Chicago Sliced Mozzarella Layer
Sliced ¼-inch slabs forming a sealed sheet on the bottom of the dough — the structural trick that keeps deep dish from going soggy.
Intro
The cheese trick that defines Chicago deep dish: sliced (not grated) low-moisture mozzarella, layered across the bottom of the dough. Forms a sealed sheet that protects the crust from the sauce above it. Deli-sliced from the supermarket counter is great — ask for ¼-inch thick.
Ingredients
note · Slice into ¼-inch slabs. Deli counter will do this for free.
note · Browns into a savory cap above the sauce.
The process
- 1
Slice ¼-inch thick
Slice the mozzarella into ¼-inch thick slabs. You want slices, not shreds — they melt into a continuous, watertight layer.
- 2
Cover the bottom
Arrange the slices to completely cover the bottom of the dough-lined pan, overlapping slightly. Trim pieces to fill any gaps — no visible dough.
- 3
Layer toppings on top
Layer everything else (sausage, sauce) on top of the cheese.
- 4
Parm on top of sauce
After the sauce goes on, sprinkle the grated Parmesan over the top. This is the only cheese above the sauce — it browns into a savory cap.
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