Chicago-Style Deep-Dish Pizza

1. FOR THE DOUGH: Using stand mixer fitted with dough hook, mix together flour, cornmeal, yeast, sugar, and salt on low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Add water and melted butter and mix until fully combined, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed. Increase speed to medium and knead until dough is glossy and smooth and pulls away from sides of bowl, 4 to 5 minutes. (Dough will only pull away from sides while mixer is on. When mixer is off, the dough will fall back to sides.)
2. Using fingers, coat large bowl with 1 teaspoon of olive oil, rubbing excess oil from fingers onto blade of rubber spatula. Using oiled spatula, transfer dough to prepared bowl, turning once to oil top. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Let dough rise at room temperature until nearly doubled in size, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
3. FOR THE SAUCE: While dough rises, melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, oregano, and 1⁄2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes and sugar, bring to simmer, and cook until sauce has reduced to 2-1⁄2 cups, 25 to 30 minutes. Off heat, stir in basil and oil, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. TO LAMINATE THE DOUGH: Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Using rubber spatula, turn dough out onto dry clean counter and roll into 15 by 12-inch rectangle with short side facing you. Spread softened butter over surface of dough using offset spatula, leaving 1⁄2-inch border along edges. Starting at short end, roll dough into tight cylinder. With seam side down, flatten cylinder into 18 by 4-inch rectangle. Cut rectangle in half crosswise. Working with 1 half at a time, fold dough into thirds like business letter, then pinch seams together to form ball. Return dough balls to oiled bowl, cover tightly with plastic, and let rise in refrigerator until nearly doubled in size, 40 to 50 minutes.
5. Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with 2 tablespoons olive oil each. Transfer 1 dough ball to clean counter and roll into 13-inch disk about 1⁄4 inch thick. Transfer dough round to cake pan by rolling dough loosely around rolling pin, then unrolling dough into pan. Lightly press dough into pan, working it into corners and 1 inch up sides. If dough resists stretching, let it relax 5 minutes before trying again. Repeat with remaining dough ball.
6. TO TOP AND BAKE THE PIZZA: For each pizza, sprinkle 2 cups of mozzarella evenly over surface of dough. Spread 1-1⁄4 cups of tomato sauce over cheese and sprinkle 2 tablespoons of Parmesan over sauce for each pizza. Bake until crust is golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove pizzas from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

CHICAGO-STYLE DEEP-DISH PIZZA WITH SAUSAGE
Cook 1 pound hot Italian sausage, casings removed, in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it into 1⁄2-inch pieces with wooden spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove sausage with slotted spoon and transfer to paper towel–lined plate. Sprinkle half of cooked sausage over mozzarella in each pizza before continuing with additional toppings in step 6.

CHICAGO-STYLE DEEP-DISH PIZZA WITH OLIVES, RICOTTA, AND ARUGULA
Sprinkle each pizza with 2 tablespoons chopped pitted kalamata olives along with Parmesan in step 6. Using 2 tablespoons ricotta cheese per pizza, dot surface with teaspoons of cheese. Bake as directed. Remove pizzas from oven and sprinkle 1⁄4 cup chopped arugula over surface of each pizza.

MAKING FLAKY CHICAGO-STYLE PIZZA CRUST
1. On dry counter, roll dough into 15 by 12-inch rectangle.
2. Spread softened butter over dough, leaving 1⁄2-inch border along edges.
3. Starting at short end closest to you, roll dough into tight cylinder.
4. Flatten cylinder into 18 by 4-inch rectangle. Halve crosswise.
5. Fold each piece of dough into thirds; pinch seams to form balls.
6. Let dough balls rise in refrigerator 40 to 50 minutes to chill butter.
7. Roll out each ball into 13-inch disk about 1⁄4 inch thick.
8. Transfer disks to pans; press into corners and up sides.