Chicago Deep Dish Pizza

Ethan has been making pizza for the better part of 2019, and he wanted to venture in a new direction.

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast 

12.5 ounces all-purpose flour 

2.5 oz. medium grind corn meal

2 teaspoons fine sea salt 

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar 

1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus additional for oiling the bowl 

12 ounces deli sliced part skim mozzarella 

12 ounces of provolone sliced cheese

One 28-ounce can whole San Marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand

minced onion, garlic

Grated Parmesan, for topping and garnish 

Directions

1. Mix sugar, yeast and 8 1/4 ounces room temperature water (about 80 degrees) in a bowl and let bloom for 15 minutes. Combine flour, salt, corn meal, and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Once yeast has bloomed, add to dry ingredients along with corn oil. Gently combine with a rubber spatula until a rough ball is formed.
2. Knead on low speed with the dough hook for 90 seconds. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl and proof until doubled in size, about 60-90 minutes. Punch down and press into the 12" cast iron skillet and let dough settle for 20-30 more minutes.
3. Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F.
4. Cover entire bottom in mozzarella, all the way up to the edge. Cover the other half with the pepperoni. Top with a sauce made of tomatoes, onions, and garlic that has been cooked lightly, ass a bit of sugar for a sweeter sauce. Spread out with hands to the edge. Sprinkle top evenly with grated Parm.
5. Bake, rotating halfway through, until golden around the edge, about 25-35 minutes. Let rest for about 10-15 minutes, then either gently lift pizza out of pan or just cut your slice out of the pan like a pie!