Broccoli Deep Dish Pizza

Broccoli Deep Dish Pizza

1 package dry yeast
1 1/3 cups warm water (110 to 115° F.)
1 teaspoon sugar
3 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 cup cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
3 teaspoons minced garlic
(1) 15-oz can tomato sauce
(1) 12-oz can tomato paste
2 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons basil
2 cups sliced mushrooms
Salt and pepper
1 lb. Italian sausage (hot or sweet)
1/2 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds
2 tablespoons butter
8 cup blanched, roughly chopped broccoli
1 tablespoon shortening
3 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Dissolve yeast in warm water; stir in sugar. Combine flours and salt, and gradually add the dissolved yeast and 1/4 cup of the oil. Knead until the texture is smooth. Put in a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise until triple in bulk (2-3 hours).

Meanwhile, prepare the fillings. Heat 1/4 cup of the oil in a sauté pan, add 2 teaspoons garlic, and cook for 30 seconds (without browning.) Stir in the tomato sauce and paste, simmer until thickened. Stir in basil and oregano, set aside to cool.

Head 2 tablespoons of the oil and saute the mushrooms until lightly browned and the liquid is evaporated. Season to taste, and set aside to cool. Remove and discard the casings from sausage, crumble and add the sausage to the pan along with fennel. Cook thoroughly, remove and cool. Heat the butter and 2 tablespoons of the oil; at 1 teaspoon of garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Stir in the broccoli until coated well and any liquid is evaporated. Season to taste; set aside.

When the dough has risen, punch down. Cut off about 2/5 of it and set aside. Grease a 14 x 1 1/2″ deep-dish pizza pan with the shortening. On a floured board, rule out 3/5 of the dough to a 20″ circle. Fit to the pan, letting the excess dough hang over the side. Brush the dough with 1 tablespoon of the oil; sprinkle with salt.

Sprinkle 1 cup of the mozzarella over the dough. Spread the tomato sauce across the cheese, spread the mushrooms over the tomatoes, and cover with 1 cup of mozzarella.

Roll out the remaining dough to approximately a 14″ circle. Brush the sides of the dough inside the pan with water. Fit the 14″ round into the pan. Press edges (pull if necessary) against the moistened dough to seal it. Trim the overhanging dough to 1/2″ and wet it again. Fold inward and crimp to form a raised rim around the pan edge. Cut a steam vent in the top layer of the dough, and brush with 1 tablespoon of the oil.

Spread the sausage across the dough and cover with the broccoli. Combine the remaining cheeses and sprinkle across the broccoli; drizzle with 1/4 cup of oil.

Bake in a preheated 425° F. oven for 30-40 minutes. Freezes well.

Ideas: put the broccoli and sausage on the lower layer, and the tomatoes and mushrooms on the top layer. This way the broccoli stays moist.

For a vegetarian pizza, replace the sausage with 4 cup sliced onions, lightly browned in 2 tablespoons oil. Or, you can keep the sausage and add the onions anyway.