Saturday, June 21, 2014

Deep Dish Pizza

For my youngest son's birthday this past June we offered to take him out for pizza on his birthday proper, his only request was that we go to San Ramon for the pizza (he was born in San Ramon).  In discussing our plans with some of the mother's of his classmates/party goers we received a 100% agreement that HAD to go to Zachary's in San Ramon. Zachary's serves a Chicago style pizza.  Now, I must admit that I have always been a New York style pizza girl myself, but DAMN this pizza was good.  What struck me most were the tomatoes which topped the pizza.  

We've since been back to Zachary's again and we will go several thousands more times before all is said and done, but y'all know me.  I can't walk away from a good meal without thinking, could I make that at home.  

I did a lot of research but I could not find what I thought would even come close to Zachary's when it hit me: King Arthur Flour!  'Come on Amy', I said to myself, 'you go to their site first when you are looking for any kind of bread recipe and what is at the foundation of a pizza, but bread.' I instantly found this recipe, Chicago-Style Deep-Dish Pizza.  I've made this recipe twice now and boy-howdy is it tasty.  I made two pizzas using 9-inch round baking dishes, one for the boys and one for the grown ups, but the original recipe is for one large pizza.  I also omitted the sugar from the tomatoes and I opted not add any salt to the tomatoes. 

The Ingredients

the crust
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
2 3/4 teaspoons instant yeast
 2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup + 2 tablespoons lukewarm water

the filling
3/4 lbs mozzarella cheese, sliced thinly
1 lb of white mushrooms, slice
1 can sliced black olives, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon capers
2-14.5 ounce cans no salt added diced tomatoes
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 

for the pans
4 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil

the tools 
large mixing bowl
plastic wrap 
2 9-inch round baking pans
rack
spatula or large turner

the cooking
In the stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the dough ingredients.  The King Arthur recipe has instructions of hand mixing and for using a food processor and probably even for a bread machine, because King Arthur Flour is fabulous like that.  

Mix on low speed for about 8 minutes of until the dough forms a lovely elastic ball.

 Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and place it in a warm location to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

 The dough should double in size. 

Roll or stretch the dough into a circle big enough for your 9-inch round baking pans

Coat the two round baking pans with 2 tablespoons each of vegetable or olive oil.  Swirl it around and make sure the the oil goes up the side of the baking pan.

Place the dough into the pans and push or press it out to cover the bottom and the side of the pans.Cover the let the dough rest for 15 minutes.  Preheat the oven to 425° while the dough rests.

  A well rested dough! Place the well rested dough in the oven and allow it to bake for 10 minutes or until it sets and is lightly brown. While it is baking prepare your filling. 

Drain the tomatoes and mix them together with the garlic, oregano, and basil. Also take this time to saute any veggies you are also using as filling.  

The pre-baked crust.  

Top the crust with the sauteed vegetable

Then top with the tomatoes (someone remind me to clean that toaster)

Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese and bake for 25 minutes or until the filling it bubbling and the crust is a lovely golden brown.

The finished product, but here is the scariest step EVER.  You are going to need to remove it from this pan and get it on that rack.  I need both hands for this step and I have no one else to help me cook or photograph, or I would have shared step by step instructions on getting the pizza out of pan without tears.  Basically I place a large turner/spatula under the edge of the pizza and gently lifted it out.  Don't panic, if I can do it anyone can do it!

 See! I did it!  Now let the pizza cool on the rack for 15 minutes

Slice it up and serve it warm!






This is for two 9-inch pizzas, one serving is 1/4 of an 9-inch round.  It;s high, but you will fill up on one serving.
Calories 457
Protein 15 grams
Fat 23 grams
Sodium 732 grams
Fiber 3 grams
Potassium 173 grams 













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