Mastodon link

About Us

My wife and I live in the Portland, Oregon area. We enjoy living in a beautiful region, surrounded by trees, parks, and at the same time close to a thriving urban center. Once the pandemic passes, we hope to open our home again to transgender persons seeking a place to stay while in the area for surgery and postoperative care.

Saturday, February 2, 2019

Deep Dish Pizza


I’ve built this pie in a big deep dish pan, and a variation split between a 6” and 12” cast iron skillet with different toppings, with very good results.  The recipe is quite forgiving.



INGREDIENTS

CRUST
4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons or one packet of yeast
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons lukewarm water
1 teaspoon sugar

FILLING
3/4 lb. mozzarella cheese, sliced
1 pound Italian sweet or hot sausage, cooked and sliced; 
OR 3 cups of the sautéed vegetables of your choice
OR just mix them up, about 3 cups of filling total
28-ounce can plum tomatoes, lightly crushed; or 28-ounce can diced or chopped tomatoes, drained  (Add one 5.3 oz can of tomato paste for a more American-style sauce).
2 to 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon sugar (Leave out for a more tart sauce)
1 to 2 teaspoons mixed dried Italian herbs (oregano, basil, rosemary), to taste, crushed
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil, to drizzle on top

INSTRUCTIONS
Making the crust
Pour the lukewarm water and one teaspoon sugar into a mixing bowl, and add yeast.  Wait for the yeast to ‘proof’, or start foaming; 5-15 minutes
Mix the dough ingredients, and knead to make a smooth crust. This takes 5-7 minutes in my KitchenAid with dough hook on low speed.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise until it comes close to doubling, about 60 minutes.
While the dough is rising, ready a 14" deep-dish pizza pan or large cast-iron skillet.  Pour in 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil, tilting it to cover the bottom of the pan, and up the sides.
Stretch the dough to make as large a circle as you can, larger than your pan.  I do this by hand rather than with a rolling pin, as I like the uneven  character of the hand-stretched dough.
Lay the dough in the pan, and stretch it towards and up the edges till it starts to shrink back.  You may have to pinch it along the top to avoid shrinking back if in a shallow pan.  Cover to rest for 15 minutes. Start preheating the oven to 425°F while the dough rests.
Bake the crust for 10 minutes, until. 

While the crust is baking, prepare the filling.
Drain the tomatoes thoroughly. Combine them with the Italian seasoning or herbs, the garlic and sugar.  Add salt to taste. Add one 5.3 oz can of tomato paste if a more ‘American’ style sauce is desired.
Remove the crust from the oven after 10 minutes, when set and just starting to brown.
Cover the bottom of the crust with the sliced mozzarella, fanning it into the crust. Add the sausage, sautéed vegetables, or other ‘toppings’.  
Spoon in the tomato mixture.
Top with the Parmesan cheese.  
As a variation, or for cheese lovers, top with another several ounces of mozzarella cheese, and even more sausage, pepperoni, or mushrooms.
Drizzle another 2-4 tablespoons of olive oil on top.
Bake the pizza for about 25 minutes, or until the filling is bubbly and the topping is golden brown. 
Remove it from the oven, and carefully lift it out of the pan onto a rack. Allow the pizza to cool for about 15 minutes before cutting and serving.  The internal temperature will continue to rise even as the pie cools.  There will be less runny cheese oozing out when the pie is allowed to rest and cool
Yield: about 8 huge or 12 reasonable slices

No comments:

Post a Comment