Cast Iron Buttery Deep Dish Pizza Crust Food

CHICAGO DEEP-DISH PIZZA

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.

HOW TO MAKE CHICAGO-STYLE DEEP DISH PIZZA

Steps:

• Please use my step-by-step photos below this written out recipe as a guide to making the pizza. For best results and ease of mind, read through the recipe completely before beginning. You will need two deep dish 9×2 inch round cake pans if you are making both pizzas at the same time. You can also use 9 inch springform pans.
• Combine the flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar, and yeast in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. If you do not have a stand mixer, use your hand mixer and a very very large bowl. If you do not have any mixer, you will do this all by hand. Again, use a very large bowl. Give those ingredients a quick toss with your mixer on low or with a large wooden spoon. Add the warm water and 1/4 cup of melted butter. The warm water should be around 90°F (32°C). Make sure it is not very, very hot or it will kill the yeast. Likewise, make sure the butter isn't boiling hot. If you melt it in the microwave, let it sit for 5 minutes before adding. On low speed, beat (or stir) the dough ingredients until everything begins to be moistened. Continuing on low speed (or remove from the bowl and knead by hand if you do not own a mixer), beat the dough until it is soft and supple and gently pulls away from the sides of the bowl and falls off of the dough hook- about 4-5 minutes. If the dough is too hard (it will be textured from the cornmeal), but if it feels too tough, beat in 1 teaspoon of warm water. Alternatively, if it feels too soft, beat in 1 Tablespoon of flour.
• Remove the dough from the bowl and form into a ball. Lightly grease a large mixing bowl with olive oil and place the dough inside, turning it around so that all sides of the dough are coated in the oil. Cover the bowl tightly with aluminum foil and allow to rise in a warm environment for 1-2 hours or until double in size.
• Once the dough is ready, lightly flour a large work surface. Remove dough from the bowl, set the bowl and aluminum foil aside (to use later). Gently punch down the dough to remove any air bubbles and roll the dough into a large 15×12 inch rectangle. Spread 1/4 cup of softened butter on top of the dough. Roll it up lengthwise per the photos below. Cut the dough log in half. Form the two pieces of dough into balls and place back into your greased bowl. Cover with aluminum foil and allow to rise in the refrigerator (not in a warm place) for 1 hour until they are puffy as you make the sauce.
• Place butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat and allow it to melt. Once melted, add the grated onion, salt, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Once the onion has slightly browned after about 5 minutes, add the garlic, tomatoes, and sugar. Turn the heat down to low-medium and allow it to simmer until it's hearty, fragrant, and thick- about 30 minutes. You'll have about 2 and 1/2 cups of sauce at this point. If you have more than that, keep simmering until the amount has reduced. Remove from heat and set aside until ready to be used. You may store the sauce in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days if planning to make the pizza another day. You may freeze this sauce for up to 2 months as well.
• Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C).
• After the dough balls have risen in the refrigerator, they should be puffy. Keep one ball of dough in the refrigerator as you work with the first one. Roll it out on a lightly floured work surface, working it into a 12-inch circle. Using your rolling pin as a guide (see photos below), place over a 9×2 inch deep dish cake pan. Using your fingers, press the dough into the cake pan. Make sure it is nice and tight fitting inside the pan. Trim any excess dough off the edges with a small knife. Repeat with 2nd dough. Brush the top edges of the dough with a little olive oil, which gives the crust a beautiful sheen. Fill each pizza with 1/2 of the cheese (about 2 cups/8 oz per pizza), then the pepperoni and bacon or your desired toppings. Pour about 1 and 1/4 cups (300ml) of sauce evenly on top of each. If you do not like that much sauce, you can reduce to 3/4 cup (180ml) per pizza and have leftover sauce. Sprinkle each with 1/4 cup (22g) of grated parmesan cheese.
• Place the cake pans on top of a large baking sheet, which will catch anything potentially spilling over the sides of the pans. (Nothing usually does.) Bake for 20-28 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Feel free to loosely cover the pizzas with aluminum foil after the 15 minute mark to prevent any heavy browning and uneven baking. Remove the pizzas from the oven and allow to cool in the pans placed on a wire rack for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, slice, serve, and enjoy. Place any leftover pizza in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Reheat leftovers in a 300°F (149°C) oven for 15-20 minutes or until hot.

