Best Easy Chicago Style Spinach Pizza Recipes

ULTIMATE SPINACH PIZZA

Steps:

• Follow the Best Pizza Dough or Thin Crust Dough recipe to prepare the dough. (This takes about 15 minutes to make and 45 minutes to rest.)
• Place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 500°F. OR preheat your pizza oven (here's the pizza oven we use).
• Run the spinach under warm water in a strainer, then squeeze out as much water as possible so that it has a dry, crumbly texture. Mix it in a bowl with 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt, the garlic powder and the oregano.
• Mince the garlic. In a small bowl, mix the ricotta with the kosher salt, fresh ground pepper and minced garlic. Thinly slice the red onion, and dice the roasted red pepper.
• When the oven is ready, dust a pizza peel with cornmeal or semolina flour. (If you don't have a pizza peel, you can use a rimless baking sheet or the back of a rimmed baking sheet. But a pizza peel is well worth the investment!) Stretch the dough into a circle; see How to Stretch Pizza Dough for instructions. Then gently place the dough onto the pizza peel.
• Spread the seasoned ricotta onto the dough. Top with the mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, spinach, red onion, and red pepper.
• Use the pizza peel to carefully transfer the pizza onto the preheated pizza stone. Bake the pizza until the cheese and crust are nicely browned, about 5 to 7 minutes in the oven (or 1 minute in a pizza oven). Slice into pieces and serve immediately.

COPYCAT LOU MALNATI'S™ LOU PIZZA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F. In small bowl, mix melted butter and 1/2 teaspoon of the garlic powder. Brush half of the butter mixture in bottom of 12-inch cast-iron skillet or other oven-safe skillet.
• Unroll pizza dough into skillet; press in bottom and firmly press dough evenly in skillet and about 1 inch up sides. Brush top with remaining melted butter mixture. Place mozzarella cheese slices onto dough, all the way to edges of skillet, slightly up sides and overlapping as necessary.
• In medium bowl, mix spinach, onion, 1/2 teaspoon of the basil leaves and remaining 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder. Spread evenly on top of cheese layer. Top with mushrooms and spoonfuls of crushed tomatoes, spreading to cover. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheeses; arrange tomato slices on top.
• In small bowl, mix grated Romano cheese and remaining 1/2 teaspoon basil; sprinkle on top of shredded cheese layer.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting to serve.

TRUE CHICAGO-STYLE DEEP-DISH PIZZA

Steps:

• Mix sugar, yeast and 11 ounces room temperature water (about 80 degrees) in a bowl and let bloom for 15 minutes. Combine flour, salt and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Once yeast has bloomed, add to dry ingredients along with corn oil. Gently combine with a rubber spatula until a rough ball is formed.
• Knead on low speed with the dough hook for 90 seconds. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl and proof until doubled in size, about 6 hours. Punch down and let dough settle for 15 more minutes.
• Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F.
• Coat bottom and sides of a 12-inch cake pan or traditional Chicago style pizza pan with melted butter. Using your hands, spread out about three-quarters of the dough across the bottom and up the sides of the pan (save the remainder for another use). Cover entire bottom in mozzarella, all the way up to the edge. Cover half with a thin, even layer of raw sausage. Cover the other half with the pepperoni. Top with a couple handfuls of crushed tomatoes. Spread out with hands to the edge. Sprinkle top evenly with grated Parm.
• Bake, rotating halfway through, until golden around the edge, about 25 minutes. Let rest for about 5 minutes, then either gently lift pizza out of pan or just cut your slice out of the pan like a pie!

SPINACH-STUFFED PIZZA

Steps:

• Place thawed dough in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover with plastic and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Preheat oven to 400°. In a large bowl, mix spinach, mushrooms, onion, salt and pepper. Punch down dough; divide into thirds. On a lightly floured surface, roll 1 portion of dough to a 10-in. circle. Transfer to a 9-in. springform pan coated with cooking spray; press dough onto bottom and partway up sides of pan., Sprinkle 1 cup mozzarella cheese onto crust. Top with spinach mixture; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese., On a lightly floured surface, roll out a second portion of dough to a 10-in. circle; place over cheese layer. Pinch together top and bottom crusts to seal. (Save remaining dough for another use.) , Bake until crust is lightly browned, 25-30 minutes. Spread pizza sauce over top; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake 5-6 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.

CHICAGO-STYLE DEEP-DISH PIZZA

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine 1-1/2 cups flour, cornmeal, yeast, sugar and salt. In a saucepan, heat water and oil to 120°-130°. Add to dry ingredients; beat just until moistened. Add remaining flour to form a stiff dough., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes., Punch dough down; divide in half. Roll each portion into an 11-in. circle. Press dough onto the bottom and up the sides of two greased 10-in. cast-iron or other ovenproof skillets. Sprinkle each with 2 cups mozzarella cheese., In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste and seasonings. Spoon 1-1/2 cups over each pizza. Layer each with half of the sausage, pepperoni and mushrooms; 1 cup mozzarella; and 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. , Cover and bake at 450° for 35 minutes. Uncover; bake until lightly browned, about 5 minutes longer.,

CHICAGO-STYLE STUFFED SPINACH PIZZA

Steps:

• Crust: dissolve yeast and sugar in water in a large bowl; let stand until bubbly; stir in oil then stir in 4 cups of the flour until smooth; add additional flour as needed to form a stiff dough.
• Lightly flour the work surface; knead dough until smooth and elastic, about 7 to 10 minutes; put into a greased bowl; turn to coat top then let rise, covered, in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Sauce: heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; add garlic, cook 2 minutes; stir in tomatoes, oregano, basil, salt and pepper; simmer until very thick, about 30 minutes or so.
• Filling: mix spinach, mozzarella, mushrooms, parmesan, romano, garlic, olive oil, basil, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
• Heat oven to 450°.
• Punch down dough; let rest 10 minutes.
• Lightly oil a 12-inch pizza pan that is at least 2" deep.
• Roll two-thirds of dough into a 16-inch circle; let sides overhang the pan.
• Put the spinach mixture into center of dough; smooth evenly over the surface.
• Roll the remaining dough on a lightly floured surface to a 12-inch circle; place over the spinach filling then pinch the edges together and cut excess dough at the edges so that the bottom dough is level with the top crust.
• Pour sauce over the dough to cover.
• Bake until crust is golden, 20-40 minutes.
• Let stand 10 minutes before slicing into wedges for serving.
• Ice cold beer or root beer is great with this pizza.

EASY CHICAGO STYLE SPINACH PIZZA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 500 degrees F.
• Press crust onto bottom and sides of well greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
• Mix spinach, mozzarella and 2 tablespoons Parmesan and spread it evenly over crust.
• Mix tomatoes, garlic, oregano and pepper flakes, and spread it over the cheese mixture.
• Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan.
• Bake 10 minutes at 500, then reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake for an additional 20 minutes.