Deep Dish Chicago Pizza

Source: Cooking Light Magazine, November 2005
Serves: 8

1 full recipe Pizza Dough
1/2 lb Italian sausage, casings removed
1 medium onion, chopped
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 T olive oil, divided
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T tomato paste
1 t dried oregano
1/2 t fennel seed
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
1 T cornmeal
1 1/2 c shredded mozzarella
2 T freshly grated Parmesan

Remember to take the pizza dough out of the fridge about an hour before you plan to assemble the pizza!

Preheat oven to 375. Heat 1 t olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and a small pinch of salt and cook stirring occasionally until the onion is translucent. Add sausage and cook until brown, stirring to crumble. Drain and set aside.
Return pan to medium heat and add the mushrooms. Saute until moisture from the mushrooms has evaporated. Remove from pan and set aside.
Heat another teaspoon of oil in the skillet over medium heat and add the garlic. Cook until garlic is barely beginning to brown. Add tomato paste and cook 1 minute stirring frequently. Stir in tomato sauce, oregano, and fennel seed. Simmer for 5 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened.
Coat a 12 inch seasoned cast iron skillet with remaining 1 t of olive oil. Sprinkle cornmeal evenly over the bottom and sides. Place dough in the skillet stretching it to cover bottom and sides of pan. Sprinkle dough evenly with mozzarella. Top with sausage and mushrooms. Spread tomato sauce evenly on top and sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake for 40 minutes or until crust browns and topping is bubbly. Let pizza stand for 10-15 minutes before cutting and serving.