Chipotle Deep Dish Pizza Pie

Ingredients:

1 store-bought pizza dough (frozen), or if possible from a local pizza parlor, enough for 1 large pizza.
1/2 cup thick sliced pepperoni
1 red cherry pepper, sliced thin (fresh or pickled)
8 to 10 slices of low moisture mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Quick Chipotle red sauce (see recipe below)
1/2 tablespoon oregano
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
Cornmeal
Olive oil

Quick Chipotle Red Sauce

1 6-oz. can Hunt's tomato paste
2 to 3 chipotles in adobo, minced
3 to 4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 tablespoon oregano
1 cup of water
Salt, fresh cracked pepper
Olive oil

1. Heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil to medium heat, add the garlic and cook for just a minute, watching it so it does not burn. Add the tomato paste, chipotles, water, 1/2 tablespoon oregano, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper. Cook for just 3 to 4 minutes. Taste for salt, set aside to cool.

2. Preheat your oven to 500º F. In a 10-inch cast iron skillet, drizzle with olive oil and about 2 tablespoons of cornmeal to cover the bottom of pan evenly. Take 1/2 of the dough and transfer to skillet. Working with hands, press dough to cover bottom of pan and work it slightly up the sides of the pan.

3. Evenly drizzle some olive oil onto the dough and sprinkle the granulated garlic onto the dough as well. Layer the slices of cheese in a fanned out form to cover entire bottom of pizza. Take half of the sauce and spread out evenly, add the pepperoni, sliced cherry peppers and crushed oregano. Grate the fresh parmesan on top. Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 14 minutes, set your timer, because it's quick! Remove from oven and let cool, removing it from pan for easier slicing, onto a cutting board.

Note: You can make a smaller, thin crust pizza with leftover dough and sauce or you can freeze them and use them for another pizza! Make this pizza with your favorite roasted chiles and Spanish-style chorizo for a real latin flavor!

I like making the cheese my first layer ... it's like the glue that will hold all of your toppings!

After pie comes out of oven, I like to transfer it to a cutting board to cool slightly before slicing...

Easy as Pie! Deep Dish Pie! The slices are so thick ... one slice will fill you up!

Other recipes by Sonia:

Mexican Red Rice
Buñuelos
Cheesy Chorizo Bread
Pork Chile Colorado
Frijoles Borrachos con Chorizo
Pork Chile Verde
Lemon Pepper Chicken Fajitas
Simply Seasoned Shrimp
Dulce de Leche and Chocolate Chip Chimichangas