CAST-IRON FAVORITE PIZZA

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. In a large bowl, combine butter, eggs, grated Parmesan, salt, yeast mixture and 2 cups flour; beat on medium speed until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough., Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Punch dough down; let rest for 5 minutes. Grease a 12-in. deep-dish cast-iron skillet or other ovenproof skillet; sprinkle with cornmeal. Press dough into pan; build up edges slightly., Preheat oven to 400°. In a large skillet, cook beef, sausage and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink and onion is tender, breaking meat into crumbles, 8-10 minutes; drain. Spread pizza sauce over dough to within 1 in. of edges; sprinkle with meat mixture. Top with mushrooms, pepperoni, ham, olives, mozzarella and shredded Parmesan., Bake until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted, 30-35 minutes. Serve with additional pizza sauce.

CHICAGO STYLE DEEP DISH PIZZA RECIPE

Steps:

• Using a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour, cornmeal, yeast, sugar, salt on low speed until blended. Add the water and melted butter. Mix until combined, about 1 to 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again until well blended. Increase speed to medium and knead until the dough is shiny and smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 4 to 5 minutes.
• Coat the sides and bottom of a large mixing bowl with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Transfer the pizza dough to the clean, oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rest at room temperature until nearly doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• While the dough rises, prepare the pizza sauce. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Add the minced onion crushed red pepper, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and sugar and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce has reduced to about 2 1/2 cups, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the fresh basil and olive oil. Check the seasoning and add salt if needed. Cover and set aside.
• Adjust the oven rack to the lowest position and preheat oven to 425 degrees. Turn the dough out onto a clean countertop. Roll the dough into a 15 by 12-inch rectangle. Using an off-set spatula, spread the softened butter over the dough leaving a 1/2-inch border along the edges. Starting at the short end, tightly roll the dough into a cyclinder. With the seam-side down, flatten the dough into a 18 by 4-inch rectangle. Cut the rectangle in half crosswise. Working with one half at a time, fold the dough into thirds like a business letter. Pinch the seams together to form a ball. Repeat with the remaining dough and transfer the balls to the oiled bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in the refrigerator until nearly double in size, 45 to 50 minutes.
• While the dough rising, cook the Italian sausage in a large non-stick skillet. Break the sausage up into chunks and sauté until cooked through. Drain well and set aside.
• Coat two 9-inch cast iron skillets or cake pans with 1½ tablespoons of olive oil each.
• On a clean countertop, roll one of the dough balls into a 13-inch round disk about 1/4-inch thick. Roll the dough loosely around the rolling pin and transfer to the prepared skillet. Unroll the dough and lightly press into the pan, making sure you work it into the corners and 1-inch up the sides. If the dough resists, allow it to rest for 5 minutes before trying again. Repeat with the remaining dough ball.
• Sprinkle each pizza with 2 cups of the shredded mozzarella. Divide the sauce between the two pizzas, spreading with the back of a spoon until evenly distributed over the cheese layer. Divide the cooked Italian sausage between the two pizzas, scattering to cover the sauce. Top with the olives, then the Parmesan cheese.
• Bake until the crust is golden brown, about 20 to 30 minutes. If over-browning, tent the pizza with foil until cooked through. Remove the pizza from the oven and cool for 10-minutes before serving.

