We have a good friend that is a vegetarian and very picky about her food....as well as who prepares it. She only eats food that's she's made and never goes to restaurants. Finally, after many years, she has started trusting me to cook for her. One of her favorite meals is a good, hearty, loaded, deep dish pizza. She came to dinner last night and I pulled out all the stops putting together something I really wanted her to enjoy. Started the Foccacia dough at noon. When it was finished on the dough cycle in the bread machine, it went into a bowl and out to the patio too proof for a couple hours in the hot afternoon sun. I made two totally different pies so this is basically two posts in one.
The dough after being out on the patio. It quadrupled in size.
12 ounce package of my homemade spicy Italian sausage
Divide the dough 2/3 and 1/3. Roll it out in the CI skillets and trim the edges so it's neat and clean
The dough kit comes with an herb packet that is mixed with olive oil. 2 T go into the dough and the rest is saved for later. This is the rest
Brush the EVOO and herb mix onto the dough
Line the outsides with sliced Cooper's extra sharp American cheese with pepper. This cheese is incredible!!
Fold the edges down and seal the dough all around the skillet
Veggie pizza first. Homemade marinara, red onions, green bell pepper, artichoke hearts, and Pepperoncini peppers.
Green olives, Kalamata olives, and thin sliced zucchini
Now we move to mine: the meat lovers version. Marinara and a half pound of the spicy Italian sausage
A few onions and peppers to keep the nutritionist happy
Homemade pepperoni
Lotsa mozz on both, a good shot of crushed red pepper, and a healthy portion of my spicy pickled garlic
An hour and a half putting these together and they are finally on the grill
10 minutes or so into the cook and they are taking shape. Grill is running about 425
Veggie pizza all done
Mine all done
Out of the skillets to slice
The veggie version sliced. Couple of pics
Mine sliced. Couple of pics
These were a huge amount of time and work putting together but oh so worth it. Best pizzas I've ever made by far. The Foccacia bread makes an outrageous crust, the idea I got from our good friend
Steve H
a while ago. Last time I tried stuffed crust I just used thin slices of mozz and it was a waste of time and effort. There was no cheese to speak of in the crust. This time using larger slices and the addition of the Cooper's cheese, it was a whole different story. I don't typically eat the pizza bones. Just gnaw to the bone and stop. Not this time!! That stuffed crust was the star. Of course using all fresh veggies and everything else being homemade makes a huge difference over carry-out pizza. All in all an outcome worthy of the time and effort.
Finally gonna call this one done. Thanks for dropping in and hopefully you made it through without falling asleep. Take care, have a great weekend, and see everybody soon.
Robert
The dough after being out on the patio. It quadrupled in size.
12 ounce package of my homemade spicy Italian sausage
Divide the dough 2/3 and 1/3. Roll it out in the CI skillets and trim the edges so it's neat and clean
The dough kit comes with an herb packet that is mixed with olive oil. 2 T go into the dough and the rest is saved for later. This is the rest
Brush the EVOO and herb mix onto the dough
Line the outsides with sliced Cooper's extra sharp American cheese with pepper. This cheese is incredible!!
Fold the edges down and seal the dough all around the skillet
Veggie pizza first. Homemade marinara, red onions, green bell pepper, artichoke hearts, and Pepperoncini peppers.
Green olives, Kalamata olives, and thin sliced zucchini
Now we move to mine: the meat lovers version. Marinara and a half pound of the spicy Italian sausage
A few onions and peppers to keep the nutritionist happy
Homemade pepperoni
Lotsa mozz on both, a good shot of crushed red pepper, and a healthy portion of my spicy pickled garlic
An hour and a half putting these together and they are finally on the grill
10 minutes or so into the cook and they are taking shape. Grill is running about 425
Veggie pizza all done
Mine all done
Out of the skillets to slice
The veggie version sliced. Couple of pics
Mine sliced. Couple of pics
These were a huge amount of time and work putting together but oh so worth it. Best pizzas I've ever made by far. The Foccacia bread makes an outrageous crust, the idea I got from our good friend
Steve H
a while ago. Last time I tried stuffed crust I just used thin slices of mozz and it was a waste of time and effort. There was no cheese to speak of in the crust. This time using larger slices and the addition of the Cooper's cheese, it was a whole different story. I don't typically eat the pizza bones. Just gnaw to the bone and stop. Not this time!! That stuffed crust was the star. Of course using all fresh veggies and everything else being homemade makes a huge difference over carry-out pizza. All in all an outcome worthy of the time and effort.Finally gonna call this one done. Thanks for dropping in and hopefully you made it through without falling asleep. Take care, have a great weekend, and see everybody soon.
Robert
