A Pizza to Die For (22 page)

My Very Own Deep Dish Pizza

Filling and Topping

Note about my ingredient list

This is based on personal preference, and will depend on what you like on your pizza. It’s also important to note that the amounts given are all approximate. Making your own pizza should be a fun experience, so I don’t like to put too much emphasis on exact amounts when I’m adding my toppings. In fact, sometimes I make a “garbage” pizza for my family with whatever meats and cheeses are available in the fridge that night!

½ pound sausage, mild or hot, out of casing
1 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
4–8 slices mozzarella cheese
2–4 ounces Romano cheese, grated
2–4 ounces parmesan cheese, shaved or grated
4–6 mushrooms, sliced
12–18 pepperoni rounds
1 green bell pepper
1 small onion, white or yellow
1 jar pizza sauce, 8–14 ounces, depending on taste

While the dough is rising, I like to prep my filling. Mild sausage is a favorite at my house—but hot will do just as well—so I take 2 sausage links, about half a pound’s worth, and squeeze them out of their casing into a skillet, heated to medium. I use turkey sausage, so a little olive oil helps the browning process. After the sausage is browned, I put it on a paper towel, clean out the skillet, and then add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. Once the butter’s melted, I add 4 or 5 sliced mushrooms and let them sauté until golden. After that, I add 1 small coarsely chopped onion and green pepper, and sauté them a little longer in the pan.

When the dough has risen, turn it out onto a floured board and start shaping it for your pan’s general size. Spray the pan with cooking spray, then coat it lightly with cornmeal so the pizza will release. Place the dough into the pan, and then shape it until it comes 1–1½ inches up the side of the pan.

Add a layer of sliced mozzarella to cover the crust, and then put the cooled sausage directly onto the cheese. Next, add pepperoni rounds and then a dusting of Romano cheese. After that, layer the vegetables sautéed earlier, then add pizza sauce from the jar. This is a matter of taste, so add as much—or as little—as you like. After that, add a covering of Romano cheese, and then finish it up with the parmesan cheese. I like the flakes because of their texture when they melt, but grated works just as well.

Cooking time varies for many reasons, but my general rule is to preheat the oven to 450ºF and let the pizza bake for 40–55 minutes, depending on the amount of toppings, the thickness of the dough, etc. I always set the timer for 25 minutes the first time, turn the pizza in the oven, and then check it every 5 minutes after that. When the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted and has started to brown, I take the pizza out and put it on a cooling rack for 5 minutes before we eat. This helps the juices of the pizza reincorporate into the pie.

After that, serve the pizza in thick slices, and enjoy!

Yield: The dough above makes one eight-inch square pan pizza, with a little left over.

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Copyright © 2011 by Chris Cavender

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