SKILLET DEEP DISH PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Cook the sausage rounds until they turn brown on each side, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Grease the inside of a 12-inch cast-iron skillet with the butter. Place the pizza dough in the center and spread evenly towards the bottom edge and 1 1/2 inches up the sides.
• The order of topping layers is very important to achieving a crisp bottom pizza crust. Begin with the sausage. Evenly lay the sausage on the dough, followed by the mozzarella and marinara. Sprinkle the garlic and oregano on top. Finish with the Parmesan and drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil.
• Place the skillet pizza on the bottom rack of the oven and cook until the edge of the crust is golden brown and crusty, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

DEEP-DISH CAST IRON PIZZA

Steps:

• Sprinkle yeast and brown sugar over warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes until the yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam.
• Turn mixer to the lowest setting and slowly add 2 cups flour 1/2 cup at a time. Add garlic salt and 1/4 cup butter. Integrate remaining 2 cups flour and knead until dough is smooth and elastic, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Coat a large glass bowl with 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil. Shape dough into a ball and place in bowl, turning to coat all sides with oil. Spray a piece of plastic wrap with cooking spray and loosely cover bowl. Cover bowl with a towel and let rise in a warm area until dough has doubled in size, about 45 minutes. Punch down dough and allow to rest for 20 minutes.
• While dough is resting, heat a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir bulk sausage until browned and crumbly, about 5 minutes. Transfer cooked sausage to a bowl with a slotted spoon, retaining drippings in the skillet. Fry Italian sausage link in drippings until browned and no longer pink in the center, about 10 minutes. Slice sausage.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a 12-inch cast iron skillet with 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil.
• Press dough into and up the sides of the prepared skillet. Poke holes in dough with a fork to prevent air bubbles. Spread pizza sauce around the base of the crust. Sprinkle 1/3 cup mozzarella cheese over sauce; layer half the bulk sausage, half the sliced sausage, and half the pepperoni over cheese. Repeat the layers of meat. Top with remaining 1/3 cup mozzarella cheese.
• Bake in preheated oven on the bottom rack until crust is golden brown, about 25 minutes. Brush crust with 1 tablespoon butter; season with Italian seasoning and garlic powder. Remove pizza from skillet and let rest for 3 to 5 minutes before slicing.

THE REAL CHICAGO DEEP DISH PIZZA DOUGH

Steps:

• Add yeast to a mixture of water and sugar and let stand until foamy, about 5-10 minutes.
• Add the rest of the ingredients and mix in stand mixer with paddle attachment for one minute, then knead with hook attachment for no more than two minutes. Dough will be a little sticky. If too sticky to handle, add a little more flour. If too dry, add a little water. Dough should be a little tacky but able to shape into a ball.
• Put dough in a buttered bowl, turn dough buttered side up, cover with plastic wrap or a clean towel and let rise at room temperature for 6 hours.
• Punch down, then cover and let gluten relax for 10-15 minutes.
• Either roll out or press into and up sides of deep dish pizza pan or even a cast iron skillet. If you are making a 10-inch pizza, fit the dough into the pan at the thickness you like and trim off any excess.
• Add cheese, toppings, and tomatoes (that you've flavored with garlic, basil, oregano, etc.).
• Bake at 450 degrees for 30 minutes, depending on your oven.
• You may want to prebake the crust, if you wish, for about 5-10 minutes.

CAST IRON DEEP DISH PIZZA

Steps:

• The Dough
• Combine the yeast in the water with the honey and let sit while you prepare the rest of the dough In a large bowl add the flour, cornmeal, and salt. Make a well in the middle of the flour and add olive oil to the water and add to the flour. Stir until combined. Place on a well-floured counter and Knead for 5-10 mins until it is not sticky and springs back. Place into a well-oiled large bowl cover with a towl and let rise at room temperature for 1 hour.
• Sauce
• Empty the can of tomatoes into a mixing bowl and crush the tomatoes with your hands, leaving them just a little chunky. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, add the Add the Add all the ingredient. Simmer on a low, stirring often for at least 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool at room temperature until needed.
• Pizza
• Preheat oven to 425 Degrees F
• Oil and sprinkle a cast iron pan with cornmeal
• Take the pizza dough and stretch it out to fit a 12 inch cast iron pan. Place your Mozza on the bottom followed by the sausage and then the pizza sauce. Top with a little more Mozza if you like and Place in the oven for 25 mins.
• Remove from oven after 25 mins and loosely cover with tin foil and return to the oven for another 20 mins. Do this to prevent the top from burning while the dough cooks all the way.
• Let cool for 10 mins and Enjoy!

