Copycat Pan Pizza

Although I've posted a picture of this pizza here before, I don't think I've posted the recipe. I'm not sure where I found the recipe, but it's been a favorite since I did. It's not an exact replica of the well-known pan pizza, but it's close. It's by no means a low-cal or low-fat dish, but you can use the same crust recipe and bake it just as you would any other pizza with great results and fewer calories.

A word about my equipment. My pans are actual pans from the Pizza Hut chain. I bought them on eBay about 3 years ago and they're wonderful. Because they were actually used in the restaurant, they came to me well-seasoned and virtually non-stick. Most times I simply wipe them out with a paper towel after I use them (much like a cast-iron skillet) or, if absolutely necessary, I wash them with hot water, but no soap, then oil them lightly with olive oil to keep the surface non-stick. If you make a lot of pizza at home, it's well worth it to try to find these pans. They're also great for baking a pan of dinner rolls or cinnamon rolls.

The cutter I use looks something like this. It works so much better than the typical wheel type cutter. I highly recommend one of these, too, if you make a lot of pizza. They are also great for cutting quesadillas, some kinds of cakes and pies, homemade dough into noodles, etc.

I used to use a KitchenAid mixer for bread doughs, which worked great until the heavy doughs eventually stripped the gears. Now I use a Bosch Universal. It costs about the same as the top-end Kitchen Aids, but is belt-driven from underneath the mixing bowl (instead of gear driven from the top). It also has an integrated blender that actually works the way a blender should. If you don't have either a KitchenAid or a Bosch, you can still make this crust by hand-kneading. (Some people find it therapeutic.)


Copycat Pan Pizza Crust

Crust:

2 cups warm water (110° to 115° F.)
1 pkg. dry yeast (or 1 tablespoon bulk yeast)
2 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
4 to 8 cups of all-purpose white flour (can use 1/2 white, 1/2 whole wheat)
1/2 cup olive oil, divided

Place warm water, yeast and sugar in mixer bowl. Stir. Let proof for 10 minutes.

Add oil and salt. Mix. Add 4 cups of flour. Mix well.

With mixer running, gradually add additional flour until dough forms a ball and pulls away cleanly from sides of bowl. Continue mixing (or knead by hand) until a soft, well-developed dough forms (if you use all white flour, the dough should feel like very soft with a silky texture).

Prepare pans by pouring 1/4 cup olive oil in each of the deep dish pizza pans. Rotate pan until bottom and side surfaces are coated, then set aside. Oil will pool in bottom of pan.

Divide dough into two equal portions. Roll or pat out on a lightly oil (not floured) surface until they are slightly larger than the size of your pans. Carefully lift dough and place in each pan. If dough doesn't quite reach the edges or if the oil comes over the top a bit, that's normal.

Cover each pan and let sit for an hour for dough to rise.

Heat oven to 400° F.

Remove covers from pans and top with your favorite sauce and toppings (pictured are pizzas with homemade sauce, pepperoni and mozzarella).

Bake at 400° for approximately 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and cheese and crust are nicely browned. Transfer pizza to cutting board or pizza stone to cut, then transfer back to pan if you wish for serving.

Makes 2 medium (12-inch) pan pizzas.