Italian Deep Dish Pizza Recipes

Steps:

• Cook sausage links according to package directions; drain, cut into ¼-inch slices and set aside.
• In a skillet, sauté green pepper slices in 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat until lightly browned.
• Remove peppers and set aside.
• In the same skillet, add remaining olive oil; sauté mushrooms over medium-high heat until lightly browned.
• Position oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 400ºF.
• Butter the bottom and sides of two 9-inch round baking pans.
• Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of cornmeal in the interior of each pan.
• Remove bread dough from tubes, unroll and press one tube of dough up sides and over the bottom of each prepared pan.
• Arrange 3 slices of provolone over dough, followed by 1 ½ cups of mozzarella and ¼ cup of Parmesan into each pan.
• Spread ¾ cup of pizza sauce over cheese layer.
• Top each pizza with half of the green peppers, mushrooms, olives and sausage slices.
• Bake at 400ºF for 30-35 minutes or until crusts are golden brown.
• Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes.
• Cut into wedges.
• Serve.

Steps:

• Divide the dough in half. Roll each half into a 12-inch circle, about 1/2-inch thick. Press the dough into 2 greased 12-inch deep-dish pizza pans. Cover with a clean dish towel and let rise 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a large saute pan, over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions. Season with salt and pepper and saute for 2 minutes. Add the peppers, season with salt and pepper, and continue to saute for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
• In the same pan, over medium heat, add the sausage and render for 4 to 6 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels.
• Lay 1/4-pound of the sliced provolone on the bottom of each pizza. Spoon 1/2 the onion and pepper mixture over each pizza. Sprinkle 1/2 of the sausage over the onion mixture on each pizza. Scatter 1 cup sliced mushrooms over sausage. Spread 1 cup of the tomato sauce over the top of each pizza. Layer 1/4-pound mozzarella slices over top of each pizza. Drizzle with remaining olive oil. Bake the pizzas for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
• Remove the pizza from the oven and cut into individual servings.
• In an electric mixing bowl, whisk the yeast, sugar, water and lard together to make a paste. Add the flour and salt and mix, using a dough hook, until the dough comes away from the sides and crawls up the dough hook. Remove the dough from the bowl. Grease the bowl with olive oil and place the dough back in the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and divide dough in half. Roll the dough into balls, cover, and let the dough rest for 15 to 20 minutes. The dough is ready to be shaped.

Steps:

• Spray counter lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Combine rolls into a ball and roll into a 13x18-inch rectangle. Pour olive oil in the bottom of a 12x17-inch baking pan. Rotate the pan so the olive oil coats the pan evenly. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Place dough in pan. Cover with sprayed plastic wrap and let rise for about an hour. As dough rises you will need to press it out to the corners of the pan. Remove wrap and pre-bake crust at 350°F 12 minutes. Remove from oven and spread tomato sauce evenly over crust. Sprinkle sauce with Italian seasoning. Sprinkle evenly with feta cheese. Sprinkle mozzarella evenly over top of feta. Add your favorite toppings. Sprinkle cheddar cheese evenly over toppings. Bake at 425°F 12-15 minutes

Steps:

• Combine the yeast, water and honey in a small bowl. Set aside until foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Combine the cornmeal, salt and 2 cups flour in a bowl. Add the water mixture and 1/4 cup olive oil. Using your hands, stir together to form a rough dough. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead the dough, adding more flour as needed, until it forms a slightly tacky but smooth dough that doesn't stick to your hands or the counter, 5 to 10 minutes. Place the dough in an olive oil-coated bowl, turning to coat the dough in the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Position an oven rack in the top third of the oven and another in the bottom third. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Grease a 9-inch springform pan with the remaining tablespoon olive oil. Wrap the bottom of the pan in aluminum foil and set aside.
• Gently place the dough in the pan and spread it out to the edges using your fingers. Work the dough about 2 inches up the side of the pan. Shingle the provolone on the bottom of the crust and part of the way up the sides. Spoon the marinara over the cheese and smooth with the back of a spoon. Bake for 30 minutes on the lower rack. Rotate the pizza and move it to the top rack and continue to bake until the crust is deep golden brown and the sauce is slightly darker, another 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and seasonings, if using, and allow the pizza to rest for 10 minutes before unmolding, slicing and serving.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray the bottom and sides of a 2 1/2-inch deep, 9 1/2-inch round springform pan with nonstick spray, then evenly dust with cornmeal.
• Roll out and stretch pizza dough to a diameter of about 15 1/2 inches. Carefully place it in the prepared pan to cover the bottom and sides with some overhang, re-stretching as needed.
• Toss mozzarella, Cheddar, and Parmesan cheeses together to mix. Set aside 1 cup in the refrigerator for later. Sprinkle 1/2 of the remaining cheese over the dough. Layer with sun-dried tomatoes, sausage, mushrooms, sweet pepper, and olives, in that order.
• Prepare custard: Whisk eggs in a 4-cup liquid measure. Add cream, eggs, basil, oregano, fennel seeds, garlic salt, crushed red pepper, and garlic powder and whisk until well combined.
• Pour 1/2 of the custard mixture over the layered ingredients. Top with remaining (non-refrigerated) cheese, then pour the remaining custard evenly over top. Roll the dough overhang inward over the cheese and custard.
• Place the springform pan on a large sheet of foil, and gather the foil up and around the pan in case it leaks. Transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes. Tent the top with foil to prevent excessive browning, and bake until fully set, about 45 minutes longer.
• Carefully remove from the oven. Sprinkle with reserved 1 cup cheese and pepperoni slices. Pop back into the oven and bake until cheese melts, about 10 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Tent loosely with foil and let rest for about 2 hours. (It will stay hot and be completely set after 2 hours.)
• Release the ring. Slice through the outer crust with a serrated knife, then a sharp chef's knife to finish slicing the pieces.