Piiizzaaaaa. Always a promised winner with the kids, I find the need to reinvent this American dinner staple dish as often as possible. Whether by modifying my pizza sauce, buying an expensive cheese (for my side!), or, as in the case with this recipe, throw it in a casserole dish.
I cheat with the crust. I’ll either use refrigerator pizza dough or stop at my Meijer and buy a bag of frozen bread dough. They come six to a bag, each making a loaf if you choose. This is by far the cheapest option, bar none. And they cook splendidly in a casserole dish (or a pan) as a pizza crust.
I enjoy this pizza recipe because A.) It’s just so easy to spread dough out across a baking dish as opposed to a large-ish pizza or baking pan and B.) It requires longer baking time. I dislike undercooked toppings in a conventional oven. Hence using raw dough and throwing it in a glass casserole dish.
So! This is my very first posted recipe. Let’s do this!
Deep Dish Bread Pizza
Print RecipeIngredients
- 1 Loaf Store bought Frozen Bread Dough
- 1-2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
- 3/4-1 cup Homemade Pizza Sauce (see recipe) or Store Bought
- 8 oz. Mozzeralla, shredded
- 1/2 lb. Breakfast Sausage or Sweet Italian Sausage
- 1/2 Onion, roughly chopped
- 1/4 Green Pepper, roughly chopped
- 6-8 Large Pimento Stuffed Olives
- Other Desired Toppings
- For Breakfast Sausage: Pinch of Crushed Fennel Seeds, Red Pepper Flakes, and Italian Seasoning.
Instructions
Locate at least a 9"x13" casserole dish. We have a 10"x14" that works perfectly. Oil bottom and sides well with about 1 Tbsp Olive Oil.
Since I am using frozen bread dough, I had to thaw out the dough in advance. I could have done this overnight in the oiled dish. But I forgot. So after preheating the oven for 175° then turning it off and boiling an oven-safe pan of water, I placed the dough in the oiled casserole dish with pan of water and let it rise on its own for about four hours in the oven.
Before the dough is ready, grab a skillet and cook the sausage until well done. Because I had Breakfast Sausage, I upped it's Italian side by adding Crushed Fennel Seeds, Red Pepper Flakes, and Italian Seasoning. I also added some diced onions and green peppers. With a slotted spoon, scoop up the meat and veges and place onto a plate lined with paper towels.
When ready, remove the dish and pan of water and preheat the oven for 400°.
Remove the bread dough from the dish(may deflate on you...no big deal) and re-oil the surface of the glass dish to avoid sticking (optional).
With oiled fingers, place dough back in pan and press casually until reaching the sides of the dish. You should have a lot of dough to work with to try to get the bottom even. Just work with it. Oiled fingers will keep it from sticking to you.
Add your desired amount of pizza sauce.
Spread cheese and arrange other toppings how you choose.
Bake at 400° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Let it sit for about 10-15 minutes before cutting.
Notes
Be sure to either remove the risen bread dough to add more olive oil to the pan or to use a new pan with fresh oil.
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