Chicago Style Deep-dish Pizza Dough

Total Time: 3 hrs Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs 30 mins

Ingredients

• 1/4 ounce active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsps)
• 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 3 1/4 cups unbleached bread flour, plus more for dusting
• 1/2 cup medium-grind yellow cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon table salt or 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 cup olive oil, plus
• more olive oil, for oiling bowl and pan

Recipe

• 1 in a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in1/4 cup of the warm water. add the sugar and 1/4 cup of the flour and stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to combine.
• 2 cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes.
• 3 add the remaining 1 cup warm water and 3 cups flour, the cornmeal, salt, and 1/2 cup olive oil.
• 4 using a wooden spoon, mix the dough, incorporating as much of the flour as possible.
• 5 turn the dough out on a lightly floured work surface and knead until soft and elastic, 10 to 12 minutes. it will be a little sticky, but shouldn't stick to your hands.
• 6 add only a minimum amount of flour to the work surface to keep the dough from sticking.
• 7 lightly oil a large bowl. add the dough and turn to coat on all sides.
• 8 cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place a clean, damp, kitchen towel over the top.
• 9 set the bowl in a warm spot and let rise until doubled in volume, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. (for a slow rise, place the covered bowl in the refrigerator and let rise for 10 to 12 hours, returning dough to room temperature before using).
• 10 when the dough has doubled in volume, punch it down and knead it for 2 to 3 minutes. press the dough evenly into the bottom of an oiled 14-inch round deep-dish pizza pan.
• 11 let the dough rise in the pan for 15 to 20 minutes.
• 12 press the dough until it comes 2 inches up the sides and is even on the bottom and at the corners of the pan.
• 13 proceed with any deep-dish pizza recipe.