Southern-Style Little Chicago Deep Dish

I hail from the East Tennessee Tri-Cities area and currently live in the town of Johnson City, home of Mountain Dew and Bluegrass. JC has some cultural ties to Chicago and bootlegging, giving it the moniker “Little Chicago”.

Embracing this mix of community, cultural history, and the local love for pizza, I have developed a signature recipe that is intended to kick off a bold southern pizza brand that is a recognizable evolution of the dish.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups all-purpose Flour
• ½ cup Yellow Cornmeal
• 1½ teaspoon Salt
• 1 packet Active Dry Yeast
• 1 tablespoon Sugar
• 1¼ cups warm-hot Water
• ½ cup Buttermilk
• ½ cup melted unsalted Butter
• 2 tablespoon Vegetable Oil (for coating pans)
• Seasonings (Salt, garlic salt, paprika, fennel seeds)

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, combine warm water (105–110°F), sugar, and yeast. Stir and let sit 5–10 minutes until foamy.
2. In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine flour, cornmeal, and salt.
3. Add the yeast mixture, buttermilk, and melted butter to the dry ingredients.
4. Mix until a soft, slightly tacky dough forms. Knead for 5–7 minutes until smooth and elastic.
5. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise 60–90 minutes until doubled in size.
6. Coat deep-dish pan(s) with vegetable oil.
7. Punch down dough and divide as needed. An 8 inch pan should have roughly 14-16oz of dough. Press dough into pan, working it up the sides to form a tall edge.
8. Layer cheese directly on the dough. Add meats and toppings. Spread sauce on top. Apply seasonings (salt, garlic salt, paprika, fennel seeds) directly on top.
9. Bake at 425°F for 25–30 minutes, rotating and covering with tin foil halfway through to prevent uneven cooking and burned tops. Remove when crust is deep golden and filling is bubbling.
10. Top with grated or shredded parmesan, let cool and serve.