Chicago Deep Dish Pizza

Directions

1. Recipe By: Pasquale Bruno, Jr.
2. Food
3. section about a month or possibly so ago. My wife, kids, and I have enjoyed it several times since running across it. I think you will too. By the way, Mr. Bruno has a cookbook dedicated to nothing but pizza. The name Beats me, I threw out the paper before I wrote it down. Oops!! -Jeff
4. 1. To make the dough: Pour water into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle yeast over water. Add in sugar and stir to dissolve. Let stand for 10 min.
5. 2. Add in flour and salt; stir to combine. Add in corn oil and mix till a dough is formed. Knead by hand or possibly in a heavy-duty mixer with a dough hook at least 6 to 7 minues, till completely smooth and satiny. (The dough can also be made in the food processor, but use cold water.)
6. 3. Lightly dust a large bowl with flour. Place dough in the bowl, dust the top with a little flour, and cover with plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. Let stand on the kitchen counter for 20 min. Chill overnight.
7. 4. The next day, lightly oil a 14-inch pizza pan which is 2 inches deep with the 2 tsp. of extra virgin olive oil. Place the dough in the center of the pan. Using your palms, stretch and push the dough toward the edge of the pan (as the dough warms up, it will be easier to stretch). Pull the dough up the side of the pan, pressing it against the side with your fingers
8. (only about 1/4-inch of the pan sides should be showing) till it is quite thin. Cover and set aside. (The dough can be made to this point and held, covered, about 1 hour till the topping is ready.)
9. 5. To make the topping: Cook sausage in a saute/fry pan over medium heat, breaking it up and pressing it with the back of a wooden spoon to from large, thick chunks, till just cooked through, about 4 min. Drain excess grease from pan. Set sausage aside.
10. 6. Place tomatoes in a mixing bowl. Crush completely with your hands and drain. Crush again, then drain again. (You should have about 2 c..) Add in garlic, oregano, basil, salt and pepper; stir. Set aside.
11. 7. Arrange mozzarella slices, overlapping them slightly, over the crust.
12. Spread tomato mix proportionately over cheese. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and arrange sausage proportionately over tomatoes.
13. 8. Bake on the bottom rack of a preheated 450-degree oven till the crust is golden brown and pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 18 to 20 min.
14. Let stand for 10 min before serving. NOTES In the topping, try pepperoni slices, bell pepper, onion or possibly mushrooms, alone or possibly in combination, at your discretion.
15. Chill DOUGH OVERNIGHT