Chicago Deep Dish Pizza

Our basement project is officially finished and I'm excited to share some pictures with you.  As I've said before - I deserve very little credit for this amazing space.  I acted as the decorator but it was up to the rest of our amazing team of professionals to figure out how to make my vision a reality.  And I think they did a fabulous job.  ​

I love a good before and after, so here goes.  Ladies and gentlemen, I give you, the family Davis basement transformation!!

The livingroom. 

The kitchen.

The bathroom.

The workout room. 

The "nook".  

​And last but not least, the bedroom/office.  (Apparently I didn't take any before pictures of the bedroom.🙄) 

We could not be happier with the transformation.  Bring on the basement parties.  🥳​

We actually ate our first meal in the basement this week.  I cooked it in the basement oven, served it on the basement plates and then loaded them up in the basement dishwasher.🤣  I've got to say, I really appreciated having a second kitchen to cook in during this particularly busy week when my upstairs kitchen counters were occupied with Easter orders.  🍰🥧🍪

So what was our first basement meal, you ask? 😅  Chicago Style Deep Dish pizza of course.🍕 It was exactly as good as it looks.  The thick crust and spicy sauce were crazy delicious - and not just because we enjoyed it while sitting at our new basement bar. 😂

Chicago Deep Dish Pizza
Dough
1 cup + 2 Tablespoons water
1 Tablespoon yeast
3 cups flour
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt

Sauce
28 ounces whole peeled tomatoes
8 ounces tomato sauce
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon fennel
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon pepper

10 slices deli mozzarella cheese
6 ounces Italian sausage
1/4 teaspoon oregano
​1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Combine water and yeast for dough and let sit 5 minutes - until foamy. 

Whisk together oil, flour and salt in bowl of standing mixer.  

Add yeast mixture and knead with dough hook for 5 minutes.  

Transfer dough to a greased bowl.  Cover and let rise 1 hour.  

Drain tomatoes in a colander for 10 minutes.  

Cut tomatoes into 1/2" pieces.  Return to strainer and drain 10 minutes more.

Stir together tomato sauce, oil, sugar, basil, oregano, salt, fennel, garlic, pepper and diced tomatoes.  

Grease 2 nine inch cast iron skillets with 1 T. oil each.  Cover and let rest 20 minutes.  

Press half of dough into bottom and 1" up sides of each pan.  

Press mozzarella slices into the dough with hands.  

Break up sausage and divide over mozzarella cheese. 

Spread 1/2 of sauce over each pizza.  

Sprinkle each pizza with 1/8 t. oregano and 2 T. parmesan cheese.  

Bake pizzas 35 minutes at 400. 

Let pizzas sit for 5 minutes and then slice into wedges. 

Ciao!

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