Pan Pizza: the Foolproof Recipe to Have it Cheesy and Crispy

The Pan Pizza recipe will allow you to obtain a soft leavened product with crispy edges, well-blended and highly digestible, much like Pizza Hut's own. The secret lies in the dough which is made with just 4 grams of fresh brewer's yeast, to which water, flour, extra virgin olive oil and salt are added, and which is then worked for a long time using the folding technique: the final result will be tall, soft and tasty.

Our pan pizza is prepared in a few hours and is ideal for accommodating any type of topping. The preparation requires two leavening phases and a few rounds of folding at 15-20 minute intervals to give the dough the right strength. To obtain a meltable and bubbly leavened product, we recommend that you partly use a flour with a lot of gluten such as manitoba, 00 flour or flour with 380W (the latter is the strength indicator).

Once the dough has risen, it will be rolled out on a baking tray, filled with a variety of ingredients and then baked in the oven. Cut into squares or wedges, depending on the pan chosen, the pizza is perfect to serve at a party, a buffet, a home aperitif, an informal dinner or a trip out of town.

It is advisable to respect the leavening times and the application of the folds, to obtain a tough dough even making it by hand (you can also use a planetary mixer if you like). The seasoning must be distributed leaving the edges free and the mozzarella added only a few minutes after the end of cooking to prevent it from burning.

The filling can vary according to your preferences or what you have available at home: we have chosen the classic combination of tomato, mozzarella and basil, but you can enrich it with black olives, arugula, capers, parmesan and anchovy fillets in oil; you can opt for buffalo mozzarella and raw ham, smoked provola and grilled courgettes, datterini tomatoes, mushroom aubergines and flakes of salted ricotta cheese…. Shortly, you can indulge yourself with classic or more gourmet proposals to entice young and old alike.

Find out how to prepare the pan pizza by following the step-by-step procedure and advice.

How to Prepare Pan Pizza

Pour the flours into a large bowl, gradually add the warm water in which you have dissolved the brewer's yeast.

Start mixing the dough with your hands.

Then add the oil and, when it has been absorbed, add the salt.

Knead the dough for a few more minutes, not worrying about if it will be sticky and rough. Cover it with a cloth and let it rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.

At this point, take a piece of dough and fold it towards the center.

Continue around the entire circumference of the dough.

Cover again, wait 15 minutes and repeat the operation at least 2 more times. In the end the dough will be smooth and elastic, cover with transparent film and let rise until it doubles in volume, for about 3 hours.

Take the leavened dough, place it on a lightly oiled 30x40cm baking tray, let it rest and gradually roll it out every 10 minutes.

The dough will be much less elastic if you give it time to settle and, in this way, you will be able to cover the entire surface of the pan.

Stuff the pizza with the tomato puree, seasoned with salt and oil, then let it rise for another house.

Bake the pizza on the pan in a preheated, ventilated oven at maximum power for 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven, add the diced or striped mozzarella cheese and bake again to melt it.

Take the pizza out of the oven and enjoy it hot and stingy.

How to Store Pan Pizza

The Pan Pizza can be kept in the refrigerator, in a special airtight container, for 1-2 days. It can be heated in the oven for a few minutes before enjoying it again; it is also possible to freeze it, whole or in pieces, and keep it for 1-2 months.