Chicago-style Deep Dish Pizza

Ingredients for dough:
1/4 ounce active dry yeast (or 1 packet)
3/4 cup warm tap water, plus 1 TBSP
1 tsp sugar
1/4 cup canola or safflower oil
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp salt
1 tsp olive oil, plus more for rubbing bowl
Directions: Dissolve yeast in a large mixing bowl with warm water and sugar. Let stand for 3-5 minutes until foamy. Add oil (1/4 cup plus tsp) and mix. Add the flour and salt. Using a dough hook, mix on medium for about 4 minutes. Bring dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for another 2 minutes until it comes together and is pliable. Rub your metal bowl with olive oil and then rub dough around to coat the outside with olive oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and then with kitchen towel.  Let dough rise for at least 2 hours but up to 4 hours. When ready, rub a 12 inch cast iron pan with butter. Add dough and start pushing it from the middle around to the sides of the pan.  Rotate your pan with one hand while you push towards the edges with the other hand.  Make sure the bottom has no holes, if so just push them together and seal them.  For the crust, there is no science but press it against the side and then use the thumb of your other hand to flatten the top part of the crust. It should be about as wide as your finger.  Brush the crust with butter.

Ingredients for pizza:
3 sweet Italian sausage links, casing removed
3 hot Italian sausage links, casing removed
10-15 pepperoni
28 oz can of cheap tomato sauce
salt
pepper
garlic powder
red pepper flakes
oregano
Italian seasoning
1 Shallot, minced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 TBSP honey
1 TBSP olive oil
8oz bag shredded Italian cheese blend
8oz bag of shredded Mozzarella cheese
Parsley for garnish
Grated parmesan cheese for garnish
Melted butter (for coating the cast iron pan before you put the dough in and for brushing on the crust)

Directions:
1. Add the sausage and olive oil to a large high sided pan. Break up the sausage and brown. Remove with a slotted spoon.
2. Add the shallot and garlic to the same pan. Add in a few pinches of each seasoning here.  Soften the shallot and stir - about 4 minutes.
3. Add your sauce, more seasoning and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Add in your honey and stir.  Taste for seasoning.
5. Preheat your oven to 425.
6. Once your pizza dough is in the pan and the dough is buttered, add your cheese blend, then sausage, then mozzarella, then pepperoni, then sauce. Make sure to push fillings to the edge.
Note: You end up with a little less than a cup of sauce, you likely won't use it all but I keep it warm to dip my crusts in)
7. Sprinkle with parsley and parmesan.
8. Bake for 30 minutes. Turn off the oven and let sit in the oven for 3-4 minutes. Crust should be nice and golden
9. Pull out of the oven and let sit in the pan for 5-10 minutes so the cheese and sauce can rest a bit.  If you cut it right away the cheese and sauce will just ooze in the middle of the pan.
10. Enjoy with a nice red wine and some extra parmesan cheese for topping!  We ate the whole thing!!!!!!! Love it.

The wine pairing here is:
Wolffer Estate
2017
Classic Red Table Wine
5 stars on Vivino!