Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza with Italian Sausage

A comforting Chicago-style deep dish pizza featuring a buttery cornmeal crust, rich tomato sauce, and savory Italian sausage.

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Combine flour, cornmeal, yeast, salt, and sugar in a large bowl.
Add warm water, olive oil, and cold butter; mix until a shaggy dough forms.
Knead the dough until smooth and slightly tacky, then let rise in a warm spot until doubled.
Heat a sauté pan over medium-high, brown the Italian sausage, then drain.
Sauté onion and bell pepper until softened.
Prepare the sauce by cooking garlic, then adding crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, and spices; simmer.
Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F); prepare a cast-iron skillet with butter and olive oil.
Roll the dough into a disk and drape it into the pan.
Layer mozzarella in the bottom, followed by sausage and sautéed vegetables.
Spoon the tomato sauce over the filling and top with remaining mozzarella and Pecorino Romano.
Bake for 30–35 minutes until crust is golden brown.
Rest for 10 minutes, then slice and serve warm.

Use cold butter for a flaky crust. If your pizza is soggy, ensure sausage is well-cooked and sauce is thickened.