Pan Pizza

As much as we all love pizza, either from a brick oven or a pizza oven, the heat from them are too industrial to replicate at home. You can max out your oven to 550f or 285c and pre-heat a pizza stone for an hour, but that might damage your oven if its not brand new, and if it is brand new, you wouldn't want to risk damaging it. This is an at home pan pizza recipe that works better and makes the best possible pizza in your home. Even if you don't like the recipe, there are very helpful pizza tricks that should be used either way.


This recipe is easy (despite the length) and it starts with making pizza dough, which is a very easy way to up your pizza game. With all the bread, pretzels, and buns that I have made, pizza dough is by far the easiest and always comes out perfectly golden brown, crispy, and fluffy.


Dough Directions (for one pizza):


1. In a large bowl combine 1/4 tsp of yeast, 1 tsp of sugar, and half a cup of warm water. Mix with a spoon until the yeast is distributed and make sure that all yeast stuck to the spoon is wiped off with your finger and goes back in the bowl. Let sit for 5 mins.


2. When there are bubbles in the mix, add 1/2 tsp of salt, 1 tb of olive oil and a cup of AP flour (AP will yeild fluffy and softer, and bread flour will make it chewier [you can use bread flour if that's what you prefer]). Mix with a spatula or by hand, and when it comes together knead (in the bowl [if you can, because it stops you from having to clean a cutting board or your table]) until you can stretch a piece relatively thin.


3. When kneading, add as little flour as possible because the less flour the better (you will need to add more as you knead). You don't need to for long, but make sure that you can stretch it thin without tearing. Put olive oil in the bottom of the bowl let it rise- either an hour or two on the counter or more like 6 in the fridge (I don't put it in the fridge, but if you can only make the dough in the morning, then put it in the fridge).


4. After the rise, stretch it out by grabbing the corners and letting it fall and stretch in the air. Do not roll it out, it will be too flat, because you want good air to the dough. Grab the sides and stretch with your hand, or hold, the sides and have it hang and rotate it until it fits (a little wider [much easier to push it together tan to stretch out]) your pan. Put in your seasoned pan and let sit for 30 mins to an hour before cooking.






You want to use a cast iron pan if you can, and then the best option is stainless steel. If you don't have either and only have non stick then make sure that the handle isn't rubber or another material that couldn't stand up to heat, and make sure that it is broiler safe. I don't suggest using a non- stick pan, but if that is all you have, be careful and make this at your own risk because it is going under a very hot broiler.






How to season the pan:


Add a few tablespoons of olive oil, salt, pepper, and a little pinch of cornmeal. This is going to make the pan non-stick, and make sure that there is a thick coat of oil in the pan, this is important in making sure that the pizza does not stick.






How to make the sauce:


Use a can of whole tomatoes or diced tomatoes, and add some olive oil, oregano, basil, and a pinch of (optional) sugar.






The Cheese:


Please don't use pre-shredded cheese, it is full of anti-caking agents and starches, which stops it from melting. Get low moisture, whole milk mozzarella in the form of cheese sticks (4oz per 10'' skillet). Cut it up into thin cylinders, and put in the fridge until you put it on the pizza.






Assembly:


1. After the dough has been in the pan for 30 mins, spread the sauce on top from edge to edge (this created a crust shown in the 3rd picture. Spread the spoon around the border (the second picture shows the effect). Pre-heat the oven for 500F or 260C broiler.


2. Put the pan on a burner on med heat. This is hard to tell exactly when to take it off the heat, but around 7 mins. This is to brown the bottom and get it crispy (the first picture shows the effect). If it is on too long, the cornmeal and dough might burn, and if you take it off early, then it will not be as crispy.


3. Before you take it off put the cut cheese on top. Start by going around the edge and then put them in the middle. Arrange the cheese evenly (around the edge, and then fill in the center) and add any toppings you want.


4. Put in the oven on the second from top rack and let cook until the cheese it melted. It will spread out evenly even if about 3 mins it still looks like circles of cheese.


5. Remove from the oven when the cheese is melted and nice and brown. Let sit for a min and then run a butter knife along the edge to release the crispy sauce and cheese (that's why you put both edge to edge) and then tilt the pan and remove with a spatula. Put on wire rack before cutting and enjoy!