deep dish cheese pizza

for the dough:

3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp table salt
2 tsp sugar
2 1/4 tsp yeast, instant or rapid rise
1/2 cup fine ground corn meal
3 tbs butter, melted
1 tsp olive oil

whisk ingredient together then add  1 1/4 cup room temperature water and 3 tbs melted butter and mix with dough hook 1-2 minutes on low speed scraping the sides to make sure the flour is all incorporated..  then mix on high speed until smooth and not sticking to the bowl (4-5 minutes).

coat a large bowl in 1 tsp of olive oil, turn the dough into the bowl and turn the dough to coat.  cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 45 min to an hour.

for the sauce:

2 tbs butter
1/4 cup of grated onion
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
2 cloves of minced garlic
1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
1/4 tsp sugar
2 tbs chopped baisl
1 tbs olive oil
salt and pepper to taste


melt butter in a sauce pan, add onion, oregano and salt stir and cook until golden brown.  add garlic and cook for 1 minute.  add crushed tomatoes and sugar.  bring to a simmer and reduce heat to medium low and let simmer for 25 minutes.  add basil and olive oil, salt and pepper to taste off heat.

for the pizza:

turn dough out onto dry board and roll out with a rolling pin gently until it is 15 x 12 inches.  spread softened butter onto dough up until 1/4 in from edge.  roll the dough up like a cinnamon roll.  roll the dough out until it is 18 x 4 in.  cut the log in half and fold the dough into thirds pinching the seams and put back into oiled bowl.  cover with plastic wrap and let rise in the refrigerator for 50 minutes.

oil 2 round cake pans with 2 tbs olive oil, make sure all sides are well greased.

for the filling:

2 cups shredded mozzarella
1 recipe pizza sauce
6 tbs finely grated parmesan

roll dough out to a 13 in circle.  transfer dough to the pan and press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the pan.  spread 2 cups of mozzarella into the bottom on the pizza dough and cover with 1 cups pizza sauce and sprinkle with 3 tbs finely grated parmesan per pizza.

bake pizzas at 425 degrees on the lowest rack for 25 minutes until crust is golden brown.  let sit for 15 minutes.  serve immediately.