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• Chicago Style Pizza

Is anyone else as excited as I am that the new season of Top Chef is finally back and that this season takes place in Chicago?!?! How cool is that? For the first Quickfire Challenge the contestants had to make a Chicago style deep dish pizza and many of them were dumbfounded by the thick, doughy crust. If you feel the same way, have no fear because I have a family favorite recipe for a traditional Chicago style pizza!

Chicago Style Pizza
Makes 1 14” Pizza

Dough:
4 teaspoons powdered yeast
7 oz. warm water
3 cups flour
8 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Mix all ingredients together in large bowl. Knead for 5 minutes on floured board. Put dough in lightly oiled bowl; cover with damp cloth and put in a warm place. Allow dough to rise 1 hour, or until doubled in size

Sauce:
2 cans (28 oz each) canned whole tomatoes (preferably Italian plum tomatoes, but others are OK)
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon basil
4 teaspoons sugar
1 small can pizza sauce (preferably Pastorelli, but others will be OK)
1 (or more) teaspoon oregano
12-16 oz. part skimmed mozzarella cheese
Toppings of your choice (sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, onions, etc)
Parmesan and Romano cheese (optional)

Squeeze tomatoes over strainer until mushy; drain and discard juice. Add salt, pepper, basil, sugar and canned pizza sauce. Stir well and set aside for later use.

Preheat oven to 500°F with oven rack in bottom position. Grease pan with olive oil, making sure inside edge of pan is covered. Pat dough down for a few minutes, sprinkle with lots of flour, place in pan. Press dough out until it covers the pan edge to edge.

Put cheese over surface of dough. If sausage, mushrooms, etc. are to be used place these on top of cheese. Spoon the tomato topping mixture on top of cheese (and other toppings if used). Press tomato mixture into the cheese with a spatula being sure to cover the entire surface of the pizza. Sprinkle with oregano (you may also add grated Parmesan and/or Romano cheese to taste). Cook in preheated oven for 20 minutes.