American hot deep-pan pizza

Method

1. For the dough, put the yeast, sugar and salt in a measuring jug, pour over the warm water and allow the yeast to froth and dissolve. Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl. Pour the liquid into the flour and stir to bring the dough together.
2. Put the dough into a mixer with a dough hook attachment and knead for 5 minutes on a medium speed. If you don’t have a mixer, knead the dough on a lightly floured work surface for 10-15 minutes. Keep mixing/kneading until the dough springs back when gently pressed.
3. Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with cling film. Leave to rise in a warm room until almost doubled in size (about 1 hour).
Recipe continues after advertising
Advertisement
4. Meanwhile, prepare the tomato sauce. Heat the oil in a pan and gently fry the shallots for about
   10 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and fry for a few minutes before stirring in the sugar, salt, vinegar and red wine. Bring to the boil and bubble for 10 minutes to reduce by three quarters. Add the passata, then simmer for 45 minutes on a low heat, stirring occasionally, until reduced and thick. Heat the oven to 240°C/220°C fan/gas 9.
5. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, then add the Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco to taste.
6. Grease 2 x 23cm diameter cake tins. Knock back the dough to expel any large air bubbles and divide in half. Shape each piece of dough into a flat disc, then press into each tin, moulding and stretching the dough to fit the tin so the crust will be thicker than the centre.
7. Divide the sauce between the bases, spreading to cover evenly, then top with the 2 salamis, the grated cheese and jalapeños. Bake for 15 minutes until cooked through and golden. If the crust is becoming too brown, cover the pizza with foil for the remainder of the cooking time. Serve with a bitter leaf salad.