Deep-Dish Pizza

3/4 cup water
1/2 cup no-salt-added tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried whole basil
1/2 teaspoon dried whole oregano
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds - crushed
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Vegetable cooking spray
6 ounces ground chuck
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
6 large cloves garlic - crushed
1 tablespoon cornmeal
22 ounces refrigerated French bread dough - (2 packages)
3 ounces shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese - (3/4 cup)
1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
Crushed red pepper - (optional)

Combine first 7 ingredients in a small saucepan, stirring well; place over low heat until thoroughly heated. Set aside.

Coat a large skillet with cooking spray, and place over medium-high heat until hot. Add meat and next 3 ingredients; cook until meat is browned, stirring to crumble. Drain and set aside.

Coat 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray, and sprinkle each with 1-1/2 teaspoons cornmeal.

Unroll 1 package bread dough; fold each corner in toward center to form a diamond shape. Pat dough, folded corners up, into a prepared pan. Repeat with remaining bread dough.

Spread 1/2 cup tomato mixture over each prepared crust; top each with 1 cup meat mixture.

Sprinkle each with 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons mozzarella cheese and 2 tablespoons Romano cheese.

Bake at 475ºF for 12 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes.

Yield: 6 servings.