Deep Dish Skillet Pizza

Thought for the Day

"I urge you to please notice when you are happy, and explain

or murmur or think at some point, 'If this isn't nice, I don't

know what is.'"

by Kurt Vonnegut,author 

Early on I learned quickly that living up north does require a bit of thinking ahead with advance planning to shop for needed supplies. One can never be too prepared:) You need to know there are no pizza deliveries in our area nor fast food restaurants.The nearest small grocery store is an 18 mile round trip so you want to think hard and ask yourself do I really need it. Big box stores are an hour away and cell phone connections can be spotty and for some who visit us even non-existent. But that is why we enjoy being in the north country for a more simpler laid back life.

Imagine my excitement when I found a recipe that when my husband finished it he said it tasted just like Green Mill Deep Dish Pizza!!!  I had to laugh because unbeknownst to him the pizza sauce I used came from the store and said Green Mill on the label.

I did my homework on this recipe and how to best use an iron skillet for cooking a deep dish  pizza. 

Deep Dish Sausage Pizza

Cook's notes: I am sure the recipe would have tasted even better making a homemade pizza dough but I opted for using Pillsbury Pizza Dough Classic found in the refrigerated section of the store.It worked just fine and is so much easier. I made by own sauce the day before as well as cooking the Italian sausage ahead, This made the assembly a snap. I did start with a recipe from Plilsbury but made numerous adaptations. This pizza can be a vegetarian meal by omitting the meat and adding mushrooms and peppers.

Sauce Ingredients:

• 1/2 can Hunts diced tomatoes Basil, Garlic and Oregano-use more of the chunky tomatoes then juice when adding to the sauce
• 1 jar (14 oz.) Classic Pizza Sauce Green Mill (there are other brands found at grocery store)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 2 tsp. finely chopped garlic

Sauce Directions:

• In a saucepan on medium heat heat 2 TB. olive oil and saute onion and garlic cooking about 4 minutes
• Add rest of ingredients and turn heat down to low bring to a slow boil uncovered about 25 minutes-stir occasionally 
• Sauce should be thick-remove from heat and discard bay leaf

Skillet and dough preparation:

• Sprinkle sea salt on pan bottom and sides-wipe clean with a paper towel
• Add 1/2 tsp olive oil to cleaned skillet and spread around bottom and on sides
• Sprinkle bottom with cornmeal
• Remove crust from tube and pat into skillet making sure the dough is even around sides 
• Heat oven to 425 and prick crust with a fork on the bottom and sides
• Place crust in heated oven for 5-6 minutes
• Turn oven temp down to 400

Filling

• Italian sausage 1/2 lb. cooked and crumbled
• Mozzarella cheese and Colby Jack mixed together to equal 3 cups
• optional sauteed mushrooms

Assemble

On top of crust add 1-1/2  cup of cheese

Sprinkle sausage mixture

With a spoon ladle sauce on meat

Grate Parmesan cheese on top of pizza sauce and sprinkle rest of cheeses on top

Baking

Bake at 400 for 25 minutes watch crust so doesn't get too browned

Serving Suggestion:

Let set 10 minutes before cutting