Cornmeal Crust Cheese Pizza Recipes

MARGHERITA PIZZA

Steps:

• Make the Sauce: In a medium bowl, stir together the tomatoes, garlic, salt, sugar, pepper, and oil. (Alternatively, for a completely smooth sauce, you can blend the ingredients in a small food processor or blender.)
• Preheat the oven to 500°F and set an oven rack in the bottom position. Dust a 13x18-inch baking sheet with half of the cornmeal.
• On a lightly floured surface, using your hands, stretch and press one ball of dough into an 11-inch round. Transfer the dough to the cornmeal-dusted baking sheet, and gently stretch it out again so that it maintains its shape.
• Spread ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons of the sauce over the dough, leaving a ½-inch border around the edges. Slide the baking sheet into the oven and bake for 7 minutes, until the crust is partially cooked. Remove from the oven, and scatter half of the mozzarella cubes over the sauce, followed by half of the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Slide the pan back into the oven and cook until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbling, about 4 minutes more. Remove the pizza from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Sprinkle with the basil and slice. Repeat with the remaining pizza dough and ingredients. (If you'd like to bake the two pizzas at the same time, you can fire up two ovens. Or, if you don't mind the crust a little thicker, you can form the two dough balls into 8x12-inch rectangles and place them side by side on the baking sheet.)
• Note: This recipe makes enough sauce for 4 (11-inch) pizzas. Refrigerate extra sauce for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months.

CORNMEAL PIZZA DOUGH

Steps:

• Stir warm water, sugar, and yeast in a small bowl until yeast is dissolved. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Brush a large bowl with oil, and set aside.
• Stir together the flour, cornmeal, and salt in a large bowl. Pour in the yeast mixture and the oil; stir mixture until all of the flour-mixture is incorporated. Continue to stir until a stiff dough forms. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface, and knead with floured hands, dusting with as little flour as possible if dough seems sticky, just until the ball becomes smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Reshape the dough into a ball. (Alternatively, pour 5 cups all-purpose flour, cornmeal, the salt, yeast mixture, and oil in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until dough is smooth and slightly sticky to the touch, 2 to 3 minutes. If dough seems too sticky, add up to 1 cup flour, 2 tablespoons at a time, mixing after each addition. Knead 4 or 5 turns on a clean work surface to form a ball.)
• Place dough in oiled bowl, smooth side up. Tightly cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in bulk, about 40 minutes.
• Remove plastic wrap; punch down dough. Fold dough back onto itself 4 or 5 times; leave smooth side up. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise again until doubled in bulk, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Punch down dough, and transfer to a clean work surface. Cut dough with a bench scraper or knife into sixths. Knead each piece 4 or 5 turns to form a ball. Cover all but one with plastic wrap.
• On a lightly floured work surface, flatten remaining dough ball into a disk. Loosely cover with plastic wrap; let rest 5 minutes. Using a rolling pin or your fingertips, flatten and push dough evenly out from center to form a 9-inch circle (or a 7-by-11-inch rectangle or rough oval).
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and sprinkle with flour. Place dough on top. Cover with another sheet of parchment, and sprinkle with flour. Roll out and stack remaining dough balls.
• Wrap baking sheet with plastic wrap; refrigerate pizza dough until ready to use, up to 1 day.

SANTA FE CORNMEAL PIZZA

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the cornmeal and 2/3 cup water. In a large saucepan, bring the remaining water to a boil. Gradually whisk in the cornmeal mixture; cook and stir until thickened. Stir in 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. When cool enough to handle, pat into a greased 12-in. pizza pan. Bake at 375° for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool slightly., Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute the onion, green pepper and garlic in oil until tender. Add the tomato sauce, mushrooms, basil, oregano and pepper. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Add the beans. , Sprinkle 1/2 cup mozzarella and 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese over crust. Top with the bean mixture and remaining cheeses. Sprinkle with olives. Bake at 375° for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted.

CORNMEAL PIZZA CRUST

Steps:

• In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast and sugar over the warm water. Let stand until yeast is dissolved and mixture is foamy, about 10 minutes.
• Combine flour, cornmeal, and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center, and add the yeast mixture and oil. Slowly stir ingredients with a wooden spoon just until dough starts to come together. Turn out dough on a lightly floured work surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, 7 to 10 minutes.
• Divide dough into four 4-ounce balls. Place balls in a shallow oiled bowl, turning to coat with oil; cover with plastic wrap, and let rise 1 hour at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator.
• Preheat oven to 500 degrees with a pizza stone on lowest rack. Stretch dough into 6- or 7-inch rounds. Sprinkle cornmeal on a pizza peel or inverted baking sheet. Place dough rounds on top, and cover with toppings, as desired.
• Slide rounds onto pizza stone, and bake until crust is crisp and golden and toppings are bubbling, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from oven; serve immediately.

CORNMEAL PIZZA CRUST

Steps:

• Fit the kneaded blade on a heavy-duty mixer.
• Proof the yeast in 1/2 cup water with 1 teaspoon sugar until foamy (about 8 minutes).
• In the stainless steel bowl place 5 cups flour, salt, sugar, oil and cornmeal.
• When the yeast is proofed, add to the bowl along with 1-1/2 cups warm water; start kneading adding in more flour as needed to create a soft smooth dough.
• After the kneading is finished, let the dough rest in the bowl for 8-10 minutes.
• Remove the dough from the mixing bowl and shape in a ball.
• Place into a well greased bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes, or until doubled in size.
• Punch down dough and let rest for 10 minutes before shaping (this is important, the dough must rest for 10 minutes).
• Roll out the dough into two 16-inch circles.
• Place into lightly greased pizza pans.
• Top as desired.
• Bake in a 400 degree oven until lightly golden brown (about 15-20 minutes).

