To celebrate launching my new YouTube channel, The Pizza Garage, I am sharing a master class on how to make Chicago Stuffed Pizza. The recipe is below in grams, volume and baker's percent. You can also get a printable copy of the recipes on my website: https://leospizzirri.com/recipes/

  / askchefleo  
  / askchefleo  

Make the dough 5:07
Make the sauce 27:30
Assemble the pizza 33:23

CHICAGO STUFFED PIZZA DOUGH 12 inch pizza
All Purpose Flour 700g or 5 1/2 cups 100%
Cold water 315g or 1 1/3 cups 45%
Corn oil 88g or 1/3 cup 13%
Kosher salt 11.5g or 2 tsps 1.6%
Granulated sugar 7.7g or 1 3/4 tsps 1%
Active Dry Yeast 11g or 1 1/3 tbsp 1.6%

1. Add the cold water to the mixer.
2. Add sugar.
3. Add yeast and whisk together. Let rest for 30 seconds.
4. Pour flour into the bowl. This separates the yeast and the salt. Then add the salt.
5. Put the bowl on the stand mixer and put in the dough hook. Start the mixer on 1st speed.
6. Add oil into bowl slowly. Don't go over second speed with this type of dough. Total mix time is 5-6 minutes.
7. Stop the mixer briefly and use spatula to scrape sides and bottom of bowl to loosen any flour that is on the bowl. Keep mixing until you barely see some dry flour on the bottom.
8. Turn dough out on bench. Knead dough for about 3-4 minutes.
9. Put dough back in bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes.
10. After the dough has rested, divide the dough into 2 pieces. Fold edges into the middle and form a ball. Put each dough ball into a resealable container.
11. If you are making the dough for the next day, put the containers in the refrigerator until you are ready to use them. The dough needs to be at about 60 degrees F for rolling out, so take the dough out of the refrigerator about 90 minutes before you need to assemble the pizza.
12. If you are making the dough for the same day, keep the containers out in ambient temp for 4-5 hours.

CHICAGO PIZZA SAUCE
28oz can crushed tomatoes
4oz (1/2 cup) tomato paste
2oz (¼ cup) Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 cloves of fresh garlic, chopped
½ tablespoon of Kosher salt
½ tablespoon of dry oregano
3 leaves of fresh basil

1. Pour the ground tomatoes into your bowl.
2. Add tomato paste and olive oil.
3. Add fresh garlic, kosher salt and dry oregano.
4. Roll the leaves of basil together and "smash" in your hands to release the essential oils. Hand tear into the sauce.
5. Use a whisk and blend the ingredients.
6. Put sauce to the side until you are ready to assemble the pizza.

ASSEMBLE THE PIZZA
Cold unsalted butter
Grated Parmesan cheese
1 recipe of Chicago Stuffed Pizza Dough (at about 60 degrees F)
Semola rimacinata flour (for dusting the dough)
1 recipe of Chicago Style Pizza Sauce
3 lbs shredded mozzarella (Whole milk or whole/skim mix)
Italian sausage (optional)
Pepperoni (optional)

1 Coat the pan with cold unsalted butter.
2 Add the grated cheese in the pan and coat evenly.
3 Take one dough ball and place in the bowl of flour to coat lightly on both sides.
4 Put a small amount of flour on your work surface and place the dough on top.
5 Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough into a round circle about 1/4 inch thick. Start in the middle and move forward. Turn 1/4 of way and repeat.
6 Lay the dough over the pan. Pat down the center. Lightly press the dough into the side of the pan. Make sure there are no air bubbles.
7 Use bulk sausage or remove meat from the casing. Because this pizza will bake for over 25minutes, you do not need to par-cook the sausage. Pinch sausage the size of a quarter and press onto the base of the dough.
8 Add the shredded evenly across the sausage or the base.
9 If you are using peppers, onions, or mushrooms, sauté briefly to remove water. Spread evenly on top of the cheese.
10 Stretch the second dough ball for the top.
11 To help the dough stick better, use your fingers and lightly spread sauce around the edge of the dough in the pan.
12 Lay the second layer of dough on top and lightly press.
13 Take the flat part of your fingers and pinch the dough against the side of the pan.
14 Cut a few little holes with your fingers to allow the steam be released and let the sauce seep in. 15 Add 2-3 ladles of sauce and spread all around the pizza. Then give it a little shake to even it out. 16 Get a sharp knife and trim off the excess dough around the edge.
17 If you are using pepperoni, add it to the top. Make sure to overlap the pepperoni on the previous slice.
18 Sprinkle some Parmesan cheese over the top and it is ready to go in the oven.
19 Preheat oven to 475 degrees and bake for 25-30 minutes.
20 After the pizza is baked, run your knife around the edge. Lift the pizza on a cutting board.

21 Cut the pizza into 6-8 slices. Enjoy the smiles on the faces of your guest