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–+ servings

Pan Pizza

Perfect deep dish crust topped with homemade sauce and classic toppings. This will make two round pizzas, 9 inches each.
Prep Time:3 hours 15 minutes
Cook Time:15 minutes
Total Time:3 hours 30 minutes

Equipment

  • 2 9 inch round cake pans

Ingredients

Dough

  • 3 cups bread flour
  • ¼ cup instant dry milk powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 ¼ ounce package active dry yeast about 2 ¼ teaspoons

Oiling the Bowl for Rising

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Sauce

  • 1 28 ounce can of whole peeled plum tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon dried basil
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper

Assembly

  • 2 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 6 ounce package pepperoni
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

  • Combine ingredients. In a stand mixer bowl, mix together all dough ingredients with a wooden spoon. There is no need to proof the yeast first, but you can if you want to, by premixing it with the water and honey separately. Mix until the ingredients are combined and the dough is hard to stir. The dough will be slightly shaggy and rough.
  • Machine mix. Fit your mixer with the paddle attachment and machine-mix until the ingredients are combined and the dough comes clean from the sides of the bowl when mixed (about 1 minute). You might need to add a few teaspoons of flour or water to get the right consistency.
    Mixed Pizza Dough. The pizza dough appears sticky and half-mixed in a stainless steel mixing bowl, with a red and white checkered cloth in the background.
  • Knead. Using the dough hook, continue to mix the dough in the standing electric mixer for 5-6 minutes or knead the dough by hand for about 10 minutes. The dough will be more smooth and easily form into a ball when finished.
  • First rise. Brush the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil into a large bowl. Form the dough into a ball and place it in the bowl. Turn the dough over onto the other side and back again to cover lightly in oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until double in size, about 1 ½ hours.
    Dough After First Rise. An image split in half showing pizza dough in a glass bowl before and after rising, with a pastry brush and a bowl of olive oil on the side.
  • Make the sauce. Towards the end of the rising time, make the sauce. With your hands, squeeze the tomatoes to crush them and add the tomatoes and sauce to a 12-inch skillet. Stir in oil, basil, oregano, garlic salt, and pepper, and simmer over very low heat until thickened, stirring occasionally. Continue to simmer the sauce during the second rise of the dough and keep on low.
    Pizza Sauce. An image of fresh pizza sauce in a fine mesh strainer over a bowl, showing the thick texture and rich red color, indicative of hand-crushed plum tomatoes.
  • Shape and oil the dough. Pour 1 tablespoon of oil into a 9-inch cake pan and repeat with a second pan. Brush oil around the pans to grease them. Divide dough in half and place into a ball. Place onto a very lightly floured countertop and roll dough evenly from the center outwards into a 9-inch circle. Place half of the dough in a pan and turn it over to grease the top of the dough. Then, turn it back again so that it is lightly coated in oil. It is supposed to look oily. Press the dough to reach the edges of the pan. It’s okay if the dough stretches back a little. As the dough rises, it will fill the pan. Repeat the process with the second ball of dough and pan.
    Shaping Pizza Dough. An overhead shot of a rolled-out pizza dough on parchment paper next to a wooden rolling pin, with a red and white checkered cloth in the background.
  • Second rise. Cover the dough and let rise 45 minutes -1 hour. It will rise more quickly in a warm oven.
  • Preheat. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Assemble pizzas. Using a spoon, spread ¾ cup of sauce over the dough evenly, leaving ½ inch of dough showing on the edges without any sauce. Repeat with the second pan. Spread evenly 1 ¼ cups of shredded cheese over the sauce in each pan.
    Unbaked Pepperoni Pan Pizza. A pan pizza before baking, topped with sauce, shredded mozzarella, pepperoni slices, and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.
  • Add pepperoni (optional). Using a plate lined with paper towels, put 12-18 slices of pepperoni on the plate and cover with additional paper towels. Warm in the microwave for 20-30 seconds to remove some grease before placing them on the pizza. Arrange slices of pepperoni so they are evenly spread over the pizza, and repeat with the second pan.
  • Top and bake. Spread one tablespoon of Parmesan over each pizza and sprinkle each pizza with salt and pepper. Bake in the preheated oven for 14-18 minutes, carefully removing the pizzas when the cheese is slightly browned on top.
  • Cool and serve. Let the pizza cool for about 5 minutes, and then use a butter knife to loosen the pizza around the edges of the pan. Remove the pizza onto a cutting board using a spatula, cut into wedges, and serve.
    Baked Pan Pizza. A close-up of a baked pan pizza showcasing a golden-brown crust, melted mozzarella cheese, and pepperoni slices with slightly charred edges.

Notes

I got inspiration from several recipes, but Chris Bianco's "Pizzeria Bianco" cookbook stood out. I loved the way he crushed the whole tomatoes by hand, reducing the slight bitterness that comes with blending. To add more flavor, I simmered the sauce slowly as the dough rose since the hand-crushed tomatoes tend to be a bit loose. It turned out great!
Oil can make the dough more elastic, supple, and easier to roll out. It also adds more flavor to the dough and gives a crispy crust when cooked. Brushing the crust with oil before baking gives it a nice color and crunch that we all love
The toppings for this pizza are so flexible. You can add fresh herbs, garlic powder, or even flavored oils to the dough. For the toppings, you can go with mushrooms, onions, olives, green pepper, sausage, bacon, or whatever you like. Just don't load it too heavily so that it doesn't inhibit the crust from rising and baking. Trust me; it's going to taste amazing!

Nutrition

Calories: 555kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 932mg | Potassium: 238mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 386IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 317mg | Iron: 1mg
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 555kcal
Author: Katie