Deep Dish Pizza Turned Upside-Down

I don’t know about you, but it seems to me the world has somehow been turned upside down these days. I’m sure it didn’t happen overnight. Like the frog in boiling water, we just failed to notice until one day we looked around and could no longer make sense of anything.

Senators wearing hoodies and shorts on the Senate Floor. People wearing flip-flops to church. People wandering around the grocery store in what appears to be their pajamas. While you might say these are outward, superficial things, it is a reflection of an inward attitude. I’m not necessarily talking about that whole notion of Dress for Success. Success isn’t necessarily measured by the size of your bank account or the house you live in or the car you drive. Sunday best once meant the best you had, not the best there is. And it showed a sense of respect – for yourself, your community, and finally (while in the pew) God Himself. It’s caring enough to put your best foot forward.

I grew up in a time when we wore homemade clothes to school. There were even fashion shows where we strutted down the runway in a dress our mothers made. These days the label is what matters. Tacky clothes with designer tags. Really? I’m sorry, but I’m not spending $200.00 on a T-Shirt with holes. I don’t care who put the holes in it.

I heard a woman on the news the other day talking about equal pay for equal work. In theory, that makes sense. But she was talking about someone making $30.00 an hour on one side of on an assemble line, who has been at the job for 30 years, while the person on the other side of the line, doing the same job, is only paid half that as a starting wage. They should be equal. What? No, loyalty, job performance, years of experience is why one is making more than the other. Work hard, stick with it and earn the rewards of years on the job. That’s the way the system works. Why stay at a job if, when you retire, you are earning exactly what you started with. No incentive to stay. Why be a school teacher for years or a nurse or an air traffic controller? Those would all be dead end jobs if everyone were paid exactly the same wage for the same job. Upside down world.

If the world is going to be upside down, why not my pizza? This is what I call making the best out of insanity. With a little luck, and a whole lot of pushback from those still rightside up, maybe common sense will prevail.

Deep Dish Upside-Down Pizza
Pizza Dough
Olive Oil for the bowl
2-1/4 cups Flour
2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
1 teaspoon Rapid-Rise Yeast
1 teaspoons Sugar
1 cup warm Water

Lightly oil a bowl for the dough to rest in while proofing. Set aside in a warm place.

Note: Warm oven to 200 degrees, then turn temperature off. This makes a nice draft-free place for the dough to proof and rise.

Measure the flour, salt, yeas and sugar into a food processor fitted with a metal blade attachment. Pulse to combine.

Note: If a ball does not form, add a bit more flour.

Add 1 cup warm water, continue to process until a ball forms, about 30 seconds.

Once the ball forms, process dough for another 30 seconds, then roll into a tight ball. Place dough ball in the prepared bowl. Proof in a warm spot until the dough has doubled in size, about 2 hours.

While the dough rises, make the pizza sauce.

Pizza Sauce
3 Garlic Cloves
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
2-1/2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning
Pinch Red Pepper Flakes
1 (28 oz) can Crushed Tomatoes
2 teaspoons Sugar
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste

Peel and finely mince garlic, set aside.

In a saucepot over medium heat, warm oil. Add the Italian Seasoning, minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Watch carefully, DO NOT let garlic burn.

Add the crushed tomatoes and sugar. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring pizza sauce to a simmer. Let summer until concentrated, about 30 minutes. Stir often to prevent scorching or burning as the sauce reduces. Set aside to cool.

Pizza Toppings
4 oz Pepperoni (30 slices or so)
16 oz block Mozzarella Cheese
1 small can Sliced Mushrooms
1 lb Mild Italian Sausage
3 tablespoons Olive Oil
Parmesan Cheese (Shaker in green can) as desired
Red Pepper Flakes to taste

Position an oven rack in the bottom of the oven and heat ovent to the highest temperature setting, 500 to 550 degrees.

Separate slices of pepperoni for easy assembly. Cut block of cheese in half. Cube half of the cheese into 1/2-inch pieces, set aside. Shred remaining cheese, set aside. Drain mushrooms, pat dry and set aside.

In a skillet over medium heat, brown Italian Sausage. Break meat into small pieces as it browns. Drain well, set aside to cool.

Pour the oil in a large jellyroll pan or deep-dish pizza pan. Place pizza dough in the center of the pan, gently stretch out until dough reaches the corners. Press into place, up the sides to form a nice defined crust.

Note: If the dough is being temperamental, set it aside to rest another 10 minutes to relax, then try again.

Layer the pepperoni over the dough, covering completely. Spread Italian Sausage over the pepperoni, spread out evenly. Then lay the cheese cubes around the perimeter edge of the pan. Layer sliced mushrooms over the sausage, then top with remaining shredded cheese. Finish pizza toppings with the sauce, spread out to the cubed cheese border (thus upside-down).

Bake in the ultra-hot oven until golden and the cheese around the crust is bubbling up, about 10 minutes or so. Remove from oven, loosen edged with a spatula. Let cool for a few minutes, then slice into squares. Serve with Parmesan Cheese and Red Pepper Flakes added as desired. Enjoy! While this might not be the prettiest of pizzas, the flavors are amazing.

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The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock