Why this formula works
This style is built to carry 300 g sauce. Cheese lines the dough before cooked sausage and thick cooled tomato, forming a moisture barrier. Pre-cooking the sausage makes its 71°C / 160°F safety endpoint measurable and prevents excess raw fat from flooding the pan.
Honest timing
| Active preparation | 35 min |
| Hydration / proof / preheat | 1 h 30 min |
| Cooking / baking | 55 min |
| Elapsed total | 3 h |
Ingredients
- strong bread flour350 g (12.3 oz)
- fine cornmeal30 g (1.06 oz)
- warm water, 28°C / 82°F210 g (7.4 oz)
- instant yeast5 g (0.18 oz)
- fine sea salt8 g (0.28 oz)
- soft unsalted butter50 g (1.76 oz)
- olive oil for the pan20 g (0.71 oz)
- low-moisture mozzarella, sliced300 g (10.6 oz)
- raw Italian sausage, casing removed220 g (7.8 oz)
- very thick cooked tomato sauce, cooled300 g (10.6 oz)
- Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated50 g (1.76 oz)
Equipment
- 28 cm / 11 in deep cast-iron pan
- thermometer
- skillet
- rolling pin
- cooling rack
Exact method
- 1. Mix flour, cornmeal, water, yeast and salt. Knead 6 minutes, then work in soft butter until evenly absorbed.
- 2. Cover and rise 90 minutes at 24–26°C / 75–79°F. During the final 45 minutes, preheat the oven to 220°C / 428°F.
- 3. Brown the sausage in a skillet, breaking it into 2 cm pieces, until every thick piece reaches 71°C / 160°F. Drain excess fat and cool 10 minutes.
- 4. Oil the pan thoroughly. Roll and press the dough across the base and 4 cm up the sides; repair thin spots rather than stretching them further.
- 5. Line the base with mozzarella slices, overlapping slightly. Distribute cooked sausage, then spoon all 300 g of cold thick tomato sauce over the top.
- 6. Finish with Parmesan. Bake on the lower rack for 35–45 minutes, tenting loosely if the top darkens before the side crust is deep gold.
- 7. Rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then loosen the edge and transfer to a rack or board. Rest another 5 minutes before cutting.
How to know it is ready
- Side crust is deep golden and releases from the pan.
- Sauce is thick and steaming, not watery.
- A slice holds distinct dough, cheese, sausage and sauce layers.
Troubleshooting
- Soggy base: sauce was thin or hot; reduce and cool it fully.
- Raw-looking side: bake lower and allow 35–45 minutes.
- Greasy filling: drain cooked sausage before assembly.
- Collapsed slice: respect the full 15-minute rest.
How to adapt the base recipe
- For 350 g sauce, reduce it even thicker and extend the rest; do not use watery passata.
- For vegetarian deep dish, replace sausage with 200 g roasted, well-drained mushrooms.
- This dough and layering method are designed for heavy sauce; do not transfer 300 g to a thin 28 cm pizza.
Storage and food safety
Refrigerate within 2 hours for up to 3 days. Reheat covered at 180°C / 356°F until the center is piping hot, then uncover to crisp.
Allergens
Gluten (wheat), Milk Depending on the selected product, may also contain: Mustard, Sulphites.
Always verify every label and cross-contact risk; brand formulations can change.