It’s Friday today, so I thought it would be a great time to indulge in some pizza.  Enjoy!

Recipe Serves: 8

Ingredients for Deep-Dish Pizza Recipe

Classic Deep Dish Pizza

3/4 c Water
1/2 c No-salt-added tomato paste
1 ts Dried whole basil
1/2 ts Dried whole oregano
1/2 ts Fennel seeds, crushed
1/8 ts Ground red pepper
1/8 ts Black pepper
Vegetable cooking spray
6 oz Ground chuck
1 c Chopped onion
1 c Chopped green bell pepper
6 lg Cloves garlic, crushed
1 tb Cornmeal
22 oz Refrigerated French bread dough, (2 packages)
3 oz Shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, (3/4 cup)
1/4 c Grated Romano cheese
Crushed red pepper, (optional)

Deep-Dish Pizza Preparation

Combine first 7 ingredients in a small saucepan, stirring well; place over low heat until thoroughly heated. Set aside.

Coat a large skillet with cooking spray, and place over medium-high heat until hot.

Add meat and next 3 ingredients; cook until meat is browned, stirring to crumble. Drain and set aside.

Coat 2 (9-inch) round cakepans with cooking spray, and sprinkle each with 1-1/2 teaspoons cornmeal.

Unroll 1 package bread dough; fold each corner in toward center to form a diamond shape. Pat dough, folded corners up, into a prepared pan. Repeat with remaining bread dough.

Spread 1/2 cup tomato mixture over each prepared crust; top each with 1 cup meat mixture.

Sprinkle each with 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons mozzarella cheese and 2 tablespoons Romano cheese.

Bake at 475F for 12 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 wedge). Per serving: 345 Calories; 10g Fat (26% calories from fat); 16g Protein; 48g Carbohydrate; 25mg Cholesterol; 600mg Sodium

NOTES : Cut each pizza into 4 wedges. Serve with crushed red pepper, if desired.

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