Family Advent Calendar : Make Deep Dish Pizza and Watch a Festive Movie

Tonight, it’s a party! We’re going to make our famous Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizzas and settle down to watch a festive film or two. I really want to cheese it up this year, so I’m rooting for White Christmas with a side of Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer. Though, I might be persuaded to watch Santa Claus Conquers the Martians one more time. No matter what, later tonight, I want to finish watching Rare Exports – this absolutely crazy cool Christmas Horror movie [with a kid-hero] from Finland! 

Here’s a reprint of our recipe for our Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizzas, which we first introduced in our amazing, Intergalactic March Break of 2015 – now in recipe card form.

Print Recipe

Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizzas

Our homemade tribute to Chicago, where two kids fell in love...Makes 2 pizzas in 9-in spring-form or 9x2-in circular cake pans.

Author: Roseanne Carrara, The Lunchbox Season

Ingredients

GEAR

• 2 9- in spring-form or 9×2-in cake pans

DOUGH

• 1 1/3 c warm water [95-105 degrees]
• 1 [.25 oz] packet active dry yeast
• 1 tsp sugar
• 3 1/3 all-purpose flour + a bit to season the pans
• 1/2 c cornmeal or semolina [we use cornmeal] + a bit to season the pans
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 c vegetable oil [corn oil]
• 1/4 c unsalted butter melted and cooled [or more oil]
• olive oil to coat the bowl
• For the deluxe more elaborate crust
• 1/3 c unsalted butter room temperature

SAUCE

• [enough for two pizzas and then some]
• 1 tbs butter
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 small onion finely diced
• [optional] 2-6 anchovies in oil from a tin
• [optional] .5 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1-3 tsp grated garlic [chopped in oil is fine]
• 1/4 c red wine or water
• 1 28- oz can crushed tomatoes or 1 28-0z diced tomatoes drained and blitzed in food processor
• 1 tsp sugar
• [optional] 1-2 tbs chopped fresh basil
• salt and pepper
• spices to taste: dried basil oregano, parsley, fennel seed, etc.

TOPPINGS

• 1 lb mozzarella cheese grated. [At least 2-3 cups for each pizza]
• .5 c parmesean cheese for on top of the sauce
• Toppings to taste such as pepperoni green olive, hot salami, ham, prosciutto, blue cheese, goat cheese, sundried tomatoes, capers, oil - whatever you fancy...

WE MADE

• a sauceless pizza with pepperoni and half green olive
• and a saucy pizza with hot salami prosciotto, sun-dried tomatoes in oil, blue cheese, capers, and green olives

Instructions

DOUGH

• In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a mixing bowl, combine the 1 1/3 c warm water and the 1 teaspoon of sugar.
• With a small spoon, stir gently to combine.
• Sprinkle the package of yeast over top, stir gently for just a moment with the spoon, and allow to proof for about 5 minutes.
• Attach the dough hook to the mixer.
• Turn the mixer on low [or use a spatula and mix by hand].
• To the wet ingredients, add 1 1/3 cup of the flour, the 1/2 c corn meal, and the 1 teaspoon of salt and combine.
• Add the 1/4 c oil and the 1/4 c cooled melted butter until combined and smooth.
• Gradually add the remaining 2 c of flour until the dough comes together but is sticky.
• Remove from the bowl and knead gently to form a ball.
• Coat a large bowl with oil.
• Place the dough in the bowl and rotate to coat all sides.
• Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm, dark place until doubled in size. [about 1 hour]
• Prepare your sauce [or open up a can!], shred your cheese [or open up a sac], and ready your fillings.
• If you’re in a rush, skip this next part…and divide risen dough into two equal halves or into the portions you would like to serve your guests.

FOR SUPER-DELUXE DOUGH

• After the dough has risen, remove it from the bowl and punch it down.
• Roll out flat into a large round or square, the size of a cookie sheet.
• Slather with the 1/3 cup of softened butter.
• Roll dough into a spiral as you would a cinnamon roll.
• Slice dough in halves or in the portions you would like to serve to your guests.
• Gently form each spiral into a ball.
• Replace in the oiled bowl and cover once again.
• Let rise on the counter for at least 45 minutes as you prepare you pizza ingredients.

SAUCE

• In a sauce-pan, heat the 1 tablespoon each of oil and butter.
• Add the small, diced onion and cook until just beginning to brown.
• Add the [optional] 2-6 anchovies and stir until disintegrated.
• Add the 1-3 teaspoons garlic and the 1/2-teaspoon pepper flakes and cook for just a minute. [Do not let the garlic get brown.]
• Add a few splashes of wine or water to deglaze.
• Add the 28-oz can crushed tomatoes to the pan.
• Add the 1 teaspoon of sugar, stir, and simmer for 20-30 minutes.
• If you find the sauce is not thick enough, add a bit of tomato paste and simmer for 5-10 more minutes.
• Add a few tablespoons of chopped fresh basil and stir just before adding to the pizza.

PIZZA PREP AND BAKING

• Heat oven to 450.
• Brush pizza pans with olive oil or rub with butter.
• If desired, sprinkle the bottom of each pan with a bit of flour and cornmeal
• One pizza at a time: Roll dough into a twelve-inch circle [for 9x 2 or 3 in cake or spring-form pans].[For ten inch pans, roll to a 13-in circle. For smaller pans, roll to 12 inches and then use a pizza wheel to cut the dough such that you have the diameter of your pan +3 inches for the sides.
• Reserve the remaining dough for breadsticks or mini pizzas. I’ve used a large biscuit cutter to make a lovely hors d’oeuvre pizza or side.]
• Press the circlet into the pan.
• If you really need to, trim overhang from the tops of the pan. [We don’t bother.]
• Brush the dough with olive oil.
• Repeat with other pizza crust[s]
• Place the grated cheese on the crust [about 2 cups each pie], reserving a bit for on top of your toppings.
• Place your toppings on top of the cheese.
• Add the small bit of reserved mozzarella to the toppings.
• Ladle about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of sauce on the top of the pizza toppings on each pie.
• If desired, sprinkle about 1/4 cup parmesean cheese on the top of the sauce.
• Lower the temperature of the oven to 425.
• Bake the pizzas for about 15 minutes.[While the pizza was baking, we cut mozzarella slices with a small, star-shaped cookie cutter for garnish.]
• Cover pizzas with foil.
• Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, until crust is brown and pizza is cooked through.
• If desired, about 3-5 minutes before you pull the pizza out of the oven for good, remove foil and top with additional garnish toppisn like pepperoni or salami bits. [If crust is super-brown, replace foil].
• Remove pizza from the oven. [At this point, we topped with our mozzarella stars for fun.]
• Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!