Big Poppa’s Focaccia Deep Dish Pizza

Directions

Preparation:

Start by preparing your pizza dough the night before. Follow the instructions listed on the packaging, but it’s preferable to allow your dough to ferment or sit for a minimum of 18 hours to 3-4 days.

For the Dough:

Sprinkle some flour over the pizza dough.

Remove the pizza dough from the bowl and place it onto a clean board. Split the dough in half.

Put one of the pizza dough halves on a cast iron skillet or pan.

Rub the dough with a generous layer of olive oil, then gently dimple the dough all over its surface.

Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it sit, allowing it to rise until it doubles in size.

Assembling the Pizza:

Remove the plastic wrap and once again rub the dough with more olive oil, dimpling the dough again.

Make sure to pop any large air bubbles that may have formed on the dough.

Cover the dough with a clean towel and let it rest for about an hour.

Par-bake the dough in a preheated oven at 500 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes.

After par-baking, allow the dough to rest on a cooling rack for approximately 30 minutes.

Layering and Baking:

Place the partially baked dough back into the cast iron skillet.

Begin by laying down a generous layer of sliced mozzarella cheese.

Spread a layer of pizza sauce evenly over the cheese.

Add another layer of mozzarella cheese on top of the pizza sauce.

Sprinkle a generous amount of grated Parmesan cheese over the pizza.

Baking the Assembled Pizza:

Bake the assembled pizza in your preheated oven for an additional 10-15 minutes, depending on your desired color and crispiness.

Finishing Touch:

Once the pizza is out of the oven, pull it and finish by sprinkling an extra layer of grated Parmesan cheese over the top.