Description
A hearty and comforting Deep-Dish Pizza Pie featuring a savory Italian sausage and vegetable filling baked in a crispy homemade pizza dough crust and topped with melted mozzarella cheese. Perfect for family meals or casual gatherings, this recipe brings classic pizzeria flavors into your kitchen with an easy-to-follow stovetop and oven method.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Vegetables
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
- 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Tomato Sauce Mixture
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Dough and Cheese
- 1 (10 oz) package refrigerated pizza dough
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) to prepare for baking the pizza.
- Cook Sausage and Vegetables: In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the Italian sausage along with chopped onion, green bell pepper, and red bell pepper until the sausage is browned and the vegetables are tender. Drain excess grease to avoid a soggy crust.
- Simmer Sauce Mixture: Add minced garlic, drained diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, dried oregano, dried basil, salt, and black pepper to the skillet. Stir well and let the mixture simmer for 10 minutes to develop flavors.
- Prepare Dough: Press the refrigerated pizza dough firmly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie dish, forming a sturdy crust to hold the filling.
- Fill the Pie: Spoon the cooked sausage and vegetable mixture evenly into the dough-lined pie dish, spreading it out to cover the base completely.
- First Bake: Bake the pie in the preheated oven for 20 minutes to set the crust and heat the filling through.
- Add Cheese and Finish Baking: Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese over the top of the baked pie and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and slightly golden.
- Rest Before Serving: Remove the pizza from the oven and let it stand for 5 minutes to allow the filling to set slightly, making it easier to slice and serve.
Notes
- For a spicier kick, consider adding red pepper flakes to the sausage mixture.
- Make sure to drain excess grease from the sausage to keep the crust from becoming soggy.
- You can substitute the refrigerated pizza dough with homemade dough if preferred.
- Allowing the pie to rest after baking helps the cheese set and makes slicing neater.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven for best texture.
