Alright, confession time. I’ve been to Chicago twice and both times I ate deep dish pizza until I thought I’d explode. Worth it. When I got home, I couldn’t stop thinking about that thick, buttery crust and all that melty cheese buried under a mountain of tomato sauce.
So I did what any reasonable person would do – spent three weekends trying to recreate it in my kitchen. This is the recipe that finally cracked the code.
What Makes This Pizza Different
If you’ve never had Chicago deep dish, here’s what you need to know – it’s not regular pizza. Not even close.
First off, the crust is wild. It’s got cornmeal in it which gives it this slightly crunchy texture. But here’s the crazy part – you actually fold butter into the dough like you’re making croissants. Sounds insane, I know. But that’s what makes it taste like the real thing. All flaky and buttery and absolutely ridiculous.
The whole pizza is backwards too. Cheese goes on the bottom, then your toppings, then the sauce gets piled on top. First time I made it I almost put the sauce on first out of habit. Good thing I caught myself.
Oh, and you eat it with a fork. Has to be. I tried picking up a slice once and cheese went everywhere. My dog was thrilled. My shirt was ruined.
What You’re Gonna Need
For the crust:
- All-purpose flour and yellow cornmeal
- Instant yeast (one of those little packets)
- Sugar, salt, warm water
- Half a stick of butter melted, another half stick softened
- Olive oil for coating things
For that sauce:
- Butter (noticing a theme here?)
- One small onion you’re gonna grate
- Can of crushed tomatoes (the 28-ounce one)
- Garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes if you like heat
- Bit of sugar and salt
For the toppings:
- About a pound of mozzarella, shredded
- Parmesan cheese
- Whatever else you want – I do pepperoni and bacon because that’s what my family likes
You’ll also need two 9-inch cake pans. The deep ones, not the regular kind. I didn’t have these at first and tried using regular pans. Disaster. Just get the right pans.
Making the Crust (This is Wild)
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