| 1 |
TO FORM A DEEP-DISH CRUST: Place a ball of dough in a well-oiled deep-dish pizza pan. Starting in the middle, press the dough with your fingertips to cover the bottom and about 1 inch up the sides of the pan, making the dough thickness as even as posssible. For a traditional crust, cover with plastic wrap or a cloth kitchen towel and let the dough rise in the pan for about 20 minutes before filling. For a thinner crust, skip the rising. |
| 2 |
Prick the bottom of the dough every 1/2 inch with a fork, then transfer the pan to the bottom rack of a preheated oven and bake for 4 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, brush the crust with oil, and add the toppings as directed in recipes. Return the pan to the bottom rack of the oven and bake for about 5 minutes, then move it to a rack in the upper portion of the oven and continue baking until the crust is golden and the toppings are bubbling, about 15 minutes longer. |
| 3 |
FOR A STUFFED DEEP-DISH PIZZA: Reserve one-third of the dough in the bowl. Use the large portion to line the pan as directed above. Add the filling as directed in recipes, then roll out or stretch the reserved ball of dough to fit just inside the pan. Center it over the filling and press the edges of the crusts together to seal. Cut a 1-inch slit in the center of the top crust to allow steam to escape during cooking, then gently press the top crust down over the filling. Place the pan on the bottom rack of the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes, then move the pan to a rack in the upper portion of the oven and bake until the crust is golden, about 15 minutes longer. When applying a tomato sauce to the top crust, add it during the final 5 minutes to avoid overcooking the sauce and creating a soggy crust. Alternatively, omit the sauce and pass it at the table. |
| 4 |
Remove the deep-dsih pan to a wire rack to cool for about 5 minutes before serving. |
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