Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza with Italian Sausage

A buttery, crunchy-edge deep dish pizza with a soft, cheesy center, tangy tomato sauce, and savory Italian sausage.

Scale

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Combine 240 ml (1 cup) warm water at 38°C (100°F) with 7 g (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast and 10 g (2 tsp) sugar. Let sit 5–8 minutes until foamy. In a bowl, whisk 500 g (4 cups) flour and 10 g (2 tsp) salt; add the foamy yeast, 60 ml (1/4 cup) olive oil, and 1 large egg (optional). Mix until shaggy, about 1–2 minutes.
Knead by hand 6–8 minutes or by stand mixer with dough hook 4–5 minutes until smooth and slightly tacky. Place in an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot for 45–60 minutes, until doubled.
Sauté 450 g (1 lb) Italian sausage and 100 g (1 cup) chopped onion in a skillet over medium heat for 6–8 minutes, breaking up meat until browned. Drain excess fat, add 2 minced garlic cloves and 1 tbsp (15 g) tomato paste, cook for 30 seconds. Stir in 400 g (14 oz) crushed tomatoes, 120 g (1 cup) diced tomatoes, 1 tsp dried oregano, and 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper; simmer for 10–12 minutes.
Press or roll dough into a 9-inch deep-dish pan, pushing dough up the sides. Dock the base with a fork. Par-bake at 200°C (400°F) for 8–10 minutes.
Layer 350 g (12 oz) shredded mozzarella evenly in the par-baked crust. Add the cooked sausage mixture, then spoon the tomato sauce over the top. Finish with 60 g (1/2 cup) grated Parmesan.
Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 25–30 minutes, then reduce to 190°C (375°F) and bake another 10–15 minutes. Let rest for 10–15 minutes before slicing.

Make-ahead: prepare dough and sauce a day ahead and refrigerate. For best results, avoid adding sauce directly to raw dough.