CAST IRON PAN PIZZA RECIPE (PIZZA HUT COPYCAT!)

Steps:

• In a large bowl, add 1 and 1/2 cups warm water and 3/4 teaspoon active dry yeast. (Instant yeast can also be used.) The water should be warm but not hot, about 105-110 degrees F. Stir in the yeast and let it sit for 5 minutes until it is dissolved. It will not be bubbly, but make sure to stir any lumps of yeast so that the mixture is uniform before moving on.
• Use a scale to add 14 ounces of bread flour* to the bowl. If you don't have a scale, carefully measure out 3 cups plus 1 tablespoon bread flour by spooning the flour into the measuring cup and leveling off the top. It is important to measure the flour precisely for this recipe. Don't be tempted to add more.
• Add in 2 teaspoons of kosher salt and stir the mixture together with a spoon. Do not knead it. Mix until it is all combined and no further.
• Use oil or nonstick spray to grease a large bowl or tupperware. Scrape the dough in and spread it out as much as possible. Cover loosely with a lid or with plastic wrap. Make sure the lid is not too tight, you need some of the gases to be able to escape.
• Turn your oven on to 350 degrees F for about 1 minute, then turn the oven off. Open the door and feel the rack. If it is too hot to touch with your fingers, then leave the door open and let the oven cool a bit. You want the oven nice and warm but not so hot that you can't touch the inside with bare hands.
• Place the rising dough in the oven and shut the door. Let rise for 4 hours. After 2 hours, remove the dough from the oven, turn the oven on again for a minute, and then return the dough to the oven when it has warmed up again. Make sure it is not too hot. After 4 hours, your dough should have at least doubled in size and should be airy and bubbly.
• Divide the 4 tablespoons oil** between two cast iron skillets and swirl to coat. You can use 10 or 12 inch cast iron skillets for this recipe.*** You need two skillets because the dough rises in the pan. If you only have one skillet, you can half the recipe, or see the recipe note about using round cake pans.
• Dip your hands and the end of a rubber spatula into the oiled pans to coat well. Use the oiled spatula to divide the risen dough into two. Scrape half the dough into each oiled pan.
• Use your oiled fingers to lift up an edge of the dough and bring it toward the center. Repeat this process a few times until the dough has formed a loose ball. (see photos) Flip the ball over so the smooth side is on top and everything is completely coated in oil. Press your hand down on top of the dough and gently spread it out as much as you can toward the edges of the pan. Repeat with the other half of the dough.
• Cover each pan loosely with plastic wrap, making sure the plastic does not touch the dough.
• Repeat the oven-warming process for the second rise. Turn the oven on for about a minute, turn it off, and put the cast iron into the oven when it is warm but not hot.
• Let the dough rise in the warm oven for about an hour and a half. It should have spread to the edges of the pan completely and look bubbly.
• Remove the pans from the oven and keep in a warm place. Preheat your oven as hot as it will go, 550 degrees F if possible. Let the oven preheat for at least 20 minutes to make sure it is seriously hot. Arrange the oven rack in the lower third of the oven. If you have a pizza stone, place it on the rack.
• Meanwhile, top the pizzas. Add about 3/4 cup pizza sauce (half of a 14 ounce jar) to the top of each pizza and spread on top, all the way to the edges.
• Add a few thin slices of mozzarella to the top of each pizza, only about 4 ounces all together. (Or use string cheese if you are weird like me). You don't want to weigh down the dough too much.
• Sprinkle about 1 and 1/2 cups of shredded mozzarella on top of each pizza.
• Divide the pepperoni between the pizzas. Remember not to add too many so you don't weigh down the dough.
• Sprinkle each pizza with a tablespoon of shredded parmesan cheese.
• When the oven is super duper hot, put the pizzas into the hot oven, on the pizza stone if you have one. Bake the pizzas for about 9-12 minutes. The pizza is done when the edges are starting to look brown and the cheese on top is becoming golden. The surest way to test for doneness is by lifting the edge of the pizza with a metal spatula to make sure that the bottom of the crust is a deep golden brown.****
• Remove the pizzas from the oven and let set for 2 minutes. Then use a spatula to slide under the pizza and edge them out onto cooling racks. This helps ensure that the crust stays crispy. Let the pizzas cool on the racks for a few minutes, then slide onto cutting boards, slice and serve.

