Stuffed Cheese Pizza
Submitted by Simone4265
Stuffed cheese pizza: Chicago-style deep dish with whole wheat crust hiding mozzarella and broccoli between two layers, topped with pizza sauce at the end. Inside-out flavor.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
20 minREADY
40 minAn inside-out pizza where the sauce goes on last. Two rounds of oregano-scented whole wheat yeast dough sandwich a filling of melted mozzarella and cooked broccoli, bake until golden, and only then does the pizza sauce get spread on top.
This Chicago-style stuffed technique has a practical advantage. Sauce on top means it doesn’t compete with the dough for browning, and the bottom crust stays crisp instead of turning soggy from sitting under wet sauce for 20 minutes at high heat.
Whole wheat flour for the crust is an unexpected choice. It adds a nutty, slightly sweet base that pairs beautifully with broccoli and mozzarella, gives more fiber, and browns more deeply than white flour does.
Kneading oregano right into the dough is the Italian-country-kitchen move that most pizzerias skip. Oregano in the crust perfumes every bite, not just the top, and it means the finished pizza tastes seasoned from the inside out.
Slashing the top crust before baking is a must. Without steam vents, the moisture from the melting cheese and cooked broccoli builds up and splits the top crust in random places. Four or five slashes release steam cleanly.
Kitchen Tips
- Pre-cook the broccoli until just crisp-tender. Raw broccoli inside releases too much water and makes the filling soggy.
- Drain cooked broccoli well and pat dry with paper towels before layering. Wet broccoli is enemy number one for stuffed pizza.
- Crimp the two dough layers tightly at the edges. Loose seams leak cheese onto the pan during baking.
Variations
- Swap broccoli for sautéed spinach or roasted mushrooms.
- Add sliced pepperoni, cooked Italian sausage, or cooked chicken to the filling for a meat version.
- Brush the top crust with garlic butter before baking for extra flavor and sheen.
Ingredients
Directions
To make the crust, dissolve the yeast in the warm water in a large bowl.
Add the flour, salt, oregano, oil and 1 cup water.
Mix well.
Knead the dough on a lightly-floured surface for about 2 minutes, or until the dough is smooth.
Place the dough in an oiled bowl.
Cover with a damp towel and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk.
Punch down the dough.
Divide into two parts.
Press half the dough onto the bottom of a 10-inch oiled pie pan.
Sprinkle the cheese and broccoli over the dough.
Press the other half of the dough into a 10-inch round.
Set on top of the cheese and broccoli.
Crimp the edges together.
Make several slashes in the top crust.
Bake in a 400-degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown.
Remove from the oven.
Spread on the pizza sauce.
Bake for 5 minutes.
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