reuse the same bowl if you like), add the dough, flip it to coat the top with oil, and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature until doubled, 5 to 6 hours (this dough rises slowly because of the high oil content). Don’t worry if the dough looks spotty or uneven; that’s normal for this high-oil dough.
(Alternatively, for a make-ahead option, let the dough rise in the refrigerator overnight. If chilled, let it sit at room temperature for 45 minutes to 1 hour before shaping so it’s easy to press into the pan.)
Preheat the Oven: Set an oven rack in the lowest position and preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Generously grease two 9-in cake pans or one 12-in deep-dish pizza pan with the softened butter, coating the bottom and sides well. (Do not use oil, as the soft butter helps the pizza dough cling to the pan, making it easier to press out.)
Make the Sauce: Place a colander in the sink and add the tomatoes and their juices. Let the juices drain. Crush the tomatoes by hand, allowing their excess liquid and seed gel to drain away. Set aside while assembling the pizza(s).
Assemble: Divide the dough as needed (one portion for a 12-in pan, two for 9-in pans). Dust your hands with flour and press the dough evenly into the pan(s), working it across the bottom and about 1 1/2 inch up the sides, keeping the sides thinner than the base (aim for about 1/8-inch thick around the sides and 1/4-inch thick on the base). Flour your hands as needed; this is an oily dough.
Cover the dough evenly with the sliced mozzarella. Pinch off small pieces of the raw sausage and scatter them over the cheese. Scatter the crushed, well-drained tomatoes into an even layer over the sausage, then sprinkle with the oregano and salt. Finish with the Parmigiano Reggiano.
Bake on the bottom rack for 25 to 35 minutes, until the crust is deeply golden and the top is lightly browned. If needed, rotate the pan once for even baking.
After baking, let the pizza(s) rest in the pan(s) for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the cheese to set and the crust to firm up. Run a thin spatula around the edge to loosen it, then carefully lift the pizza out of the pan and transfer it to a cutting board before slicing. A serrated knife works best. Serve with a knife and fork, if you like.
Notes
Warm water helps activate yeast. The temperature should be about 110 degrees F (43 degrees C), but it doesn’t need to be exact; just try to get it about the temperature of bath water.
Don’t be tempted to overload the toppings or reduce the oil in the dough, or the crust won’t crisp properly.
Freezing Instructions for Dough: After the first rise, divide it (if making two pizzas), wrap each portion tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then let sit at room temperature for 45 minutes to 1 hour before shaping so it’s soft and easy to press into the pan.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1slice, Calories: 560kcal, Carbohydrates: 40g, Protein: 22g, Fat: 34g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Cholesterol: 90mg, Sodium: 900mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 3g
This article was originally published on OnceUponaChef.com. Follow on Instagram
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