Sausage and Cheese Deep-Dish Pizza

By Tallon

Ingredients

• Sausage and Tomato Sauce:
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 pound Italian sausage, skinned and crumbled (or other choice of meat)
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 can (28 ounces) Italian peeled tomatoes with juice, chopped
• Salt
• Chicago Deep Dish pizza dough (recipe follows)
• 4 ounces provolone
• 4 ounces mozzarella
• Deep Dish pizza dough:
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water (105° to 115°)
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 3-3 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 tsp salt

Details

Servings 6
Preparation time 80mins
Cooking time 120mins

Preparation

Step 1

Sausage and Tomato Sauce:
1. In large skillet, over medium heat, heat oil. Add sausage and bell pepper, cook until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Stir in garlic and oregano and cook 1 minute more. Add tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and add salt to taste. Cook about 1 hour, until sauce is very thick. Let cool.
2. Preheat oven to 400°. Grease 2 9 inch by 1 1/2 inch round baking pans.
3. With rolling pin, roll out each ball of dough to a 12 inch circle; fit each into one prepared pan, patting it up the side.
4. Spread 1 cup sauce over dough. Top with half the provolone slices. Spread 1 cup more sauce over the provolone. Arrange half the mozzarella slice on top. Make a second pizza with the remaining ingredients.
5. Bake 40 minutes, or until crust is crisp and filling bubbling.

Deep Dish Pizza Dough:
1. Sprinkle yeast over water. Stir until yeast is dissolved. Stir in oil.
2. In large bowl, combine 3 cups all purpose flour, and the salt. Add yeast mixture and stir until a soft dough forms, knead 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic, adding flour if needed.
3. Lightly oil large bowl. Add dough, turning it once to oil the top. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place about 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk.
4. Divide dough in half; punch down to eliminate bubbles. Shape and bake pizzas.