Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- 300 g (2 1/2 cups) bread flour
- 195 g warm water (3/4 cup + 1 tbsp, 105–110°F)
- 1 1/2 tsp instant yeast
- 2 tsp sugar, 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp neutral oil (in dough)
- 1 tbsp nonfat dry milk powder (optional)
- 3 tbsp neutral oil (for pan)
- 1 cup (240 g) tomato sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar; 3/4 tsp kosher salt; 1 tsp each dried oregano & basil; 3/4 tsp onion powder; 1/2 tsp garlic powder; 1/4 tsp black pepper; pinch red pepper flakes; 1/4 tsp MSG (optional)
- 12 oz (340 g) low-moisture part-skim mozzarella, shredded
- 2 oz (55 g) mild cheddar, shredded (optional, for color)
- 1 tbsp melted butter (optional, for brushing crust)
Do This
- 1. Preheat oven to 500°F with rack on the lowest position; preheat a pizza stone/steel or an inverted heavy sheet pan for 45 minutes.
- 2. Mix dough: combine flour, yeast, sugar, salt, dry milk; add warm water and 1 tbsp oil. Mix to a shaggy dough, rest 10 minutes, then knead 5–7 minutes until smooth.
- 3. Oil a 12-inch dark steel pan with 3 tbsp oil. Place dough in pan, turn to coat, and press outward. Rest 15 minutes; press to the edges.
- 4. Proof in pan, covered, 45–60 minutes until puffy and about 1 1/4 inches thick.
- 5. Stir sauce ingredients; rest 20–30 minutes. Top dough with 3/4 cup sauce (leave 1/2-inch bare rim), then add cheese edge-to-edge.
- 6. Bake on the preheated surface 14–16 minutes until the bottom is deep golden and the cheese ring caramelizes. Loosen, rest 2–3 minutes on a rack, brush rim with butter, slice, and serve.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- True pan-pizza texture: a crisp, fried bottom with a tender, airy interior.
- Mildly sweet, nostalgic sauce balanced with warm herbs and a hint of onion and garlic.
- Edge-to-edge cheese that caramelizes into a lacy, golden ring for that signature pan-pizza bite.
- Home-cook friendly: no exotic equipment required—just a dark steel pan and a hot oven.
Grocery List
- Produce: Fresh basil (optional garnish)
- Dairy: Low-moisture part-skim mozzarella; mild cheddar (optional); nonfat dry milk powder (optional); unsalted butter (optional)
- Pantry: Bread flour; tomato sauce; instant yeast; sugar; kosher salt; neutral oil (canola/soybean); dried oregano; dried basil; onion powder; garlic powder; black pepper; red pepper flakes; MSG (optional)
Full Ingredients
Dough (12-inch pan pizza)
- 300 g bread flour (2 1/2 cups, spooned and leveled)
- 195 g warm water (105–110°F; 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast (5 g)
- 2 teaspoons sugar (8 g)
- 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt (7 g)
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil (15 ml; canola or soybean)
- 1 tablespoon nonfat dry milk powder (6 g; optional, for classic chain-style tenderness)
Pan & Finish
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil (45 ml) for the pan
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted (optional, for brushing the rim after baking)
Mildly Sweet Pan Sauce
- 1 cup (240 g) plain tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar (12 g)
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 3/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon MSG (optional, for savory depth)
Cheese and Optional Toppings
- 12 ounces (340 g) low-moisture part-skim mozzarella, shredded on the large holes
- 2 ounces (55 g) mild cheddar, shredded (optional, adds golden color around the edge)
- Optional: 3–4 ounces pepperoni or your favorite toppings, sliced thin
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat oven and set up for a fried bottom
Place an oven rack in the lowest position. Put a pizza stone, baking steel, or an inverted heavy sheet pan on that rack. Preheat the oven to 500°F for at least 45 minutes so the surface is ripping hot—this is what “fries” the crust bottom in the oil.
