Farmers’ Market Deep Dish Pizza

This pizza is going full-casserole. Never mind the lines it’s going to blur. Change the Sunday cookout game with the freshest deep dish pizza.

This recipe makes one 10 inch pie.

Ingredients

Dough

• 240 g all-purpose or bread flour
• 144 ml water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp instant dry yeast
• ⅛ tsp cream of tartar
• 3 tbsp corn oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

Filling

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large white onion, chopped
• ¾ cup champignon mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1 cup spinach, washed
• 3 tsp salt
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp thyme
• 100 g grated mozzarella cheese
• 200 g eggplant
• 200 g winter squash, seeds removed
• 100 g feta cheese
• 4 tbsp pesto
• 4 medium tomatoes, sliced
• ⅓ cup green or black olives, sliced
• 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
• Honey for drizzling

Procedure

Make the dough

1. Combine all dough ingredients excluding the butter, parmesan cheese, and corn oil.
2. Knead: 10–15 mins if by hand or using a stand mixer, 30 mins if using a bread maker. Halfway through kneading, slowly add 2 tbsp of corn oil.
3. Transfer to a large bowl. Use 1 tbsp of corn oil to cover the bowl and the dough.
4. Let the dough rise for at least 1 hour and up to 6 hours at room temperature.

Prep the filling

1. Over low heat, caramelize the onions in 1 tbsp olive oil for 20 mins. Add 1 tsp salt and mushrooms to the onions and sauté for 5 mins. Set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 165 C.
3. Slice the eggplant and squash into about 1 cm thick.
4. In a baking tray, toss the eggplant slices in 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper, ½ tsp thyme and 1 tbsp olive oil. Repeat with the squash slices.
5. Bake the eggplant and squash for 15 mins.

Assemble

1. Preheat the oven to 250 C.
2. Rub a 10 inch cast iron skillet with butter and parmesan cheese.
3. Transfer the dough into the skillet and let rest for 15–20 mins.
4. Spread the dough evenly out into the walls of the skillet. Trim off any excess dough that overhangs.
5. Start with the caramelized onions and mushrooms spread at the bottom. Follow with an even bed of spinach.
6. Next, lay the eggplant slices evenly and cover with mozzarella cheese.
7. Layer the squash slices next. Crumble feta cheese on top and lightly drizzle with honey.
8. Finally, spread the pesto evenly and top with sliced tomatoes and olives.