Yay! for hubbies that cook~  I remember when my husband and I were dating.  At the time, we both lived in SE Michigan. He invited me over to dinner one chilly fall evening. That night he served me a delicious calzone he had made. “Ahhhh…. he cooks!” I said to myself…an added bonus! Now, 10+ years later & two kids, I am happy to say… he still cooks for me!

It may not be a lot… but enough. I may have to squabble a little sometimes, but he does it.

I have to say, his Mom taught him well. He has this silent side that knows how to beat eggs ’till fluffy with soft peaks’ and is quite knowledgeable about various spices from around the world. I would have to say, his best dish is his award winning (by me) pizza– Chicago style deep dish. It, of course, is made with beer. He is a guy, you know. So beer is an added plus. It allows the chef a great ingredient and the leftovers make an excellent beverage to enjoy while cooking…so I hear.  Now, with that said, hand this recipe over to your significant other, with a beer!  Sit back and relax!

This pizza has a crust on the top as well as the bottom. It can be made the typical way by just reducing the crust recipe by half and cooking it directly on a pizza stone pre-heated in the oven. You would need to use a pizza peel to properly remove the pizza if making it in this typical fashion.

My husband uses the bread machine to make the dough, but it can be made without it as well. It just takes a bit more effort..
What you will need for making the pizza this particular way is a 10″ deep dish pan. Preferably a stone deep dish pan.

For babies first introduction to meat, use a non spicy meat such as turkey or beef. Brown according to the directions then reserve out a portion of just the plain meat. Mash up with a little water or chicken broth to desired consistency. Go ahead and spice it up after babies portion has been removed.  For older babies not ready for spice, portion out a small amount of sauce, olives, bell pepper and cook with the reserved meat. Puree until desired consistency.

Enlist the kids help with filling the pizza. Kids love to cook and what better way to make a great creation together in the kitchen. Before you know it, the kids will be making dinner for you too!

Aaron’s Deep Dish Pizza

Serves 4 (two slices each)
1 hour prep
20 minutes cooking time

Dough

1 1/4 cups of warmed beer (Bodingtons is his favorite)
2 cups white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon oregano
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons dry yeast

Using a bread machine, pour in 1 1/4 cup of warmed beer, add 2 cups of white flour, 1 cup of whole wheat, 1 tablespoon sugar, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon oregano, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese and 2 teaspoons of dry yeast. Set the machine to the dough setting and watch it do its thing!

(Alternatively, dissolve 2 teaspoons yeast in 1/4 cup water with 1 tablespoon sugar in a large bowl. Let rest for 5-10 minutes until foamy. Add 2 cups white flour, 1 cup whole wheat flour, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon oregano, 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese and 1 cup beer. Mix into a firm dough. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Place in an oiled bowl, turning to coat with oil. Cover with oiled plastic wrap and a towel. Set in a warm spot and let rise about 30- 45 minutes, until puffy.)

Pre-heat oven to 500 degrees

Primary Filling

1 pound ground hot Italian sausage (or meat of choice–ground beef, ground turkey or whatever you like)
1/2 white onion, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup sliced black olives
1/2 cup diced pineapple (canned is fine)
3 or 4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon oregano
1 jar spaghetti sauce (Classico Four Cheese is his favorite)

Brown 1 pound ground meat in a large skillet. Add 1/2 diced onion, 1/2 diced red bell pepper, 1/4 cup sliced olives, 1/2 cup diced pineapple, 3-4 cloves minced garlic, and 1 tablespoon oregano to the meat, as well as 80% of the spaghetti sauce. Cook down until the mixture is thick, about 10-15 minutes. Taste, and adjust seasoning according to your liking.

Secondary filling

1/2 cup to 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 large portobello mushroom, sliced 1/4-inch thick
Pepperoni (as many as you like)

Crust

After dough has risen in bread machine, remove and divide dough, 2/3 for lower crust and 1/3 for upper crust. Flatten the larger portion of the dough and press it evenly in the bottom and up the sides of the dish. Place in the oven until lightly browned and full, approximately 5 to 8 minutes. Remove and place on rack to assemble.

Assembly

Spread the filling into the pre-cooked crust. Top with a layer of sliced portobello mushrooms and a layer of pepperoni. Add any other ingredients you like. He put some sliced green olives on this time. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top.

Flatten out the remaining dough into a 10-inch round. Lay on top of the filling and seal the edges and fork. Cut a few vent holes in the top. Spread reserved sauce on top of the dough. This gives it a reddish color when baked. Place pizza on the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the top crust is golden brown on the edges. Rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting.

Serves 4