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Crispy Cheesy Pan Pizza

Sheila D

Jun 21, 2020 — 3 min read

Crust:

2 cups (240g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon instant yeast or active dry yeast (or 1/3 cup sourdough starter)

3/4 cup (170g) lukewarm water

1TBSP (13g) olive oil + 1 1/2tbsp (18g) olive oil for the pan

Toppings:

6 oz (170g) mozzarella, grated (about 1-1/4 cups, loosly packed)

1/3 to 1/2 cup (74g to 113g) tomato sauce or pizza sauce, homemade or store-bought

freshly grated hard cheese and fresh herbs for sprinkling on top after baking, optional

Instructions:

Place flour, salt, yeast, water and 1 TBSP (13g) of the olive oil in a bowl. (I add spices as well: Rosemary, Thyme, Garlic powder and Onion flakes)

Stir everything together to make a shaggy, sticky mass of dough with no dry patches of flour. Less than one minute by hand using a spatula. Scrape down sides of the bowl.

Let sit 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes, instead of kneading, pull and fold each side of dough (4 sides). This needs to be done another 4 times (setting the timer for 5 minutes between each fold).

Cover the bowl and let set 45 minutes. Once done, place in the refrigerater for 12 (and up to 72) hours.

When ready to make, remove the dough from the refrigerator 3-hours before baking. Place 1-1/2(13g) olive oil in a cast iron skillet. (I recommend using a size 9 to 10 cast iron skillet) Make sure the oil is evenly distributed using a spatula.

Transfer the dough to the pan and turn the dough over once to make sure both sides are coated with the oil. Press the dough to the edges of the pan, using the tips of your fingers in the process. The dough may not touch the sides, but will fill out during the rise.

Cover the dough again and let it rise for 2 hours (or more) at room temperature. I actually set outside (in the shade) when the temperature is warmer. The fully risen dough will fill in the edges of the pan. The dough will also look soft and pillowy and will jiggle when you gently shake the pan.

About 30 minutes before baking, preheat oven to 450.

Sprinkle about 3/4 of the mozzarella (1 cup) evenly over the crust. Make sure to cover the edges. Dollop small spoonfuls of the sauce over the cheese; laying the cheese down first like this will prevent the sauce from seeping into the crust and making it soggy. Sprinkle on the remaining mozzarella.