Chicago Style Pizza

We love pizza at our house. We love to make it and order it. We like thin crust, hand tossed, NY style, and Chicago style. I don't know how to make the really thin and big sliced NY style pizza but last week we duplicated the delicious Chicago style pizza we love so much. No more having to order and have it shipped to Tennessee because now we can make it!

When I was making this Andrew wasn't home. When he came home he said it smelled just like he walked into Giordano's. So I knew we were on the right track.

Dough

3/4 cup warm water

1 Tbsp instant or active dry yeast

1/4 cup cornmeal

1-2 cups bread flour

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp honey

 

Sauce

2 Tbsp olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

28 oz dice tomatoes with juice

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp red chili flakes

 

Toppings

Mozzarella Cheese

Sausage

Pepperoni

Veggies

Ham & Pineapple

...whatever toppings you like

If you use the active dry yeast, proof the yeast in the warm water and let it sit for 15 minutes. If you are using instant yeast, just combine it with the dry ingredients.

In a large bowl, combine 1 cup of the flour, cornmeal, and instant yeast, if using instant. Add the water (or yeast/water if using active dry yeast), olive oil and honey. Stir until moistened then dump out onto a well-floured surface. Add more flour in 1/4 cup at a time while kneading dough until you achieve a soft dough that is neither sticky or stiff. Move dough to a well-oiled large bowl and let rise at room temperature for 1 hour.

While the dough is rising, prepare pizza sauce by heating oil in a large skillet or saucepan. Add garlic and saute until fragrant. Add tomatoes and spices. Bring to a boil and then reduce temperature and simmer until sauce thickens. Taste and add additional seasoning if necessary.

When dough is ready, roll into a circle on a floured surface, big enough to fit your cast-iron skillet, allowing a couple of inches extra for the dough to come up the side of the pan.

Preheat oven to 425°. Grease bottom and sides of a cast-iron skillet with olive oil and lightly dust with additional cornmeal. Transfer dough to cast-iron skillet and press into bottom and side until even thickness. Cover bottom of pizza with a generous layer of mozzarella cheese. Top with your choice of toppings. Top with all of the pizza sauce and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Bake in preheated oven about 25 minutes, or until crust is golden and set.

The original recipe had it baking for 45 minutes. I pulled it out at 25 minutes and still might pull it out even a little earlier next time.

 

*Source

 

Before putting the pizza in the oven.

 

 

And after cutting into it. I forgot to take a picture before we started eating. We couldn't wait!