Where Did Pan Pizza Crust Go?

Pan pizza is a thick-crusted pizza that is baked in a deep dish or sheet pan. The style was popularised by Pizza Hut in the 1960s, and it has since become an iconic menu item. However, in May 2019, Pizza Hut replaced the classic recipe for their pan pizza, and some fans are unhappy with the changes.

Pan pizza crusts are thick and crispy

Pan pizza is a pizza baked in a deep-dish pan or sheet pan. Turin-style pizza, Italian tomato pie, Sicilian pizza, Chicago-style pizza, and Detroit-style pizza may be considered forms of pan pizza. Pan pizza is often confused with deep-dish pizza, but there are some differences.

Pan pizza is made in a pan and has a thicker, bready dough compared to other pizzas. The thicker the crust, the more likely it was baked in a pan. Thin-crust pizzas are baked on a metal sheet, a stone, or a rack.

The bottom and sides of the crust of a pan pizza become fried and crispy in the oil used to coat the pan. The crust is thick and robust enough to support a heavy load of toppings. The pizza is thick-crusted, fried on the bottom, puffy, and cheesy.

To make a pan pizza with a thick and crispy crust, you can use a perforated pizza pan, which has several holes that improve airflow and offer direct heat to cook the base rapidly for a crunchy pizza bottom. The dough for a thick and crispy crust pizza uses less-active yeast. Leaving the dough out on the counter makes the yeast dormant, so when you bake the dough, there is little to no rise, resulting in a perfect thin and crispy pizza crust.

Pan pizza is baked in a deep dish pan

The dough for pan pizza is designed to form air pockets, resulting in a thick, puffy, focaccia-like crust that is crunchy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. The layering of toppings is also distinct from other styles of pizza. For pan pizza, the dough is topped with cheese, then sauce, and then more cheese. This layering technique prevents the crust from becoming soggy.

The style of pan pizza was popularized by Pizza Hut in the 1960s, though it has since been offered by other pizza companies, including Domino's, which introduced its own version of pan pizza in 1989.

Pan pizza dough contains olive oil

Pan pizza is a pizza baked in a deep-dish pan or sheet pan. The bottoms and sides of the crust become fried and crispy in the oil used to coat the pan.

Pizza Hut popularized the thick style of pan pizza in the 1960s. However, over the years, Pizza Hut has changed the recipe for its pan pizza, altering the dough, sauce, and cheese.

The addition of olive oil to pan pizza dough is an important aspect of the cooking process. Olive oil is a classic choice of oil for pizza dough, enhancing its flavor and creating a crispier crust. It also softens the dough, making it easier to roll out and giving it a supple texture.

When making pan pizza dough, it is crucial to consider the ratio of oil to water. Oil is a fat, not a liquid, and this distinction is essential when determining the right consistency for the dough. The dough should be soft to the touch, and if it is too dry or crumbly, more oil can be added.

Olive oil is not the only option for pan pizza dough, and other oils such as canola oil, vegetable oil, or cooking oil can also be used. The choice of oil depends on personal preference and the desired flavor profile of the pizza.

In addition to its functional benefits, olive oil also imparts a rich, savory taste to the pizza. The quality and origin of the olive oil can further enhance the flavor of the pizza. Extra virgin olive oil, for example, is considered the best quality and most flavorful option.

The addition of olive oil to pan pizza dough is a key step in creating a delicious, crispy crust. It enhances the flavor, texture, and flexibility of the dough, making it easier to work with and resulting in a superior pizza.

Pan pizza sauce goes on top of the dough

Pan pizza is a pizza baked in a deep-dish pan or sheet pan. The bottoms and sides of the crust become fried and crispy in the oil used to coat the pan.

The sauce goes on top of the dough, and it is important to spread a nice thick layer of sauce. You can use any sauce you like, or make your own from scratch. For a thick pie, you need a nice thick layer of sauce. Typically, around three-quarters of a cup per 10-inch pie is used.

If you like having a rim around your pizzas, leave a little rim. Otherwise, you can go all the way to the edge with your sauce and cheese, which makes for some delicious crunchy bits later on.

After adding the sauce, you can add your toppings of choice. Most of the time, it is recommended to go easy on the toppings, but a pan pizza with a thick, robust crust can handle some serious loads, so you can go wild here.

Finally, spread your cheese over the top of the pizza. Again, you can go all the way to the edges if desired. Any good melting cheese will do—mozzarella is classic, but a young cheddar, provolone, Muenster, or Jack will work. You can even go extra over the top and mix them up.

Pan pizza is associated with Pizza Hut

Pan pizza is a pizza baked in a deep-dish pan or sheet pan. The bottoms and sides of the crust become fried and crispy in the oil used to coat the pan. The thick style of pan pizza was popularized by Pizza Hut in the 1960s.

Dan and Frank Carney opened a pizza parlor in Wichita, Kansas, which would later become Pizza Hut. Initially, the brothers focused on thin-crust pizzas with cheese, pepperoni, or sausage. However, when the parlor franchised into Pizza Hut in 1959, they added a thicker crust pan pizza.

Pizza Hut's pan pizza has undergone changes over the years, with some customers expressing disappointment in alterations to the dough, sauce, and cheese. The pan pizza is remembered for its greasiness, soft and tender crust, and the sizzling sound it made when it arrived at the table.

The recipe for the pan pizza includes a combination of olive oil and vegetable oil, flour, yeast, sugar, dry milk, pizza sauce, and mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. The dough is formed into a soft and smooth consistency and pressed into heavily oiled cake pans. The crust is then covered with sauce, desired toppings, and a generous amount of cheese before being baked.

While Pizza Hut is associated with pan pizza, other pizza companies have also offered this style. In 1989, Domino's introduced its deep-dish pan pizza after market research showed that 40% of pizza customers preferred thick crusts.

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