GINO'S EAST CHICAGO DEEP DISH PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 475.* This recipe mkes enough dough for a 12" round deep dish pizza, preferably cooked in a seasoned cast iron skiilet.
• One secret to making Gino's East pizza is getting the cornmeal ground up fine enough so that you don't have a grainy texture to the crust. To do this, take 3/4 cup corn meal and grind it up in a coffee grinder. You have to grind it as fine as is possible. Then take the ground corn meal and sift it into your mixer bowl.
• Another secret to Gino's East pizza is to get the cornmeal dissolved as well as possible (again, to prevent the grainy crust.) To do this, put the warm water in the mixing bowl with the corn meal, and add the yeast, salt, sugar, olive oil, and melted butter. Using the whisk attachment (if you have a KitchenAid mixer), stir the mixture for 10 minutes.
• Add one cup of flour to the mixer and use the dough hook to mix it up well. Add the remaining flour 1/4 cup at a time until you can handle and kneed the dough without it sticking to your hands. You may not need the whole 2 1/2 cups of flour, or you may need a little more. You will have to use your judgment. Just remember not to let the dough get too hard, or to have it too soft (will stick you your fingers).
• Take the dough out of the KitchenAid mixer and kneed it by hand on a countertop. If you have made the dough right you will not have to put any flour down, or you will only need a minimal amount. Kneed the dough for 3 to 5 minutes.
• Oil the inside of your mixer bowl. Place the dough ball in the bowl and cover the bowl with a sheet of plastic wrap or a warm damp towel. Let the dough rise until doubled in size. This might take anywhere from 1/2 to 1 1/2 hours.
• After the dough has risen, punch down the dough into a ball. Place the ball of dough on the counter and flatten it with your hand. Then use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a uniform circle 1/4 inch thick.
• Oil the bottom of the skillet, with CANOLA oil and not olive oil, and then take your dough and carefully place it into the skillet. Form the crust by stretching the dough about 1-1/2 to 2 inches up the side of the pan. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and let the dough rise again until your oven is preheated to 475ºF.
• Melt 2T of butter and use a basting brush to coat the crust surface with melted butter. The first thing you will put into the pan will be the cheese. Place an even layer of cheese 1/2 to 3/4 inches deep in the pan. The next thing you will put into the pan will be the meat. Layer the meat spaced evenly over the top of the cheese. Next spread a layer of tomato sauce or crushed tomates on top of the meat. Don't put too much sauce on or you will end up with a soggy pizza. The last thing is to sprinkle parmesan cheese over the top of the sauce.
• Bake the pizza at 475 for 15 minutes. Lower the temperature to 400ºF and bake the pizza an additional 10 to 25 minutes until the crust is golden brown, and areas of browned cheese start to poke up through the sauce. Let the pizza cool 5 minutes and then serve.

CHICAGO DEEP-DISH PIZZA

Steps:

• Pour water into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Sprinkle in yeast and let dissolve, about 10 minutes. Add olive oil, melted butter, sugar, salt, cornmeal, and most of the flour. Knead, stopping to scrape down the sides occasionally and adding more flour as needed, until smooth and elastic.
• Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface. Knead in extra flour if needed. Roll into a ball and place in a bowl greased with 1/2 teaspoon olive oil. Cover with a plate and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in volume, 1 to 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, let pizza sauce simmer in a pot over low heat until very thick, 60 to 90 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Poke dough to deflate and turn out onto your work surface. Press and stretch out dough into a round shape 3 to 4 inches larger than a 12-inch cast iron skillet. Brush skillet with 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil. Place dough in the skillet; stretch and pull to evenly distribute it over the bottom and sides.
• Lay provolone cheese over the bottom of the crust. Scatter fresh mozzarella on top. Add Italian sausage and firm mozzarella. Ladle pizza sauce generously on top. Grate Parmesan cheese on top. Fold the edges of the crust in towards the center to seal in the sides. Drizzle crust and center with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
• Bake in the center of the preheated oven until crust sounds hollow and pizza is beautifully browned, about 35 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

CORNMEAL MINI-PIZZA DOUGH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500 deg. F.
• In a food processor, combine 1 cup flour, yeast and sugar. With motor running, pour in the hot water.
• Turn motor off and add remaining ingredients. Process mixture until it forms a ball, and then process 15 seconds longer to knead.
• Turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead 10 times. To make two pizzas, cut into half; wrap one half well and freeze for up to one month.
• Divide remaining piece in half. Roll or press out each half into an 8" circle. Transfer to a baking sheet and lightly brush or spray with additional olive oil.
• Top with favorite toppings, season with salt and pepper. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until crust is golden and cheese is melted.
• Note1: white cornmeal works just as well. While the recipe calls for hot water, I usually use room temperature or even cool water - the action of the FP can heat up the dough quite a bit, so I would rather allow a little more time.
• Note2: toppings must be thinly sliced; meats and some veggies should be cooked - this pizza is in the oven only a short time. I've never used a pizza sauce with this - if you do and it works, let us know!