Chicago Tavern Pizza
Chicago Tavern Pizza
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 1/2 cup water, warm (105-115°F)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1 1/2 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornmeal
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
For the Sauce
- 1 28-ounce can whole peeled canned tomatoes, San Marzano style recommended
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For the Toppings
- 1/4 cup Pecorino cheese, finely grated, for sprinkling under mozzarella
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 4 ounces raw sweet Italian sausage, removed from casing and broken into small chunks
- 1/4 cup giardiniera, drained and roughly chopped
For Garnish
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons Pecorino Romano cheese, for grating
- 2 tablespoons cornmeal, for dusting
Instructions
- 1
In a medium bowl, combine the warm water, salt, granulated sugar, and active dry yeast. Whisk the mixture until well combined and the yeast is dissolved. Let sit for 5 minutes to activate.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
In a separate large bowl, add the King Arthur all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup cornmeal, and cubed unsalted butter.
⏱️ 2 min - 3
Use your hands to break up and incorporate the butter into the flour and cornmeal mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Then, pour the wet ingredient mixture from Step 1 into the dry ingredients.
⏱️ 3 min
- 4
Mix the ingredients with a spatula initially, then use your hands to bring the dough together until it forms a somewhat clumpy but solid ball.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
Divide the dough into two equal portions and shape each into a smooth ball. Let the dough balls rest, covered with a clean kitchen towel, for 30 minutes at room temperature.
⏱️ 30 min
- 6
After 30 minutes, lightly dust a clean work surface with flour. Roll each dough ball using a rolling pin until it forms a thin disk, approximately 12 to 13 inches in diameter.
⏱️ 10 min - 7
Place a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet or large plate. Place one rolled dough disk on the parchment paper, then layer with another sheet of parchment paper, followed by the second rolled dough disk, and finally cover with a third sheet of parchment paper. Transfer the baking sheet with the stacked dough disks to the refrigerator for at least 12 hours (or up to 24 hours) for a cold ferment.
⏱️ 720 min
- 8
The next day, open the can of whole peeled tomatoes and pour them into a bowl. Mash the tomatoes with a spoon. Add dried oregano, dried basil, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, and olive oil to the mashed tomatoes. Use an immersion blender to blend the sauce until it reaches a smooth consistency. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
⏱️ 10 min
- 9
Preheat your oven to 475°F. If your oven has a "Convect Bake" setting, use it for best results. Place a pizza stone or steel in the oven while it preheats.
⏱️ 20 min•🌡️ 475
- 10
Place a fresh piece of parchment paper on a pizza peel. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of cornmeal generously onto the parchment paper to prevent sticking.
⏱️ 1 min
- 11
Remove one cold dough disk from the refrigerator and carefully place it onto the prepared pizza peel. Spread about 1/2 cup of the prepared pizza sauce evenly over the dough, extending it almost all the way to the edges. Sprinkle the grated Pecorino cheese over the sauce, followed by a layer of shredded mozzarella cheese. Evenly distribute half of the raw chunks of sweet Italian sausage and half of the giardiniera over the cheese.
⏱️ 5 min
- 12
Carefully slide the assembled pizza from the pizza peel (with the parchment paper) onto the preheated pizza stone or steel in the oven. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly and melted. The sausage should be cooked through.
⏱️ 12 min•🌡️ 475
- 13
Remove the baked pizza from the oven and transfer it to a wooden cutting board. Sprinkle with dried oregano and grate additional Pecorino Romano cheese over the top. Cut the pizza into squares (known as a "party cut") using a pizza cutter and kitchen shears. Repeat steps 10-13 for the second pizza. Serve immediately.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Chicago Tavern Pizza
For the Dough
- 1/2 cup water, warm (105-115°F)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1 1/2 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornmeal
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
For the Sauce
- 1 28-ounce can whole peeled canned tomatoes, San Marzano style recommended
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For the Toppings
- 1/4 cup Pecorino cheese, finely grated, for sprinkling under mozzarella
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 4 ounces raw sweet Italian sausage, removed from casing and broken into small chunks
- 1/4 cup giardiniera, drained and roughly chopped
For Garnish
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons Pecorino Romano cheese, for grating
- 2 tablespoons cornmeal, for dusting
Instructions
- 1
In a medium bowl, combine the warm water, salt, granulated sugar, and active dry yeast. Whisk the mixture until well combined and the yeast is dissolved. Let sit for 5 minutes to activate.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
In a separate large bowl, add the King Arthur all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup cornmeal, and cubed unsalted butter.
⏱️ 2 min - 3
Use your hands to break up and incorporate the butter into the flour and cornmeal mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Then, pour the wet ingredient mixture from Step 1 into the dry ingredients.
⏱️ 3 min - 4
Mix the ingredients with a spatula initially, then use your hands to bring the dough together until it forms a somewhat clumpy but solid ball.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
Divide the dough into two equal portions and shape each into a smooth ball. Let the dough balls rest, covered with a clean kitchen towel, for 30 minutes at room temperature.
⏱️ 30 min - 6
After 30 minutes, lightly dust a clean work surface with flour. Roll each dough ball using a rolling pin until it forms a thin disk, approximately 12 to 13 inches in diameter.
⏱️ 10 min - 7
Place a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet or large plate. Place one rolled dough disk on the parchment paper, then layer with another sheet of parchment paper, followed by the second rolled dough disk, and finally cover with a third sheet of parchment paper. Transfer the baking sheet with the stacked dough disks to the refrigerator for at least 12 hours (or up to 24 hours) for a cold ferment.
⏱️ 720 min - 8
The next day, open the can of whole peeled tomatoes and pour them into a bowl. Mash the tomatoes with a spoon. Add dried oregano, dried basil, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, and olive oil to the mashed tomatoes. Use an immersion blender to blend the sauce until it reaches a smooth consistency. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
⏱️ 10 min - 9
Preheat your oven to 475°F. If your oven has a "Convect Bake" setting, use it for best results. Place a pizza stone or steel in the oven while it preheats.
⏱️ 20 min•🌡️ 475 - 10
Place a fresh piece of parchment paper on a pizza peel. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of cornmeal generously onto the parchment paper to prevent sticking.
⏱️ 1 min - 11
Remove one cold dough disk from the refrigerator and carefully place it onto the prepared pizza peel. Spread about 1/2 cup of the prepared pizza sauce evenly over the dough, extending it almost all the way to the edges. Sprinkle the grated Pecorino cheese over the sauce, followed by a layer of shredded mozzarella cheese. Evenly distribute half of the raw chunks of sweet Italian sausage and half of the giardiniera over the cheese.
⏱️ 5 min - 12
Carefully slide the assembled pizza from the pizza peel (with the parchment paper) onto the preheated pizza stone or steel in the oven. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly and melted. The sausage should be cooked through.
⏱️ 12 min•🌡️ 475 - 13
Remove the baked pizza from the oven and transfer it to a wooden cutting board. Sprinkle with dried oregano and grate additional Pecorino Romano cheese over the top. Cut the pizza into squares (known as a "party cut") using a pizza cutter and kitchen shears. Repeat steps 10-13 for the second pizza. Serve immediately.
⏱️ 5 min