Deep Dish Pizza

Pedro has never agreed to us making this pizza, because when you can make a Neapolitan pizza in our oven out back why would you? But this is one of my all time favorite comfort recipes from my mom. And I'm just putting it here for safe keeping.

Deep-Dish Cheese & Sausage Pizza

CRUST

1 package dry yeast (2-1/2 tsp)

1 cup warm water

1 tbsp sugar

1-1/2 salt

1 tbsp olive oil

2-3/4 cup flour, approximately

cornmeal

FILLING

12 oz slices mozzarella cheese (or shred a 12-oz block of cheese)

1 pound bulk pork sausage (Italian), coarsely chopped

One 28-oz can pear tomatoes, well drained, coarsely chopped

2 tsp oregano

1 tsp salt

1 tsp fennel seeds

½ cup grated Parmesan

Dissolve yeast in water, add sugar, salt & oil. Stir in flour to make a soft dough. Turn out onto lightly floured board. Knead until dough is smooth and elastic. Put in greased bowl. Invert dough so greased side is on top. Cover and let rise until double in bulk. Punch down.

Brush 14-inch diameter, 2-inch deep pizza pan with oil, sprinkle with cornmeal. Press dough in bottom and up sides of pan. Let rise about 20 minutes.

Put cheese in dough lined pan, layering it if necessary. 

Arrange sausage on top of cheese. Add pieces of tomato. Combine and sprinkle on the seasonings. Top with Parmesan cheese.

Put pizza in oven preheated to 500 degrees F. Reduce heat immediately to 450 degrees F and bake about 35 minutes or until cheese is melted and sausage is cooked.