Pizza Rustica

Friday is pizza night. Here is a recipe for a deep dish pizza.

This is another recipe where, in most places all of the ingredients are available, the dough, sauce and most of the fillings can be had... I just prefer doing it myself. This is also another one where you can get real creative... use veggies instead of meat or use meatballs instead of sausage... just thorw in the things you like, it's hard to go wrong. I also combined all the meats, mushrooms etc... into one pot... saves on clean up.

PIZZA DOUGH

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 Tablespoons active dry yeast
3 Cups flour (yes... only using unbleached flour tonight you could replace a cup of whole wheatn and just adjust water like the pita)
1 Teaspoon salt
1 Teaspoon sugar
1 Cup warm water

WHAT TO DO:

OK... I'm lazy again and useing a bread machine to mix, knead and raise the dough.
Put all the dry ingredients in the bread machine and start on the dough setting. Add the water (depending on what type of flour you're using you may need a little more water...the dough ball should not be sticky).

I usually leave the dough in the machine till it's done with the initial rise or after the kneading, remove the dough and put it in an oiled bowl and cover for about an hour or until it's doubled in size.

While the dough is rising, make the sauce/filling mix.


SAUCE/FILLING

INGREDIENTS:

2 links Italian sausage (I'm using hot but you can use mild if you like that better)
1 onion, peeled and diced
1 portobello mushroom cap diced
1 clove garlic
1 can of tomatoe puree
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
2 or 3 fresh basil leaves cut into ribbons (or a teaspoon of dry basil)
1/4 cup grated romano cheese
3 tablespoons olive oil

WHAT TO DO:

Heat the olive oil in large skillet, remove the sausage from the casing and brown, add mushrooms, garlic and onions and cook till unions are translucent. Add the tomatoe puree, dried oregano, romano cheese (and dried basil... if using fresh add it when filling pizza), reduce the heat and cook at a low simmer about 30 minutes. set aside to cool till the dough has risen, if you are using fresh basil stir it in now.

The only other ingredient that I will be using is 1/2 lb shredded mozzerella cheese, you can use any or a combination of cheeses that you like.


PUT IT ALL TOGETHER

Once the dough has risen about 1 hour or till doubled in size. punch it down and divide in 2 one piece using about 3/4 of dough. Roll the larger piece to about 1 1/2 times the size of the pan you will be using (I'm using a ceramic quiche pan) on a floured surface, oil the pan and place the dough in and press into place, some radom piercings with a fork on the bottom layer will help get rid of air bubbles while it's cooking. fill the dough with 1/2 the sauce mixure then 1/2 the shredded mozzarella cheese, another layer of sauce/filling then the rest of the mozzerella. Roll out the remaining dough to cover the pan and pinch the edges all the way around the pan to seal the dough.

Cook in a preheated 375 degree oven on the middle rack for about 1 hour or until the dough is a golden brown color.