Easy Deep Dish Pizza Dough

I adore Pizza, in any way shape or form.  Generally speaking, I like to make my own.  Of course when I was younger, that usually involved using a pizza kit/mix from the shops, either Chef Boy Ar Dee or Kraft and we always enjoyed them.  In fact that was the first kind of pizza I ever had.  I had a boyfriend when I was 16 who introduced our family to it and we all really enjoyed it.

Those mixes are not something you find readily available over here in the UK, so I now make everything from scratch.  I have a favourite pizza dough that I like to use.  A few years ago I tried a Deep Dish Pizza recipe that I also enjoyed.  Todd also enjoyed it and he is not a pizza lover! 

I have to say that this was one of the easiest pizza doughs and pizzas I have ever made.  The dough went together really quickly and rose beautifully.  I did use my Iron Skillet, but you can also use a heavy based round cake tin of a comparable size. (10 inch skillet, 9 inch cake tin)

It was lovely and thick and beautifully flavoured.  I kept the toppings simple.  Cirio Passata Rustica crushed tomatoes  . . .

Italian garlic herbs spice  . . .  and some crushed fennel seed. I do love fennel seed on a pizza. 

I sprinkled the top of the sauce with some grated Parmesan cheese and then torn Mozzarella  . . .

Finally I tore up some fresh basil leaves and scattered them on top . . .  I kept it all very simple.

It was beautiful.  I could easily have eaten two pieces . . .  but I promise you I didn't!   (I wanted to though!) 

This is now going to be my "Go-To" deep dish pizza dough!  Its amazing! (And I don't say that lightly!)

Easy Deep Dish Pizza Dough

This is not only quick to make but delicious.  If you are a fan of deep dish pizza, this is sure to become your go-to dough!

ingredients:

• 3 TBS light olive oil
• 2 1/2 tsp bread machine yeast
• 180ml hot tap water (3/4 cup)
• 2 TBS caster sugar
• 280g strong flour (2 cups, bread flour)
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• Toppings as desired

instructions:

1. Have ready a heavy duty 9 inch round cake tin, or a 10 inch iron skillet.  Pour 2 TBS of the olive oil into the skillet or pan and set aside.
2. Warm a clean bowl with some hot tap water. Let it sit for a bit and then pour it away.  Add the 180ml hot tap water, sugar and yeast.  Give it a stir and then let it sit for five minutes.  At that point it should be bubbling and active.  Add the remaining TBS of olive oil, stirring to combine.  Stir in the flour an salt with a wooden spoon, stirring until all of the flour has been incorporated and you have a shaggy dough.
3. Tip out onto a lightly floured surface and knead  for a minute or so until you have a smooth dough.   Shape into a ball.  Drop it into the pan/skillet and turn to coat with oil.  Cover the pan tightly with cling film and set aside in a warm place for 15 to 20 minutes.
4. At the end of that time, uncover and press the dough out to cover the base of the pan, making little dimples with your finger-tips.  Spoon on the sauce and whatever toppings you are using. (I used rustic passata crushed tomatoes, Italian garlic spice, fennel seed, Parmesan cheese, Mozzarella Cheese and torn basil leaves.) Cover again and set aside for a further 20 minutes.
5. Preheat the oven to 230*C/450*F/ gas mark 8.  (220*c/425*F gas mark 7 if using a cake tin.) Cover the pan tightly with aluminium foil.  Pop into the oven  on the lowest oven rack and bake covered for 15 minutes, uncover and bake for a further 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese has melted and the edges of the pizza are golden brown and crusty.
6. Lift out of the pan onto a wooden board with a large spatula and cut into wedges to enjoy!