CAST IRON SKILLET PIZZA

Steps:

• Place a 9 inch cast iron skillet inside the oven. Heat oven to 500 degrees with the skillet inside.
• CAREFULLY remove the skillet from the oven and spread the oil in a thin layer across the pan.
• On a lightly floured surface, work pizza dough into a 9-inch circle.
• Gently place crust inside of the cast iron skillet.
• Spread sauce in an even layer across the crust. Poke holes all over with a fork.
• Sprinkle thyme and garlic powder over the sauce.
• Add cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the edges of the crust are dark golden brown.
• Broil for 1-2 minutes or until the cheese starts to get dark golden brown spots.
• Sprinkle with Kosher salt and garnish with fresh basil leaves. Slice and enjoy!

CAST IRON PIZZA (PIZZA HUT PIZZA RECIPE)

Steps:

• Combine flour, water, yeast, salt, and olive oil in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix with the paddle attachment for 30-45 seconds, just until everything comes together in a shaggy dough. This can also be done by hand with a spoon by stirring for 1 minute. Scrape down sides of bowl to gather the dough into a rough ball, then cover loosely with a piece of plastic wrap and let it rest for 5 minutes.
• After 5 minutes, use wet hands to stretch the dough out, pulling from the bottom, and laying it over the top of itself, sort of folding it in half. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat the motion of stretching the dough out and folding it on top of itself 3 more time for a total of 4 folds. If the dough is sticking to your hands, moisten them again or use a wet bowl scraper to scrape the dough away from the side of the bowl so you can pull the dough from the bottom. Cover and let rest for another 5 minutes.
• Repeat the process of making the four folds, then covering and resting for the dough for 5 more minutes between each set of folds, three more times, for a total of four rounds of folding that take the place of kneading the dough. After that, cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 40 minutes at room temperature before sticking the dough in the fridge to slowly rise overnight. Let the dough rise at least 12 hours, but up to 72 to develop flavor.
• Three hours before you want to serve the pizza, take the dough out of the fridge. Divide the remaining olive oil between two 10" or 12" cast iron pans (2 tablespoons per pan), swirling to coat the pans well and using your fingers to use some of the oil to grease up the sides a bit as well. If you don't have a cast iron pan, another oven-safe skillet, 10-inch cake pan, or even a 9x9-inch square baking dish will work.
• Divide the dough between the two pans, turning to coat both sides with oil. Gently press the dough towards the edges of the pan, dimpling it with your fingers as you do so. If the dough shrinks back, that's okay. Let it rest for 15 minutes, then stretch it again until it reaches the sides of the pan. If it still doesn't reach the edges, give it a final 15 minutes rest and then stretch it one more time.
• Cover the crust loosely with a piece of plastic wrap and let it rise at room temperature for 2 hours. 30 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 550 degrees F (or as hot as your oven will go).
• Top each pizza with about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of pizza sauce, spreading it all the way to the edges of the crust. Sprinkle with the shredded mozzarella cheese all the way to the edges of the pizza to create a caramelized edge crust. Top with the your favorite toppings and sprinkle each pizza with parmesan cheese.
• Bake on the bottom rack of the oven for 12 to 15 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and the bottom and edges of the crust are golden brown. You can use a metal spatula to lift and check the bottom. If your oven doesn't go all the way to 550 degrees F, you will need to increase the baking time to more like 18 to 20 minutes for a lower temperature like 450 degrees F.
• Run a knife around the edges to keep the cheese from sticking as it cools, but let the pizzas rest for 2 minutes. Use a metal spatula to slide the pizzas out of the pans onto cooling racks so the crust stays crisp. If you leave the pizzas in the pan too long, the crust will start to go soggy. Slice and serve.

