DEEP DISH PIZZA BLOOMINGTON, IL RECIPES

Steps:

• For the pizza sauce, melt the butter in a small saucepan and add the onion, salt, red pepper flakes, and oregano, and sauté until golden brown.
• Add the garlic, sugar, and crushed tomatoes, and simmer for roughly 20 minutes or until sauce thickens.
• For the dough, combine the active dry yeast, sugar, and warm water together and let sit for one minute.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, and salt.
• Add the yeast mixture and butter into the dry ingredients and stir until dough forms.
• Bring dough to floured surface and knead until dough forms into a ball.
• Move dough to large bowl drizzled with olive oil. Coat dough in oil and cover. Let rest for 1 hour.
• Remove dough and bring onto floured surface.
• Cut dough in half and begin working dough out, ensuring that it is at least 2 inches (5 cm) wider than your deep dish pan.
• Double wrap the remaining dough with plastic wrap and place in a resealable freezer bag. Freeze for up to a month.
• Preheat your oven to 425°F (215°C).
• Bring your dough into your oiled and floured deep dish pan.
• Using your hands press dough into sides of your dish making it as even as possible.
• Lay slices of mozzarella across the dough, covering the entire bottom.
• Add pieces of uncased italian sausage on top of the mozzarella and top with tomato sauce.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes or until crust starts to lightly brown and the cheese is melted.
• Garnish with parmesan, cut and serve.
• Enjoy!

Steps:

• Pour water into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Sprinkle in yeast and let dissolve, about 10 minutes. Add olive oil, melted butter, sugar, salt, cornmeal, and most of the flour. Knead, stopping to scrape down the sides occasionally and adding more flour as needed, until smooth and elastic.
• Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface. Knead in extra flour if needed. Roll into a ball and place in a bowl greased with 1/2 teaspoon olive oil. Cover with a plate and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in volume, 1 to 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, let pizza sauce simmer in a pot over low heat until very thick, 60 to 90 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Poke dough to deflate and turn out onto your work surface. Press and stretch out dough into a round shape 3 to 4 inches larger than a 12-inch cast iron skillet. Brush skillet with 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil. Place dough in the skillet; stretch and pull to evenly distribute it over the bottom and sides.
• Lay provolone cheese over the bottom of the crust. Scatter fresh mozzarella on top. Add Italian sausage and firm mozzarella. Ladle pizza sauce generously on top. Grate Parmesan cheese on top. Fold the edges of the crust in towards the center to seal in the sides. Drizzle crust and center with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
• Bake in the center of the preheated oven until crust sounds hollow and pizza is beautifully browned, about 35 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.