Deep dish Pizza. Something I wondered if I would EVER have the chance of eating again. Actually- no. I take that back. I didn't wonder that- because I refuse to think that way. There is ALWAYS ALWAYS a way around food allergies. Always. It's just a matter of figuring out how to make it happen..Which is what I LIVE for.
Deep dish pizza crust contrary to logic is actually a thin(ish) crust. The difference of course is that the crust acts almost like a pie crust as it wraps around the sides. Another difference? It contains Cornmeal- not a huge amount- but just enough to give its wonderful texture.
I wanted my crust to have a crispy outside layer- but also a slightly goo-ey layer on the inside. and I achieved exactly that with the help of an all star ingredient: Gluten Free Bisquick. In general I stay away from mixes- I'm not crazy about them as I feel they tamper with my learning process of understanding how everything works. (Which is an endless journey of mine) Also- except for making cake I'm not crazy about using White Refined Flours. Once in awhile we splurge and this Pizza was a splurge. A WONDERFUL worth every bite splurge.
This recipe makes 1 - 9 inch Deep Dish Pizza. Using a spring form pan works the BEST. Using a Cast Iron Skillet is possible BUT you will need to to Cook the Pizza longer as it takes a longer period of time for the skillet to warm up. Secondly you will need to heavily douse the skillet with corn meal as the pizza will stick otherwise.
The Traditional Chicago style pizza layers its ingredients a little different than the normal pizza. The cheese goes down first! I recommend you do this as the Cheese and the crust taste WONDERFUL next to each other. Also if you are using a dairy free Cheese Alternative Such as Daiya it does not do the best under direct oven heat- it will work best hidden under the sauce.After the Cheese- layer in some Italian Sausage (Ground or patties) And then top with your favorite sauce or Diced Tomatoes. A Classic Deep dish pizza is topped with some Parm. Cheese. Since this was not an option for us- I sprinkled just a little bit more Daiya on the top.Feel Free to Experiment with the Pizza Filling- we just happen to be especially fond of the classic recipe!
And by the way- the photo above is not mine- It looks very similar to the one I made (a quick shot I took of our pizza is below- my starving husband wanted to EAT and not wait on a food photo shoot )
ok- Here's what you do!