Deep-dish Florentine Pizza

Total Time: 1 hr 40 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr 15 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 4 teaspoons cornmeal
• 1 (1/4 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 lb mild italian sausage
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 16 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 (4 1/2 ounce) jar sliced mushrooms, drained
• 2 (8 ounce) cans pizza sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Recipe

• 1 for crust:
• 2 grease a 14-inch deep dish pizza pan. (or 2 9-inch square baking pans).
• 3 sprinkle with 4 teaspoons cornmeal.
• 4 dissolve yeast in warm water & sugar in mixing bowl.
• 5 add 1/2 cup cornmeal, oil, salt and 1/2 cup whole wheat flour and 1 cup flour.
• 6 mix well.
• 7 stir in enough additional flour to make a soft dough.
• 8 knead for about 5 minutes.
• 9 shape to form ball; place in greased bowl, turning once to coat surface. cover, let rise in warm place about 45 minutes until double.
• 10 punch dough down.
• 11 cover.
• 12 let rest 10 minutes.
• 13 roll out or stretch dough to fit pan and come up sides forming a 1 inch rim. let rise from 5 minutes - 20 minutes depending on how you chewy you want the crust.
• 14 for topping:
• 15 while dough is rising, thaw spinach in microwave.
• 16 squeeze moisture from spinach.
• 17 remove meat from casing if necessary.
• 18 brown in a 12-inch skillet with onion & garlic.
• 19 drain the fat off.
• 20 add spinach, cook about 10 minutes more.
• 21 spread cheese evenly over crust.
• 22 arrange meat mixture over cheese.
• 23 top with mushrooms.
• 24 combine pizza sauce & water.
• 25 spread over toppings.
• 26 bake at 450 degrees for about 15 - 18 minutes.
• 27 sprinkle grated parmesan cheese over pizza.
• 28 bake an additional 5 - 10 minutes.
• 29 let rest 5 - 10 minutes before cutting.