Homemade Pan Pizza

We have been giving you guys recipes for almost everything – cupcakes, pies, burgers, barbecue, etc. With this roster of recipes, there will never be a boring dinner for you and your family. However, we have been having requests to add more recipes for pizzas. And because we love pizza as much as you do, here now is a simple, do it yourself pan pizza!

This version of homemade pan pizza has pepperoni toppings. If pepperoni is not your thing, then you can try something else like ground beef or bacon. — This homemade pan pizza has pepperoni toppings. If pepperoni is not your thing, then try something else like ground beef or bacon.

The Ingredients

You will need the following ingredients. Do remember that you can modify any of these to your liking. Just don’t forget to tell us how it goes.

400 grams or 2 and a half cups of bread flour
10 grams or 2 teaspoons of kosher salt
4 grams or 1/2 teaspoon of instant yeast
275 grams or 1 cup of water
8 grams or 2 teaspoons of extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cup of pizza sauce
12 ounces of grated mozzarella cheese
Your preferred toppings (go generous!)
A small handful of torn fresh basil leaves
2 ounces of grated parmesan or pecorino Romano cheese

Preparing the Dough

Combine the flour, salt, yeast, water, and oil in a large bowl. Mix using your hands then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, making sure that edges are well-sealed. Let it rest on the countertop for at least 8 hours. Notice that the dough should rise and fill the bowl. Sprinkle the top of the dough lightly with flour, then transfer it to a well-floured work surface.

Knead the dough as you would for a regular pizza, forming a ball. Pour 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil in the bottom of a 10-inch cast iron skillet then place the ball of dough in a pan and turn to coat evenly with oil. Using a flat palm, press the dough around the pan, flattening it slightly and spreading oil around the entire bottom and edges of the pan. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let the dough sit at room temperature for two hours. Preheat the oven to 550°F.

Use your fingertips to press the dough around until it fills in every corner of the pan. Lift up one edge of the dough to let any air bubbles underneath escape and repeat, moving around the dough until there are no air bubbles left underneath.

Top the dough with the desired pizza sauce, carefully spreading it up to the edges. Spread evenly with mozzarella cheese and then season with salt. Add other toppings of your choice, as desired. Finally, drizzle with olive oil and scatter a few basil leaves over the top.

Bake and Serve

Transfer the pan into the oven and bake until top is golden brown and bubbly. If possible, try checking the bottom from time to time to see if its already golden brown and crisp. Immediately sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese once it achieves a golden brown color. Then, using a spatula, carefully loosen the pizza underneath, removing it and transferring it to a cutting board. Cut each one into six slices and serve with love. Bon appetit!