Chicago-Style Spinach and Mushroom Stuffed Pizza
Chicago-Style Pizza is (in my opinion) the BEST pizza ever! Sorry (not sorry) New Yorkers! I've had so many pizza parties over the years that I've lost count. I will invite a bunch of friends over and just make pizza! Oh yea, Chicago-Style always. Thin crust, deep dish and stuffed with all different kinds of toppings/fillings. Add a nice big salad and some cocktails and it's on! This particular recipe is for an all time favorite...... Spinach and Mushroom Stuffed Pizza. I always make my own pizza dough, but feel free to purchase some from your local market. They sell pizza dough everywhere nowadays. I see pizza dough in the bakery section of the grocery store and sometimes in the freezer section. If you've never made homemade pizza dough give it a try! It's really easy and you'll never want to purchase the pre-made stuff again. Also, take a look at the ingredients of the pre-made and compare to homemade. Just sayin'. Notes: When you dissolve the yeast, use warm tap water, stir and let sit for a bit. Using water that is too hot will kill off the yeast cells and your dough will not rise. Store the dough covered with a towel in a warm place for it to rise. I just used an all-purpose unbleached flour. For the canned tomatoes, San Marzano are the best, but any brand will work. If you're going to take the time to make pizza from scratch - why not use the best ingredients available. The last time I made this, I used dried oregano and fresh basil only because I had fresh basil in the fridge that was on its last leg and I didn't want to waste it. If you use fresh herbs, always use more. Dried herbs are more pungent. If the packages of spinach and mushrooms at your market are a little off on the weight, don't worry about it! It will not make a difference whether you use 8 or 10 ounces or 10 or 12 ounces. Different stores have different brands which = different package sizes! Don't stress about it. I always like to remind everyone that unless you are baking, you do not have to be so precise! Which is the reason I do not bake that often. One last tip, I never buy the bags or containers of pre-shredded cheese! For this recipe I bought balls of fresh mozzarella cheese and shredded it myself. I set them in the freezer for a bit before shredding to make it a little easier since fresh mozzarella is so soft. Just a persona choice. The pre-shredded cheese has a few extra ingredients that alters the way the cheese melts. Trust me, it's worth it to get a block of cheese or some fresh mozzarella and shred it yourself! Lastly, if you like it spicy......... set out some crushed red pepper flakes for an optional topping when serving this amazing pizza! For this pizza you will need a 14 inch deep dish pizza pan.
Ingredients
- Dough:
- 2 packages powdered yeast
- 1 cup warm water
- 4 1/2 cups flour
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- Topping:
- 1-16oz can peeled tomatoes
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/4 tsp basil
- 1 tsp oregano
- Parmesan Cheese
- Filling:
- 10oz sliced mushrooms
- 1 small-medium onion, chopped
- 2 TBS butter
- 1-12oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained of all the liquid (squeeze it really good in batches)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 4 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
- Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Directions
- Step 1 Dough Instructions:
- Step 2 Dissolve yeast in warm water for about 5 minutes
- Step 3 Mix all the ingredients together and knead for about 5 minutes
- Step 4 Shape dough into a ball and put in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour
- Step 5 Topping Instructions:
- Step 6 Squeeze Tomatoes with hands or fork to remove all the juice (juice may be saved for soup or another recipe)
- Step 7 Mix seasonings into the squeezed tomatoes and set aside
- Step 8 Filling Instructions:
- Step 9 Saute mushrooms and onions in butter until soft, about 5 minutes then remove from heat and let cool slightly
- Step 10 Mix with spinach and seasonings in a large bowl
- Step 11 Add mozzarella cheese and mix
- Step 12 Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- Step 13 Divide dough in half
- Step 14 Roll out and spread half of dough with fingers in bottom and halfway up the sides of well oiled pizza pan
- Step 15 Pour cheese and spinach filling on top of dough
- Step 16 Roll out remaining dough to a 14 inch circle
- Step 17 Place over topping in pan and squeeze edges together with bottom crust
- Step 18 Prick top of crust with a fork several times all over
- Step 19 Bake for about 30 minutes
- Step 20 Remove from oven and spread top of crust with tomato topping
- Step 21 Sprinkle with parmesan cheese
- Step 22 Put back in oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes
- Step 23 Make sure to let the pizza rest for at least 20 minutes before cutting – this will allow it to set so all the filling doesn’t ooze out!
Looks better than the actual ones I’ve had here in Chicago!!! I’m sure taste better too!