Slice, Slice, Baby (Windy City Edition)

In honor of National Pizza Day on Feb. 9, Chicago-based Food Network star Jeff Mauro shares his deep-dish recipe with Us

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"I've spent months reverse engineering my favorite pizza from [renowned Chicago deep-dish institution] Lou Malnati's, and this is pretty darn close. So much fun to make once, but even more fun perfecting it!" Jeff Mauro tells Us. "Make sure your dough is ready to be stretched. If it's fighting back, let it rest for 15 more minutes. It needs to be pliable in order to form that thin wall around the edge of the pan."

True Chicago-Style Deep-Dish Pizza

SERVES: 8 SLICES

INGREDIENTS

1 tsp granulated sugar

1 packet (2 ½ tsp) active dry yeast

18 oz all-purpose flour (about 3½ cups)

2 tsp fine sea salt

½ tsp cream of tartar

½ cup plus 3 tbsp corn oil, plus additional for oiling the bowl

1 tbsp melted unsalted butter