Crave Wednesday: Chicago Deep Dish Pizza

You may recall that I started this "Crave" adventure with a Chicago-style deep dish pizza.  This is Cooking Light's version of the same dish.  I'm not going to lie, this one is more complicated and not quite as good.  

Honestly, I would probably like it better if it wasn't quite as labor intensive. There's a lot of steps and waiting.  I have a feeling it would work as well with prepared dough.

Despite my reservations, the rest of the family really enjoyed this.  Thatboy much preferred it to the pepperoni deep dish pizza I felt tasted like cafeteria pizza.  And the chicken sausage was mild enough for Thatkid to enjoy.

 

This pizza also makes for great leftovers - because the beauty of deep dish pizza is that one slice is really enough!

Chicago Deep-Dish Pizza (From Cooking Light)

2 tsp sugar

1 pkg dry yeast

1 cup warm water

4 tsp olive oil

2 3/4 cup flour

1/4 cup cornmeal

1/2 tsp salt

cooking spray

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella

2 precooked mild Italian chicken sausage, casings removed 

1 can whole tomatoes, drained

1 1/2 tsp fresh oregano, chopped

1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh basil

2 cups tinly sliced mushrooms

3/4 cup chopped green bell pepper

3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper

1. Dissolve sugar and yeast in 1 cup warm water in a large bowl and let stand 5 minutes.  
2. Stir in 1 Tbsp olive oil.
3. Combine 2 1/2 cups flour, cornmeal, and salt in bowl.  Stir flour mixture into yeast mixture until dough forms a ball
4. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  Knead until smooth and elastic.  Add enough of the remaining flour to prevent dough from sticking to hands.
5. Place dough in a large bowl coated in cooking spray.  Cover and let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes.  Punch down, cover, and let rest 5 minutes.
6. Roll dough into a 15x11-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface.  Place dough in a 13x9 inch glass dish coated with cooking spray, pressing dough up side of dish.    
7. Sprinkle 1 cup cheese evenly over dough.
8. Arrange chopped sausage over cheese.
9. Preheat oven to 400.  Chop tomatoes and place in a sieve.
10. Stir in oregano and basil and drain for 10 minutes.
11. Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat.  
12. Add mushrooms, cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
13. Stir in bell peppers and cook 8 minutes until tender, stirring occasionally.
14. Arrange vegetables over sausage.  
15. Spoon tomatoe mixture evenly over vegetables nad sausage.
16. Sprinkle easily with 1/2 cup cheese.  Bake for 25 minutes.  Cut pizza into 8 rectangles.