Chicago-Style Deep-Dish Pizza

Chicagoans are proud of their deep-dish pizzas, though they never agree as to which restaurant serves the best. Maybe we should have them taste this one.

Ingredients

4 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
1 1/2 cups pizza sauce, divided
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) Italian-seasoned diced tomatoes, drained
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 ounce fresh Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1/4 cup)

1/3 cups plus 1 tablespoon cornmeal, divided
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 package (1/4 ounce) quick-rising dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup very warm water (125°-130°F)
1/4 cup olive oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 425ºF. For filling, slice mushrooms using Egg Slicer Plus®. Chop onion with Food Chopper. Spray (10-in.) Sauté Pan with olive oil. Cook mushrooms, onion, garlic and oregano over medium heat until onion is tender; stir in spinach and 1/2 cup of the pizza sauce. Remove pan from heat. In Small Batter Bowl, mix remaining 1 cup pizza sauce with drained tomatoes; set aside.
Lightly spray bottom of Deep Dish Baker with olive oil using Kitchen Spritzer; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the cornmeal. For crust, in Classic Batter Bowl, combine flour, remaining 1/3 cup cornmeal, yeast, sugar and salt. Add water and 1/4 cup oil; stir until mixture forms a ball. Place dough on lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 3 minutes. Place dough in center of Baker. Using Baker's Roller®, roll dough evenly over bottom; press up sides to edge of Baker. Sprinkle 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese over crust; top with spinach mixture, remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese and tomato mixture. Bake 30 minutes or until crust is deep golden brown. Using Rotary Grater, grate Parmesan cheese over hot pizza. Cut into wedges and serve using Slice ‘N Serve®.

Yield:

6 servings

Nutrients per serving:

Calories 410, Fat 19 g, Sodium 1190 mg, Dietary Fiber 5 g

Cook's Tips:

For Italian Sausage Deep-Dish Pizza, reduce pizza sauce to 1 cup and mix with drained tomatoes. Substitute 8 ounces Italian sausage for the spinach. Cook sausage, mushrooms, onion, garlic and oregano until sausage is no longer pink; drain. Prepare dough, assemble pizza and bake as directed.