Deep Dish Pepperoni and Green Pepper Pizza Recipe

This deep dish crust has THE BEST flavor and the perfect combination of crisped bottom and soft inside crust. Yum!! Our favorite toppings include lots of mozzarella cheese with pepperoni, onions, green peppers, and fresh garlic. Welcome to our Friday Night Favorite. 

Deep Dish Pepperoni and Green Pepper Pizza

recipe adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod

Ingredients

For the dough:

1 cup milk 

1 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp  sugar

1 tsp salt

2-1/4 tsp instant dry yeast

5 cups all-purpose flour 

1 cup of water--added incrementally 

For the pizza topping:

12 slices pepperoni

1/2 small onion, thinly sliced

1/2 green pepper, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped 

1-1/2 cup (divided) mozzarella cheese, shredded 

1/2 cup (or more) pizza sauce

Directions

In a small saucepan heat the milk to just before boiling (to scald.) Turn off heat and stir in butter, sugar and salt. Remove from heat and allow the milk mixture to cool until it is just warm to the touch. Stir in yeast and let sit for 5 minutes.

Pour the milk mixture into the bowl of stand mixture and, using the beater blade, mix in one cup of flour at a time, until the dough comes together and pulls away from the edges of the bowl. Add the cup of water one tablespoon at a time. At this point, add additional flour if the dough is still wet and sticky. Change to the dough hook and knead for 8 minutes. The dough should be soft and springy when touched. 

Grease a second large bowl and transfer the dough to this new bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 2 hours or until doubled in size. 

Once dough is risen, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Punch the dough down to remove the air bubbles. Knead for 1 minute on a lightly floured surface. Cut the dough into 2 or 3 separate pieces, reserved the extra dough balls for another time. (Wrap each piece of dough in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. Freeze.) 

Roll out the dough to a 14 inch circle. Butter the cast iron skillet on the sides and bottom. Press the dough into the skillet and up the sides of the pan. 

Spread with pizza sauce and 1 cup cheese, reserving 1/2 cup of the cheese for the top. Then sprinkle the remaining toppings--pepperoni, peppers, onions, garlic. Top with remaining cheese. (You may roll down the high edges of the crust in you wish.) 

Bake for 25-30 minutes until crust is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let the pizza sit in the pan for an additional 10 minutes. Remove to a cutting board and slice. 

Serve with additional pizza sauce for dipping.