Broccoli Deep Dish Pizza
1 package dry yeast
1 1/3 cups warm water (110 to 115° F.)
1 teaspoon sugar
3 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 cup cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
3 teaspoons minced garlic
(1) 15-oz can tomato sauce
(1) 12-oz can tomato paste
2 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons basil
2 cups sliced mushrooms
Salt and pepper
1 lb. Italian sausage (hot or sweet)
1/2 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds
2 tablespoons butter
8 cup blanched, roughly chopped broccoli
1 tablespoon shortening
3 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Dissolve yeast in warm water; stir in sugar. Combine flours and salt, and
gradually add the dissolved yeast and 1/4 cup of the oil. Knead until the
texture is smooth. Put in a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise
until triple in bulk (2-3 hours).
Meanwhile, prepare the fillings. Heat 1/4 cup of the oil in a sauté pan, add 2
teaspoons
garlic, and cook for 30 seconds (without browning.) Stir in the tomato sauce and
paste, simmer until thickened. Stir in basil and oregano, set aside to cool.
Head 2 tablespoons of the oil and saute the mushrooms until lightly browned and the liquid
is evaporated. Season to taste, and set aside to cool. Remove and discard the
casings from sausage, crumble and add the sausage to the pan along with fennel.
Cook thoroughly, remove and cool. Heat the butter and 2 tablespoons of the oil; at 1
teaspoon of
garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Stir in the broccoli until coated well and any
liquid is evaporated. Season to taste; set aside.
When the dough has risen, punch down. Cut off about 2/5 of it and set aside.
Grease a 14 x 1 1/2" deep-dish pizza pan with the shortening. On a floured
board, rule out 3/5 of the dough to a 20" circle. Fit to the pan, letting the
excess dough hang over the side. Brush the dough with 1 tablespoon of the oil; sprinkle
with salt.
Sprinkle 1 cup of the mozzarella over the dough. Spread the tomato
sauce across the cheese, spread the mushrooms over the tomatoes, and cover with
1 cup of mozzarella.
Roll out the remaining dough to approximately a 14" circle.
Brush the sides of the dough inside the pan with water. Fit the 14" round into
the pan. Press edges (pull if necessary) against
the moistened dough to seal it. Trim the overhanging dough to 1/2" and wet it
again. Fold inward and crimp to form a raised rim around the pan edge. Cut a
steam vent in the top layer of the dough, and brush with 1 tablespoon of the oil.
Spread
the sausage across the dough and cover with the broccoli. Combine the remaining
cheeses and sprinkle across the broccoli; drizzle with 1/4 cup of oil.
Bake in a
preheated 425° F. oven for 30-40 minutes. Freezes well.
Ideas: put the broccoli and sausage on the lower layer, and the tomatoes and
mushrooms on the top layer. This way the broccoli stays moist.
For a vegetarian pizza, replace the sausage with 4 cup sliced onions, lightly
browned in 2 tablespoons oil. Or, you can keep the sausage and add the onions anyway.