After buying more Table 87 pizza ‘by the slice’ over the past two years than I can or even want to comprehend - and eating one EVERY single night for dinner (no joke) - I decided that it was high time to learn how to make pie at home. Plus, given the shortage in my grocer’s freezer section due to the ‘rona, I was up against god knows how long without my favorite hand-held meal.

I saw a recipe for Crispy Cheesy Pan Pizza from King Arthur Flour on Food 52’s Instagram feed that I found very appealing. For one, I love a buttery, thick Pizza Hut-esque pan pie. Sorry NYC, it’s true. Plus, the instructions weren’t overly complicated and I appreciated that I didn’t have to do too much with the dough (all of that ‘rising’ and ‘yeast’ mumbo jumbo makes me nervous AF).

So, with that, I give you my version of Food 52’s/King Arthur Flour’s “Crispy Cheesy Pan Pizza” - made with my own recipe for pizza sauce and with the addition of some sweet and savory toppings.

Buon appetito, y’all!

*Must-have items on-hand: 

• 9” or 10” oven-safe heavy bottomed skillet or pan, or a 10-inch round cake pan or 9-inch square pan 

Ingredients

(Makes one 9 to 10-inch pizza, which can feed two people if you are having a pasta or salad side; serves one person with a larger appetite and/or not consuming anything else on the side.)

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoons fine salt (table salt or fine sea salt)

• 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast or active dry yeast

• 3/4 cups lukewarm water

• 1 tablespoon olive oil plus 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil for the pan

• 6 ounces low-moisture mozzarella, grated (about 1 1/4 cups, loosely packed)

• 1/2 cup pizza sauce, homemade or store-bought (click here for my super easy recipe)

• Optional:

  • Your favorite toppings! For one half of my pie, I cut up a handful of spicy salami rounds and drizzled it with Mike’s Hot Honey

  • For when your pie comes out of the oven: 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese and dry herbs for sprinkling on top a-la-a traditional NY pizzeria (garlic powder, dried oregano, and hot pepper flakes)

Method

1. Weigh your flour, or measure it by gently spooning it into the cup, then sweeping off any excess.

2. Place the flour, salt, yeast, water, and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in the bowl medium-large mixing bowl.

3. Stir everything together to make a shaggy, sticky mass of dough with no dry patches of flour. This should take about 1 minute by hand, using a spoon or spatula. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to gather the dough into a rough ball, then cover the bowl.

4. After 5 minutes, uncover the bowl and reach a bowl scraper or your wet hand down between the side of the bowl and the dough, as though you were going to lift the dough out. Instead of lifting, stretch the bottom of the dough up and over its top. Repeat three more times, turning the bowl 90 degrees each time. This process of four stretches, which takes the place of kneading, is called a fold.

5. Re-cover the bowl, and after 5 minutes do another fold. Wait 5 minutes and repeat, then another 5 minutes and do a fourth and final fold. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest, undisturbed, for 40 minutes. Then refrigerate it for a minimum of 12 hours, or up to 72 hours. It'll rise slowly as it chills, developing flavor; this long rise will also add flexibility to your schedule.

6. At least 3 hours before you want to serve your pizza, prepare your pan. Pour 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil into your 9-10 inch oven-safe heavy-bottomed skillet of similar size, or a 10-inch round cake pan or 9-inch square pan. Tilt the pan to spread the oil across the bottom, and use your fingers or a paper towel to spread some oil up the edges, as well.

7. Transfer the dough to the pan and turn it once to coat both sides with the oil. After coating the dough in oil, press the dough to the edges of the pan, dimpling it using the tips of your fingers in the process. The dough may start to resist and shrink back—that’s okay, just cover it and let it rest for about 15 minutes, then repeat the dimpling and pressing. At this point the dough should reach the edges of the pan—if it doesn’t, give it one more 15-minute rest before dimpling and pressing a third and final time.

8. Cover the crust and let it rise for 2 hours at room temperature. The fully risen dough will look soft and pillowy (your dough will resemble the photo, below).

9. About 30 minutes before baking, place one rack at the bottom of the oven and one toward the top (about 4 to 5 inches from the top heating element). Heat the oven to 450°F.

10. When you’re ready to bake the pizza, sprinkle about three-quarters of the mozzarella (a scant 1 cup) evenly over the crust. Cover the entire crust, no bare dough showing—this will yield caramelized edges. Dollop small spoonfuls of the sauce over the cheese (don't spread it!)—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 and optional toppings.

11. Bake the pizza on the bottom rack of the oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and the bottom and edges of the crust are a rich golden brown (use a spatula to check the bottom). If the bottom is brown but the top still seems pale, transfer the pizza to the top rack and bake for 2 to 4 minutes longer. On the other hand, if the top seems fine but the bottom's not browned to your liking, leave the pizza on the bottom rack for another 2 to 4 minutes. Home ovens can vary a lot, so use the visual cues and your own preferences to gauge when you’ve achieved the perfect bake.

12. Remove the pizza from the oven. Sprinkle with the optional Parmesan cheese and garlic powder, dried oregano, and hot pepper flakes.

13. Place the pan on a heatproof surface. Carefully run a table knife or spatula between the edge of the pizza and side of the pan to prevent the cheese from sticking as it cools. Let the pizza cool very briefly, then as soon as you feel comfortable doing so, carefully transfer it from the pan to a cooling rack or cutting surface. This will prevent the crust from becoming soggy.