Chicago-Style Thin-Crust Pizza

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
• 1/4 cup medium-grind cornmeal
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon instant yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 cup lukewarm water
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for bowl
• 1 (14-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• Kosher salt
• All-purpose flour, for surface
• Medium-grind cornmeal, for dusting
• Pinch of dried oregano
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 cups shredded low-moisture mozzarella, divided
• 1 cup finely grated Parmesan, divided
• Sliced onion, banana peppers, pepperoni, and/or cooked sausage, for topping (optional)

Instructions

Dough:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, salt, yeast, and granulated sugar until combined.
2. Add water and oil, mixing until a shaggy dough forms.
3. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and moist, but not wet, for about 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Divide dough into 2 equal pieces and form into balls. Place in 2 large, oiled bowls and cover with plastic wrap; let proof at room temperature for at least 3 hours or transfer to the refrigerator and proof overnight or up to 48 hours.

Pizza:

1. In a food processor or blender, process drained tomatoes, oil, and a few pinches of salt until smooth. Adjust seasoning if necessary.
2. Place a piece of parchment under a 12″ cast-iron skillet and trace out the bottom so you know how large your pizza needs to be. Transfer skillet to oven and preheat to 500°F, letting skillet get ripping hot.
3. If dough has been in the fridge, let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Transfer the first ball of dough to a lightly floured surface. Using your fingers, pound and shape into a circle. Using a rolling pin, roll out dough to fit the parchment circle you’ve traced.
4. Carefully remove the skillet from the oven and sprinkle the bottom with a few pinches of cornmeal. Transfer dough to skillet and slightly press down so cornmeal sticks to dough.
5. Working quickly, ladle 3 tablespoons of sauce into the center of the dough. Using the back of the ladle, spread sauce over the pizza to the edges.
6. Scatter a few slices of garlic over the sauce and dust with oregano and red pepper flakes.
7. Cover pizza with half of the mozzarella and half of the Parmesan, making sure cheese reaches the edges of the pizza and even hits the sides of the skillet. Add desired toppings.
8. Drizzle a bit of oil around the edges of the dough so it flows under the pizza and gets crispy. Transfer to the oven and bake until the cheese in the center is melted and bubbly and the cheese on the end has started to crisp and even burn slightly, for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the strength of your oven.
9. Using a spatula, transfer pizza to a cutting board. Cut pizza into squares and serve immediately. Enjoy a Taste of Chicago with Each Irresistible Bite!