Pequod's Deep Dish Pizza (Chicago‑Style Pizza Donuts)

Ingredients

• 10 pieces Medium tomatoes, on the vine (Use ripe but firm tomatoes for best flavor)
• 2 tablespoons Olive oil (For sautéing the sauce)
• 1 cup Vegetable oil (For seasoning the aluminum pan (polymerized oil))
• 1.5 teaspoons Kosher salt (Divided between sauce and dough)
• 1 bunch Fresh basil (Stems kept for sauce; 60 g reserved for basil gel)
• 1 teaspoon Dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon Dried garlic powder
• 1 tube Tomato paste (tube) (≈6 oz, adds color and depth)
• 350 grams All‑purpose flour (Provides structure for the dough)
• 5.5 grams Barley malt flour (Adds subtle sweetness and color; use sparingly)
• 5.5 grams Barley malt syrup (Alternative to malt flour for flavor without dough collapse)
• 7.5 grams Active dry yeast (≈2 ¼ tsp)
• 1.5 teaspoons Granulated sugar (For dough; additional 40 g used in basil gel (see separate entry))
• 40 grams Granulated sugar (basil gel) (Sweetens the basil gel)
• 225 milliliters Water, room temperature (For dough hydration)
• 60 milliliters Vegetable oil (for dough) (Adds tenderness)
• 0.75 teaspoons Ground black pepper (Adds subtle heat to dough)
• 8 ounces Low‑moisture full‑fat mozzarella cheese (Sliced and pressed against pan walls for caramelized crust)
• 0.5 cup Romano cheese, grated (Finishing sprinkle)
• 60 grams Fresh basil (for gel) (Blanched, then blended into gel)
• 4 sheets Gelatin sheets (Bloomed in cold water, then dissolved)
• 1 tablespoon High‑quality extra‑virgin olive oil (for drizzling) (Finishing oil)

Instructions

1. Blanch tomatoes

   Make a large pot of boiling water. Cut a shallow X on the bottom of each tomato and dunk them for about 30 seconds until the skins split.

   Time: PT2M

   Temperature: 100°C

2. Ice bath & peel

   Transfer tomatoes immediately to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Once cool, peel off skins and give a rough chop.

   Time: PT10M

3. Cook tomato sauce

   In the same large pot, heat a splash of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped tomatoes, a pinch of kosher salt, fresh basil stems, 1 tsp dried oregano, and 1 tsp dried garlic powder. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 90 minutes until reduced by half.

   Time: PT90M

   Temperature: 180°C

4. Finish sauce with tomato paste

   Stir in one tube (≈6 oz) of tomato paste to deepen color and flavor. Cook another 2 minutes, then set aside to cool.

   Time: PT2M

5. Season the aluminum pan

   Coat the entire pan (inside and outside) with a thin layer of vegetable oil using a pastry brush. Place pan upside‑down in a 450 °F oven for 1 hour. Remove, re‑coat, and repeat for a total of four coats (≈4 hours total).

   Time: PT4H20M

   Temperature: 450°F

6. Mix dry dough ingredients

   In the stand mixer bowl, combine 350 g all‑purpose flour, 5.5 g barley malt flour, 1.5 tsp sugar, 1.5 tsp kosher salt, 7.5 g active dry yeast, and 0.75 tsp ground black pepper. Whisk until homogeneous.

   Time: PT5M

7. Add wet ingredients & mix

   Add 225 ml room‑temperature water and 60 ml vegetable oil to the dry mix. Attach the dough hook and mix on low speed for 2 minutes until no dry patches remain and the dough clears the sides of the bowl.

   Time: PT2M

8. Knead the dough

   Increase mixer speed to medium and knead for 7‑8 minutes until the dough is smooth, supple, slightly tacky, and pulls away cleanly from the bowl.

   Time: PT8M

9. First rise

   Lightly oil a clean bowl, place the dough inside, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm spot for 45‑60 minutes, or until doubled in size.

   Time: PT1H

10. Prepare pan for dough

    Give the seasoned pan one more thin coat of vegetable oil (use a pastry brush).

    Time: PT5M

11. Shape dough in pan

    Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly oiled surface, gently stretch it into a tight ball, and place it in the pan. Press it evenly to the edges, popping any air bubbles. If resistance is high, cover and let rest 20 minutes, then resume pressing.

    Time: PT20M

12. Layer cheese crust

    Arrange slices of low‑moisture mozzarella tightly against the sides of the pan, creating a solid “cheese wall.” Fill the center with a thin layer of the prepared tomato sauce, then sprinkle generously with grated Romano cheese.

    Time: PT5M

13. Bake the deep‑dish pizza

    Place the pan on a pre‑heated pizza steel in a 450 °F oven. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the cheese crust is deeply caramelized and the edges have risen.

    Time: PT35M

    Temperature: 450°F

14. Cool & cut cylinders

    Allow the pizza to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool another 15 minutes. Use a biscuit cutter to cut uniform “pizza donuts” (≈2‑inch diameter).

    Time: PT30M

15. Flash under broiler

    Arrange the pizza donuts on a sheet tray and place under the broiler for 2 minutes, just until the cheese on top re‑melts and crisps.

    Time: PT2M

    Temperature: Broiler (≈500°F)

16. Prepare basil gel – blanch basil

    Drop 60 g fresh basil leaves into boiling water for 15 seconds, then immediately transfer to an ice bath. Pat dry.

    Time: PT2M

    Temperature: 100°C

17. Make gelatin‑sweetened basil liquid

    In a saucepan, combine 300 ml of the basil‑blanching water, 40 g sugar, and 4 gelatin sheets (pre‑bloomed in cold water for 10 minutes). Heat to ~120 °F, whisk until gelatin dissolves.

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: 120°F

18. Blend basil gel

    Transfer the hot liquid and blanched basil leaves to a high‑speed blender. Blend on high for 1 minute until completely smooth, then pass through a fine‑mesh sieve.

    Time: PT3M

19. Set basil gel

    Cover the strained mixture and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until fully set.

    Time: PT4H

    Temperature: 4°C

20. Liquefy set gel for piping

    Blend the chilled gel on high for 10‑15 seconds until pourable, then transfer to a squeeze bottle.

    Time: PT1M

21. Plate and garnish

    Arrange pizza donuts in a circle on a serving tray, place the hollow centers (pizza donut holes) around them, dot the plate with basil gel using the squeeze bottle, garnish with micro‑basil leaves (tweezers), and drizzle with a drizzle of high‑quality olive oil.

    Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

620

Protein

22 g

Carbohydrates

55 g

Fat

32 g

Fiber

4 g