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Chicago-Style Deep Dish Mushroom and Spinach Pizza with Butter Crust

Flaky, buttery deep dish pizza crust filled with lots of spinach, mushrooms, and cheese. I like to call this the Lou Malnati's copycat pizza.
Prep Time 2 hours 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 50 minutes
Servings 6 -8 Slices

Ingredients

For the Crust:

  • 1 Cup Warm water 110 degrees F
  • 1 Teaspoon Honey
  • 2 1/4 Teaspoons Dry Active Yeast
  • 2 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
  • 1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
  • 1/2 Cup 1 Stick Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
  • 1 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

For the Filling:

  • 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 5 Mushrooms thinly sliced
  • 1 Clove Garlic thinly sliced
  • 9 Ounces Frozen Chopped Spinach thawed and drained and drained some more
  • Salt and pepper
  • 8 Ounces Sliced Fresh Mozzarella I use this one from BelGioiso
  • 1 Cup Marinara Sauce
  • 1/4 Cup Shredded Mozzarella
  • 2 Tablespoons Grated Parmesan

Instructions

  1. Add the warm water and honey to the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment. Whisk to combine. Add the yeast and whisk. Let the yeast sit for five minutes until super frothy and foamy.
  2. Add the flours, butter, salt, and olive oil to the bowl. With the mixer on low, mix until a sticky dough starts to form. Knead on medium for four minutes.
  3. Grease a medium mixing bowl with a little olive oil. transfer dough to the bowl, coat evenly all over in olive oil, and then cover in plastic wrap. Set in a warm location and let the dough rise for 1 1/2 hour until doubled in size.
  4. Transfer dough to a well floured surface. Cut the dough in half, but not evenly, make one half slightly larger. You will use the larger half for this recipe. Place the other half in a freezer storage bag and put int he fridge for later or in the freezer for up to a week.
  5. Cover the half loosely with plastic wrap and let rise for another 40-50 minutes.
  6. While the dough is on the second rise, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F and cook the filling.
  7. Add olive oil to a medium skillet. Heat over a medium flame. Add mushrooms and sautee for 10 minutes until golden and crispy on the edges. reduce heat to low, add the garlic and cook for a minute. Turn the heat off, add the well-drained spinach. Toss in the oil and garlic until the spinach is heated through. Season with salt and pepper.
  8. Gently place the dough into a 9 or 12 inch cast iron skillet that has been rubbed with olive oil. Press the dough into all the edges of the pan and about 3/4 of the way up the side of the pan.
  9. Place all the fresh mozzarella slices on top of the dough. Cover with toppings and then top off with sauce, some of the shredded mozzarella, and finally the grated parmesan.
  10. Bake the pizza in the oven for 30 minutes.
  11. Let the pizza rest for about 10 minutes before slicing.