Italian immigrant Gennaro Lombardi opened the first
American pizzeria in New York City in 1905. It was not until after World War II
that when the soldiers returning from Italy, introduced pizza to the general
American population. Until then it was mostly popular in Italian neighborhoods
in our cities.
The deep dish pizza was born sometime in the 1940's in Chicago.
Recipe Note
To bake this pizza I think it best to bake the pizza first before adding the
final layer of sauce and cheese to the top layer. This will help prevent the top
crust from getting soggy.
Deep Dish Pizza
Dough:
2 C. warm water (110° - 115°)
5 t. yeast
1 T. sugar
1/3 C. oil
2 t. salt
3 T. semolina flour
1 C. all purpose flour
5 to 6 C. bread flour
Add 1/4 C. of the water to the yeast and sugar. Let set 5 minutes; the yeast
should start to bubble.
Add flours, salt, oil and yeast mixture to a large bowl and mix well. Place
dough onto a floured board and knead until the dough is smooth and satiny.
(about 10 minutes) Let rise until doubled in a covered, greased bowl.
Sauce:
2 T. garlic
2 T. olive oil
1 28 oz. can plum tomatoes
3 T. tomato paste
1/2 C. onion minced
1 1/2 t. basil
1 t. oregano
1/2 t. salt
1 t. sugar
2 t. red wine (optional)
Saute garlic in oil to soften. Add the rest of the ingredients to the pan and
and simmer until sauce thickens. (about 20 minutes)
Filling:
1 lb. Italian Sausage
1/2 lb. mushrooms
12 oz. pepperoni
1/2 C. sliced green peppers
1/2 C. sliced thin onion
1 1/2 lbs. mozzarella cheese
1/3 C. parmesan cheese freshly grated
3 t. cornmeal
Assembly:
Lightly oil a 12 inch deep dish pizza pan with oil. Sprinkle lightly with
cornmeal.
Deflate dough and roll out 2/3 of it into a 16 inch large circle. Place in dish
letting it overhang the edges. Spoon in 1/2 of sauce. Add the Italian sausage,
mushrooms, green peppers and onions. Top with half of the cheese.
Roll out remaining dough and place on top of the filling. Crimp edges together,
including the overlapped crust.
Bake 25 minutes at 400°F. Add remaining sauce and cheeses to the top of the
pizza. Cook another 10 minutes until golden and sizzling. Let set 10 minutes
before cutting.
