Deep Dish Supreme Cast-Iron Pizza

This pizza recipe has ruined all other pizza for me! Well, there is one place in town that makes amazing pizza with whole-wheat crust, but I prefer making my own when time permits. The original recipe is from Cuisine magazine's One-Dish Dinners. I picked up the issue because the cover boasted a picture of this delicious pizza. 

I've made this a variety of ways, using different ingredients depending upon my mood. I also use a 12-inch cast-iron pan rather than a 9-inch, so I do use more ingredients. This recipe is for the 9-inch. 

When making pizza at home, don't be afraid to mix things up. I like to grate my favorite low-fat Irish cheddar cheese from Kerrygold and mix it with the mozzarella. I also use more variety in the veggies. I've also made a thinner version of this pizza with a thin layer of veggies and cheese for my niece and nephew--it was a hit. The crust is delicious, so you definitely don't want to modify that unless you're substituting whole-wheat flour.

I suggest gathering everything together and cutting the veggies first. It will save you a lot of time later.

Deep Dish Supreme Pizza

This recipe makes enough dough for two pizzas, so freeze half of it and save time on the next one!

Makes one 9-inch pizza

Total time: Approx. 1 ¼ hours + rising and baking (worth it)

For the Dough, combine:

¾ cup warm water

1 Tbs. granulated sugar

1 pkg. active dry yeast (.25 oz or 2 ¼ tsp.)

2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

then mix:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup yellow cornmeal

2 tsp. sea salt

Olive Oil

For the Filling, brown:

2 cups quartered baby portabella mushrooms

3 Tbs olive oil, divided

Sea salt to taste

Saute:

8 oz low-fat Italian sausage or low-fat pork sausage

2 cups sliced red onion

2 cups sliced red bell pepper (I usually mix red with green)

2 Tbs. minced garlic

½ tsp red pepper flakes

Combine:

2 cups shredded fresh mozzarella, divided

½ cup canned crushed tomatoes

½ sliced fresh basil

2 oz sliced pepperoni

4-5 oz sliced ham

1. For the dough, combine water, sugar, and yeast. Proof yeast mixture until foamy, about 5 minutes, then add 2 Tbs olive oil. 
2. Mix flour, cornmeal, and 2 tsp salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook; add yeast mixture. Knead on low speed until smooth, 10 minutes. (If kneading by hand, knead for the same amount of time). 
3. Form dough into ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, 1 hour. Punch dough down and reshape into a ball. Return dough to oiled bowl, cover, and let rise again, about 1 hour. 
4. Preheat oven to 450 F (230 C/Gas Mark 8) with rack in lowest position. Coat a 9-inch cast-iron skillet with 1-2 tsp oil. 
5. Divide dough in half; wrap one half in plastic and freeze for later use. Roll remaining ball into a 12-inch circle, about 1/4-inch thick. Line prepared skillet with dough, dock the bottom and sides with a fork, and blind bake until golden, approx 10-12 minutes.
6. For the filling, brown mushrooms in 2 Tbs oil in a saute pan over high heat, 3-4 minutes; season with salt and transfer to a bowl. Reduce heat to medium high. 
7. Saute sausage in 1 Tbsp oil in the same pan for 2 minutes. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, and pepper flakes; cook until soft, 10 minutes. 
8. Combine sausage mixture, mushrooms, 1 cup mozzarella, tomatoes, basil, and pepperoni. Line prebaked crust with ham and filling, and top with remaining mozzarella. Bake pizza until crust is brown and cheese melts; approx 30-40 minutes depending upon the oven. 

Allergy Warnings: This posted recipe contains dairy.