Step 2: Make the dough
In a mixing bowl, whisk flour, instant yeast, sugar, salt, and the optional dry milk. Add the warm water and 1 tablespoon oil. Mix with a spoon until a shaggy dough forms. Let it rest (autolyse) for 10 minutes, then knead by hand on a lightly oiled counter or in a mixer on medium-low until smooth and elastic, 5–7 minutes. The dough should be soft and slightly tacky but not sticky.
Step 3: Oil the steel pan and start shaping
Pour 3 tablespoons neutral oil into a 12-inch dark steel pan (cake pan or blue-steel pizza pan with 1.5–2-inch sides). Place the dough in the center and turn it to coat all sides with oil. Gently press the dough outward with your fingertips to a rough 10-inch round. Cover and rest for 15 minutes to relax the gluten, then press again to reach the edges of the pan. If it springs back, rest 5 more minutes and continue.
Step 4: Proof in the pan
Cover the pan and proof at room temperature until the dough looks puffy and about 1 1/4 inches thick, 45–60 minutes. The oil will pool around the sides—this is good and helps create the fried, crisp bottom and caramelized edge.
Step 5: Stir the mildly sweet sauce
While the dough proofs, stir together the sauce ingredients: tomato sauce, sugar, salt, oregano, basil, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and optional MSG. Let it sit 20–30 minutes so the dried herbs hydrate and the flavors round out.
Step 6: Sauce and go cheese-to-the-wall
Gently dimple the proofed dough with fingertips to pop any giant bubbles. Spread 3/4 cup of sauce evenly, leaving a 1/2-inch bare rim so sugars in the sauce don’t scorch at the edge. Add the mozzarella, then sprinkle the cheddar (if using) around the outer 1 inch to encourage a deep golden, lacy caramelized ring. Go edge-to-edge: let some cheese touch the pan wall.
Step 7: Bake for a fried-bottom and caramelized edge
Set the pan directly on the preheated stone/steel or inverted sheet pan. Bake at 500°F for 14–16 minutes. Rotate the pan after 10 minutes if browning unevenly. It is done when the bottom is deep golden and crisp, the perimeter cheese is bubbling and caramelized, and the top has speckled blond spots.
Step 8: Release, finish, and slice
Transfer the pan to a cooling rack. Run a thin spatula around the edge to free the caramelized cheese. Lift the pizza onto the rack for 2–3 minutes so steam escapes and the bottom stays crisp. Brush the outer rim lightly with melted butter (optional) for that nostalgic buttery aroma. Slice into 8 pieces and serve hot.
Pro Tips
- For the crispest fried bottom, preheat a stone/steel and use a dark steel pan—avoid parchment, which inhibits frying.
- Weigh ingredients for consistency; small changes in hydration affect pan-pressing and rise.
- Edge caramelization loves fat and protein: pushing a little cheese right against the pan wall, plus 10–20% cheddar, boosts color and flavor.
- If you only have active dry yeast, proof it in the warm water with the sugar for 5–8 minutes until foamy, then proceed.
- Cold ferment option: refrigerate the dough (covered) 12–24 hours after kneading. Bring to room temp 60 minutes before pressing into the pan; proof 60–90 minutes in the pan.
Variations
- Pepperoni Edge Crown: Press a ring of pepperoni around the outer inch before cheese for a cupped, crispy ring under the caramelized cheese.
- Cheese Blend: Try 10 oz mozzarella + 4 oz provolone or Monterey Jack for a slightly richer melt while keeping that signature pull.
- Garlic Butter Finish: Stir a pinch of garlic powder and a dash of dried parsley into the melted butter before brushing the rim.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Leftover pizza keeps in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Reheat slices in a covered nonstick skillet over medium-low heat with a few drops of water on the side for steam, 4–6 minutes, or in a 425°F oven on a rack for 8–10 minutes. Freeze slices up to 2 months (wrap tightly). The sauce keeps 7 days refrigerated or 3 months frozen. Dough can be refrigerated up to 48 hours; bring to room temperature before pressing into the oiled pan.
Nutrition (per serving)
Approximate per slice (1 of 8, cheese pizza as written): 400 calories; 22 g fat; 33 g carbohydrates; 20 g protein; 980 mg sodium. Values vary with toppings and oil absorption.
