SWEET HOME CHICAGO STYLE DEEP DISH PIZZA

Steps:

• 1. For pizza dough: In large mixer bowl, combine water, yeast, sugar and salt. Let sit til foamy on top. Beat in oils, basil, garlic powder and half of the flour. Beat for 10 minutes. Add remaining flour and cheese. With dough hook, pulse til incorporated. Continue kneading on medium for 10-12 minutes til smooth and no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl. Transfer to large oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place for 1 hour or til doubled in size. Punch down, rise again. Roll out onto floured board or freeze to store. Makes 2-12" pizzas or 1 deep dish.
• 2. For the sauce: In blender or food processor, pulse til combined and coarse chopped.
• 3. To make pizza: Break up sausage into nickel-sized pieces and saute til done. Remove to paper towel-lined bowl. In small bowl, place cut up peppers and shallots, sprinkle with water, cover with paper towel and nuke about 1 minute til softened a little. In 9" wide, 3" deep oiled cast iron skillet, place thinly rolled out dough. (Across bottom, up sides and overhang an inch.) *Save aside 3/4 lb. mozzarella cheese and 1/3 cup sauce for top. Cover bottom with 1" deep layer of mozzarella. Sprinkle with 1 tsp Parmesan cheese, then half of pizza topping ingredients of choice sprinkling with a little more mozzarella after each ingredient. Drizzle evenly with about 2/3 cup pizza sauce. Cover with 1" layer of mozzarella. Press gently. Sprinkle with 1 tsp Parmesan. Repeat ingredients adding in last of cheeses except top amount. Drizzle with 2/3 cup sauce. Top with 3/4 lb. mozzarella. Roll up overhang of dough to inside of skillet around edge. Brush dough with oil. Bake in 400-degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove, top center with last 1/3 cup sauce, bake 5 minutes longer. Let rest before cutting.