# Required ingredients:
→ Dough
01 - 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
03 - 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
04 - 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
05 - 1 1/4 cups warm water (about 110°F)
06 - 1/4 cup olive oil
07 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
→ Cheese & Toppings
08 - 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
09 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
10 - 1/2 cup sliced pepperoni or cooked Italian sausage (optional)
11 - 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
12 - 1/2 cup sliced bell peppers
13 - 1/2 cup sliced black olives
→ Tomato Sauce
14 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
15 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
16 - 1 can crushed tomatoes (28 oz)
17 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
18 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
19 - 1/2 teaspoon sugar
20 - Salt and pepper, to taste
# How to make it:
01 - Combine warm water and yeast in a large bowl. Allow to rest for 5 minutes until foamy. Add flour, cornmeal, salt, olive oil, and melted butter. Mix until dough forms, then knead for 5 to 7 minutes until smooth. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
02 - Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté garlic for 1 minute. Stir in crushed tomatoes, oregano, basil, sugar, salt, and pepper. Simmer gently for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
03 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Grease a 12-inch deep-dish pizza pan or round cake pan with olive oil.
04 - Press the dough into the prepared pan, pushing it evenly across the base and up the sides to create high edges.
05 - Evenly distribute shredded mozzarella cheese over the dough base.
06 - Scatter pepperoni, mushrooms, bell peppers, and black olives evenly over the cheese layer.
07 - Pour tomato sauce uniformly over the toppings and sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese on top.
08 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the crust is golden and the sauce is bubbling. If edges brown too quickly, cover crust with foil.
09 - Allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
