Adding beer to a pizza dough gives it some extra thickness while remaining airy and light, perfect for Chicago deep dish style. You can also put pretty much anything you want on a pizza, the ingredients below are just a suggestion. Put anything you want on your pizza, really have fun with it. We elected to you Settebello Italian Pilsner because it actually pairs well with pizza, plus it has the right malt character and adds a nice amount of flavour to the dough.
Ingredients
For the pizza dough:
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3 cups unbleached bread flour
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1 cup whole wheat bread flour
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2.5 tablespoons active dry yeast
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1.5 tablespoons mustard powder
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1 tablespoon garlic powder
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1 tablespoon ground pepper
- 1 cup or less of water
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1 cup mozzarella cheese
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1 cup mushrooms
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1 large onion
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handful pepperoni or prosciutto
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1 cup pizza sauce
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1 teaspoon minced garlic
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1 teaspoon dried or fresh oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried for fresh basil

Steps
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First, make the dough by mixing both flours, yeast, mustard powder, ground pepper and garlic powder. Then slowly pour your beer in from a low height, so it doesn't produce many bubbles making it easier to mix. Continue mixing adding water along the way until dough is sticky, self-contained and there is no flour left in the bowl. Cover with a damp towel and let rest for 8-12 hours.
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Pour a tablespoon of olive over your raised dough, and mix it in thoroughly. Let dough rise for another 30 minutes before dividing the total mix into 3 equal pieces. Kneed each piece on a well flowered surface and store in a Ziploc bag in the fridge for another 12 hours before use.
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Oil up a deep cast iron skillet, press your dough into it trying to form a crust as you go. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 450 degrees and let your dough rise while you prepare the toppings.
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Prepare caramelized Onions and sautéed mushrooms being sure not to overcook them, and keeping their moisture to a minimum.
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Press the crust of the dough up once more, then add your cheese in an even layer on the bottom. Form a layer of pepperoni and spread your onions and mushrooms evenly over top, then add your sauce over top. Add Parmesan cheese or pizza seasonings to the top for extra flavour.
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Bake on 450 degrees for 20mins = for soft crust; 25mins = for perfect crust; or 30 mins = for well done crust. Let sit for 10 minutes before cutting into and enjoy!
4 servingsFor more Cooking with Beer ideas check out our recipe archive.