Personal Pan Pizza: Small, Round, And Delicious

A personal pan pizza is a thick-crusted pizza with a fried and crispy bottom and sides. The pizza is baked in a deep dish pan or sheet pan. The crust is golden on the bottom, but puffy and soft under the layers of sauce and cheese.

What does the crust look like?

The crust of a personal pan pizza is thick and crispy. The bottom and sides of the crust are fried and golden brown, with a soft, thin, doughy layer at the top. The crust is also puffy and soft under the layers of sauce and cheese.

The crust is made from a dough that contains yeast, sugar, salt, dry milk powder, warm water, and vegetable oil. The dough is kneaded and then placed in a pan with a generous amount of oil to achieve a crispy texture. The amount of oil can be reduced for a drier crust.

The dough is then rolled out and placed in the prepared pans. It is coated with cooking spray or oil and covered with plastic wrap. The dough is left to rise in a warm, draft-free location until it becomes puffy. This process can be done in a bread machine or with a stand mixer.

The thickness of the crust can be adjusted by letting the dough rise for a longer or shorter period of time. For a thicker crust, the dough should be allowed to rise for a longer period.

What about the toppings?

When it comes to toppings, the world is your oyster. You can choose to go with the classic combination of tomato sauce and mozzarella, or you can get creative and experiment with different sauces, cheeses, and toppings.

If you're a fan of meat, you can load up your personal pan pizza with pepperoni, Canadian bacon, ground meat, or cubed meat. For a vegetarian option, stick to vegetables or try a combination of different cheeses. You can also add some spice to your pizza with pepperoni or crushed red pepper.

Whatever toppings you choose, just remember not to overload your pizza, especially in the center, as this can make the crust soggy. It's also important to follow the correct order when adding toppings: start with thin meats, followed by vegetables, then ground or cubed meats, and finally, add your cheese.

If you're feeling adventurous, you can even add some post-bake toppings. For example, hard cheeses like Parmesan or Pecorino Romano can be sprinkled on top of the pizza after it comes out of the oven. This adds a nice contrast to the melted mozzarella.

So, feel free to get creative and experiment with different combinations of toppings to create your perfect personal pan pizza!

How is it cooked?

Personal pan pizzas are cooked in a similar way to other pan pizzas. The dough is usually made with yeast, sugar, salt, dry milk, water, oil, and flour. The dough is then divided into balls and placed in cake pans or cast iron skillets that have been generously oiled. The dough is then covered and left to rise in a warm, draft-free location for up to an hour and a half.

The sauce is usually made with tomato sauce, oregano, marjoram, basil, and garlic salt. It is recommended that the sauce is made ahead of time and is left to sit at room temperature for at least an hour.

Once the dough has risen, the pans are preheated in the oven at 475 degrees Fahrenheit. The dough is then covered with sauce, cheese, and toppings of choice. The pizza is then cooked for 11-15 minutes, or until the outer crust is brown and the cheese is bubbling.

For a crispier crust, the dough can be pre-baked before adding the toppings. The amount of oil used in the pan can also be adjusted to prevent the crust from becoming soggy.

What does it taste like?

Personal pan pizzas can be made with a variety of toppings, but the crust and sauce are what give it that signature taste. The crust is thick, golden, and crispy, with a soft, thin, doughy layer at the top. The bottom of the crust is fried and crispy from the oil used to coat the pan. The sauce is a blend of tomato sauce, oregano, marjoram, basil, and garlic salt.

The taste of the pizza will depend on the toppings chosen, but the crust and sauce provide a solid foundation. The crust is thick and crispy, with a soft and doughy layer underneath. The bottom of the crust is fried in oil, giving it a crispy texture and a greasy mouthfeel. The sauce is herby and garlicky, providing a savoury base for the toppings.

The combination of the thick, crispy, and greasy crust with the savoury sauce creates an indulgent and satisfying flavour profile. The crust has a bready taste with a hint of olive oil or vegetable oil, depending on the recipe. The sauce is tangy and slightly spicy, with a strong presence of oregano and garlic.

The overall taste of a personal pan pizza is savoury, greasy, and indulgent. The thick crust and generous sauce portion create a filling and satisfying dish. The variety of toppings that can be added means that the flavour profile can be customised to individual preferences, but the foundation of crust and sauce provides a consistent and recognisable taste.

The type of cheese used can also affect the taste. Traditional mozzarella is a popular choice, but other melting cheeses such as provolone, cheddar, Muenster, or Jack can be used. The cheese adds a creamy and salty element to the pizza, complementing the savoury sauce and crispy crust.

How is it served?

A personal pan pizza is typically served in a small, round pan, similar to a cake pan. The pizza is baked and served in the same pan, which allows the crust to become fried and crispy from the oil used to coat the pan. The pizza is then sliced into wedges or triangles and served directly from the pan.

The pizza can be served as a single serving, or multiple pans can be served together for a group, allowing each person to have their own personal pizza. This style of serving pizza is often associated with the restaurant Pizza Hut, which popularized the thick-crust, pan pizza style in the 1960s.

The pizza is typically served hot, straight from the oven, with the cheese still bubbly and slightly browned. It is often accompanied by classic pizza sides, such as garlic knots, buffalo wings, or a crisp salad.

Some people may also choose to freeze the unbaked dough for later use, or to freeze the baked pizza for a quick meal at a later date.

Frequently asked questions