Chef Jimi’s Meatlover’s Deep Dish Pizza
Ingredients:
1 pound of Hot Italian Sausage
3 ounces of Sliced Pepperoni
1/2 Medium Sized Onion in thinly sliced quarters
1/2 Red or Green Bell Pepperoni in 2-3 inch thin strips
4 ounces of Babby Bella Sliced Mushrooms
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 15 ounce Can Tomato Sauce
1 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning
1 Tablespoon Sugar
3 Cloves Minced Garlic
4 ounces plus 4 ounces Mozzerella Cheese (Low Moisture Part Skim) divided
1 12 inch diameter Pizza Crust (Purchased or Homemade)
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degreed. Roll out Pizza crust into a 12 inch diameter. Place crust in a 9 inch Cake Pan filling the pan and the sides up to the rim. Pre-bake the crust for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
In a medium saucepan combine Tomato Sauce, Italian Seasoming, Garlic, and Sugar. Bring to a simmer. With a Pastry Brush, coat the surface of the Pre-baked Pizza crust with a thin layer of the Pizza Sauce to seal the crust. Set aside.
In a Frying Pan cook Italian Sausage until just done braking up into 1/4 bite sized pieces. Do not overcook! Place cooked Sausage in a strainer over a bowl and press to extract excess rendered grease. Set aside.
On a Baking Sheet place the Pepperoni in a single layer and bake in oven for 5 minutes to render excess grease. Place cooked Pepperoni in the strainer over a bowl and further drain excess grease. Set aside.
In a Frying Pan melt the Butter and add the Onions and Mushrooms. Cook until tender (about 4-5 minutes). Add the Pan contents to the Tomato Sauce mixture.
In the same pan used with the Onions and Mushrooms roast the Bell Pepper without adding additional oil over medium high heat. When the peppers show char marks (after about 7-9 minutes), remove from heat and add to the Pizza Sauce mixture.
Add 4 ounces of the Mozzerella Cheese to the Pizza Sauce mixture and raise heat to medium high to melt. When cheese is melted add the cooked Pepperoni and incorporate into the sauce. Follow the same process with the cooked Italian Sausage.
Pour the Sauce and Filling mixture into the Pre-baked crust. Using a spatula press the mixture firmly to make sure the entire crust is filled from top to bottom without voids. Smooth the top of the filling to make a smooth surface.
Spread the remaining 4 ounces of Mozzerella Cheese onto the top of the Pizza. Crank the temperature of the oven up to 500 degrees and place the Pizza inside for 5-7 minutes watching closely for the cheese to softly melt and brown on top.
When the top is melted and browned, remove the Pizza to a cooling rack and allow to cool for 10 minutes to firm up. Cut with a Pie Server and Enjoy! Leftovers reheat nicely in a microwave.
