Deep-Dish Spinach and Onion Pizza Pie

When you make this pizza, keep in mind that it's going to be small in diameter but big in flavor...and tall! Since it's a pizza pie, it will also be stuffed with cheese, onions and spinach, a combination that has so much substanance that you won't even notice it's meatless. In addition, the thick sauce you add during the last minutes of baking really adds substantially to the dish. Two slices and not only is the pizza stuffed--so are you!

The time elements in this recipe are the sauce and the dough. This recipe is a bit more labor-intensive because of the several steps in assembling and baking the pizza, so there is more than just waiting involved. This one actually takes some hands-on work.

But it's worth it! Take the time and enjoy the process!

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Spinach and Onion Pizza Pie

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. and put your pizza stone or rack on the second to the bottom space of the oven.

Coat a 9-inch round springform pan with olive oil. From your ball of dough, remove a small ball (about 1/4 of the ball) to reserve for the top crust.

Using the rest of the dough and starting in the middle of the dough, press the dough into the springform pan, starting in the center, cover the bottom and about 2 inches up the sides of the pan. Cover the pan and let it sit for about 10 minutes.

While it's resting, get your ingredients ready:

8 ounces of baby spinach, chopped coarsely
2 cups of coarsely shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese
3 ounces of thinly sliced mozzarella cheese
1 large onion, chopped into large hunks
1 tablespoon olive oil
Red pepper flakes, to taste
2 cups sauce
1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan

Saute the onion in the olive oil until slightly limp. Combine the onion, red pepper flakes, spinach and mozzarella in a bowl and set aside.

Now, get your pan back out and readjust the dough if it has slid down the sides of the pan. Lay the mozzarella slices on the bottom of the pan, completely covering the bottom of the crust. Pour the spinach mixture in the pan.

Remember that little piece of dough you saved back? Stretch that out with your hand to form a 9" round circle, and then prick it all over with a fork. Top the spinach mixture with this crust and then fold the two edges of dough down to make a crust around the edge of the pizza. Try not to make it too thick, or you'll end up with a too much crust on the edges.

Now, working very quickly, put the pizza in the oven so you don't lose heat. Bake about twelve minutes, until the top is lightly browned. Take the pizza out of the oven, ladle the sauce over the top but not around the edges, sprinkle the parmesan on, then put the pizza back in the oven.

This time, once the pizza's in the oven, release the clamp on the side of your springform pan, but don't take it off. Bake the pizza until it's all nice and browned, about ten more minutes or so. Before you take the pizza out, carefully re-latch the pan using oven mitts. Take the pizza out of the oven and set it on a cooling rack. Now you can take off the springform rim completely. Let it cool for about five minutes. Slice into wedges and serve.

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Delicious!

It took some time, but it was worth it!

Be sure to check the original version of this pizza and other recipes from Diane Morgan's book, Pizza. The recipes are fabulous!