CAST IRON BUTTERY DEEP DISH PIZZA CRUST

Steps:

• 1. PREP/PREPARE
• 2. THE DOUGH
• 3. Gather your ingredients.
• 4. Add the flour, cornmeal, yeast, oregano, basil, sugar, and the salt to a large bowl.
• 5. Mix to combine.
• 6. Chef's Tip: The making of the dough is best accomplished using a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.
• 7. Add the melted butter, and the warm water.
• 8. Mix until the ingredients are combined, and the dough begins to crawl up the hook, about 3 to 5 minutes.
• 9. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface, and kneed for about two minutes. It should be elastic, and slightly sticky.
• 10. Place a bit of olive oil into a large bowl.
• 11. Add the dough, and turn to coat.
• 12. Tightly cover the bowl with cling wrap.
• 13. Place the bowl somewhere out of the way on your countertop, and allow the dough to rest for 1 to 3 hours, or until doubled in size.
• 14. Chef's Tip: You can speed the process up by heating up your oven to about 180f (82c), turning it off, and then placing the covered bowl in the oven.
• 15. After the allotted time, remove the cling foil.
• 16. Place on a lightly floured surface, and pat out, or roll into a rough rectangle.
• 17. Spread the softened butter over the top.
• 18. Roll the dough up, as you would dough for cinnamon buns.
• 19. Form into a ball, and place back into the bowl.
• 20. Chef's Note: DO NOT kneed the dough, just carefully shape into a ball.
• 21. Cover and place into the refrigerator, for about an hour.
• 22. Remove from refrigerator, and place onto a lightly floured surface.
• 23. Roll out into a circle, big enough to cover the bottom of a 10-inch (25cm) cast iron skillet.
• 24. Coat the bottom and sides of the skillet with the olive oil.
• 25. Carefully add the dough, and gently fit it to the skillet.
• 26. Cover the skillet and allow the dough to rest for 1 hour.
• 27. Place a rack in the middle position, and preheat the oven to 425f (220c).
• 28. Add the toppings to your pizza... Your choice.
• 29. Chef's Note: I use a tasty sauce with pepperoni, sausage, and a good buffalo mozzarella.
• 30. Brush a bit of olive oil on any exposed dough.
• 31. Place the skillet on the stove over medium-high heat, and cook for 2 to 4 minutes.
• 32. Chef's Tip: This will help to crisp up the bottom of the crust.
• 33. Add the skillet to the preheated oven, and bake until the cheese is bubbly and golden, about 12 to 15 minutes.
• 34. PLATE/PRESENT
• 35. Since this is pizza, serve it casual style with a nice cold beer, or beverage of choice. Enjoy.
• 36. Keep the faith, and keep cooking.

CAST IRON DEEP DISH RECIPE (CHICAGO-STYLE!)

Steps:

• Set out a large 12-14 inch deep-dish cast iron skillet. Brush the skillet with olive oil, then sprinkle the bottom with cornmeal. Flour a clean work surface and roll the pizza dough out into a circle, 2 inches wider than the bottom of the skillet. (So a 14-inch circle for a 12 inch skillet.) Move the crust to the skillet and press the dough around the sides of the skillet. Let it rest while you make the sauce.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Move one rack to the lowest position.
• Set a separate skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and break it apart with a wooden spoon as it browns. Once cooked, turn off the heat and set aside.
• Set a medium saucepot over medium heat. Add the butter, chopped onion, and garlic. Sauté for 3-4 minutes to soften. Then add in the crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, sugar, and salt. Simmer for 5 minutes.
• Spread the shredded cheese in an even layer over the bottom of the pizza crust. Cover the cheese with the cooked sausage. Gently pull the edges of the pizza crust up the create a rim around the fillings. Then spread the chunky tomato sauce over the sausage.
• Bake on the lowest rack for 25-30 minutes, until the edges are golden-brown.
• Once out of the oven, sprinkle the top with parmesan cheese and parsley. Cut and serve.