Pan Pizza Recipe

YIELD: 2 10-12" PIZZAS

HOMEMADE PAN PIZZA

TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR, 45 MINUTES

PREP TIME: 1 HOUR, 30 MINUTES

COOK TIME: 15 MINUTES

Homemade pan pizza with a perfectly crispy crust can be achieved at home! This recipe and the tips above will show you exactly how you can do it and I dare say it is better than take-out!

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder (see note for substituting regular milk)
  • 1 TBSP sugar
  • 1 package (0.25oz) active dry yeast or 2 1/4 tsp if measuring from bulk yeast
  • 1 1/3 cup warm water (about 110ºF)
  • 2 TBSP vegetable or canola oil
  • 4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 6 oz vegetable or canola oil for greasing the pan
  • your favorite sauce
  • your favorite toppings

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Put the dry milk, sugar, yeast and warm water in a large bowl and stir together. If you have a stand mixer, use that bowl. Let sit for about 2 minutes. Add the oil and stir again.
  2. Add the flour and the salt into the bowl and stir until it begins forming into a ball. If you are using a mixer, fit with the dough hook and knead on medium speed for about 8 minutes, until a smooth dough forms and it cleans the sides of the bowl. If kneading by hand, turn out onto a clean lightly floured work surface. Knead by hand for about 10 minutes until a smooth elastic dough forms.
  3. Divide dough into two balls. In two 12″ (or 10″) nonstick or cast iron skillets, put 3 oz of oil in each making sure it is spread evenly and up the sides. Spread the dough out to about the size of the skillets using your fingers or if you need to, a rolling pin. If the dough is snapping back quite a bit, cover it with plastic wrap and let it rest for about 10-15 minutes. Then stretch again. Place the dough in the skillets (it doesn’t have to go all the way to the sides, it will grow during rise time). Cover the skillets with a lid or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for at least 1 hour and up to an hour and a half.
  4. During the last 20 minutes of rise time preheat the oven to 500ºF.
  5. Top the dough with your favorite sauce and toppings. Place the skillets over high heat on the stovetop for about 2 minutes. This will heat up the skillet and get the bottom of the dough crispy. Place the skillets in the oven and bake until golden brown and crispy. This should take about 15 minutes, but watch it closely.

BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN REMOVING THE PANS FROM THE OVEN AND REMOVING THE PIZZA FROM THE PAN AS THEY WILL BE EXTREMELY HOT!

RECIPE NOTES:

If you would like to use regular milk instead of milk powder, eliminate the dry milk and water from the recipe and substitute for 1 1/3 cups milk. Scald the milk (meaning heat it up to simmering on the stove) and let it cool to about 110ºF before adding it in the first step of the recipe.

500°F is just too hot. Try decreasing to 450°F (or maybe even 375°-425°F if you want to preserve the seasoning on the pan.) In my case I’m using a large Lodge cast iron skillet for the deep dish. It’s black and has a very high level of emmisivity; It doesn’t need 500°F. But with a lower temp, bump up the time a little bit, and it’s a great recipe.

I should note that putting the pan on a med-high / high stove burner for a minute or two ahead of time is a brilliant idea.

Here’s a variant:

Chicago deep dish pizza dough

3 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
2 teaspoons sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast
1 1/4 cups warm water
½ cup olive oil

Directions:
Mix yeast ¼ cup of warm water, ¼ cup of flour and sugar in a bowl cover and let stand in a warm place for 15~20 minutes then mix in all the other ingredients mix well and let stand covered for about 1.5 hours, punch down and knead until the correct texture is achieved (add a bit more flour so it’s not sticky) split into two dough balls and roll out for two pizzas!

READY IN: 2hrs 10mins

SERVES: 3-6

YIELD: 3 Personal Pizzas

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

  1. Combine sauce ingredients and let sit for 1 hour.
  2. Put yeast, sugar, salt, and dry milk in a large bowl.
  3. Add water and stir to mix well.
  4. Let rest for two minutes.
  5. Add oil and stir again.
  6. Add flour and stir until dough forms and flour is absorbed.
  7. Turn out on to a flat floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes, adding more flour as needed, until elastic and no longer sticky.
  8. Divide dough into three balls.
  9. Put 3 ounces of oil in each of three 9-inch cake pans, making sure it is spread evenly.
  10. Using a rolling pin, roll out each dough ball to about a 9-inch circle.
  11. Place in cake pans.
  12. Spray the outer edge of dough with Pam and cover with a plate.
  13. Place in warm area and allow to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
  14. Preheat oven to 475°F.
  15. For each 9" pizza, spoon 1/3 cup sauce on dough and spread to within 1-inch of edge.
  16. Distribute 1 1/2 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese on sauce.
  17. Place toppings of your choice in this order: Pepperoni or ham, vegetables, meats (cooked ground sausage or beef) Top with 3 ounces mozzarella cheese.
  18. Cook until cheese is bubbling and outer crust is brown.
  19. Serve hot.

Sauce alternative:

  • SAUCE:
  • 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon each dried basil, oregano, marjoram and thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • PIZZAS:
  • 1 package (3-1/2 ounces) sliced pepperoni
  • 5 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup grated Romano cheese

https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/pepperoni-pan-pizza/?trkid=ad-toh-msn&utm_medium=ad-toh-msn

corn FLOUR, not cornmeal

Otherwise, gritty!