Pan Pizza: Who Does It Best?

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 also characterised by its thick style and crispy crust. Pizza Hut popularised this style of pizza in the 1960s. Other pizza companies that serve pan pizza include Domino's, Papa John's, and Lou Malnati's.

Pizza Hut's Original Pan Pizza

The Original Pan Pizza is now baked in a newly engineered pan, which, according to Pizza Hut, perfects the golden-brown, crispy, buttery crust. The new blend of cheese and sauce is designed to enhance the flavour and complement the chewy centre.

Pizza Hut's chief brand officer, Marianne Radley, said:

> "Pizza Hut has a rich history of things we’re known for, and the creator of the Original Pan® Pizza is certainly at the top of the list. Re-inventing our most iconic Pizza Hut menu item is just another way we’re showing our customers that as a company we’re about the pizza first and will never become complacent when it comes to taste."

The new and improved Original Pan Pizza was rolled out across the US, with a large two-topping pizza being offered for $7.99 when ordered online.

Pan pizza's thick style

Pan Pizzas: Thick Style

Pan pizzas are a style of pizza baked in a deep-dish pan or sheet pan. The bottom and sides of the crust become fried and crispy from the oil used to coat the pan.

History

Pizza Hut popularised the thick style of pan pizza in the 1960s. However, an early version of pan pizza, "Pizza al Padellino", originated in the city of Turin in Northern Italy in the early 20th century.

Pizza Hut was founded by brothers Dan and Frank Carney in Wichita, Kansas. Initially, they focused on thin-crust pizzas but added a thicker crust pan pizza to their menu in 1959 when they franchised the restaurant.

Other Pan Pizza Offerings

Domino's introduced its version of pan pizza in 1989 after market research showed that 40% of pizza customers preferred thick crusts.

Chicago-style pizza, which is baked in an oiled steel pan, is another well-known example of pan pizza. This style of pizza features a thick crust with inverted layers of cheese, meat, and tomatoes.

Recipe

To make a pan pizza at home, you'll need the following ingredients: flour, salt, yeast, water, olive oil, pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, basil, and Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese (optional).

The process involves mixing and proofing the dough, balling the dough, proofing it again in a cast-iron pan, adding toppings, and baking it in a hot oven.

The full recipe includes detailed instructions for each step, ensuring a crispy, golden crust and a chewy, airy crumb.

Pan pizza toppings

Pan pizza is a pizza baked in a deep-dish pan or sheet pan. The bottom 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, and other pizza companies such as Domino's later followed suit.

When it comes to toppings, the options are endless, but here are some ideas to get you started:

Meat Lovers

For meat lovers, pepperoni is a classic choice for pan pizza. Other options include Italian sausage, as seen in Chicago-style deep-dish pizza, bacon, beef mince, or anchovies. You could also add some chicken to the mix.

Vegetables

If you're looking for some veggie toppings, onions, mushrooms, capsicum/bell peppers, and olives are all great options. For something different, try artichokes, zucchini, spinach, or even kale!

Cheese

Of course, you can't go wrong with a classic cheese pizza. For pan pizza, it's best to use shredded, low-moisture mozzarella, but you could also mix things up with cheddar, provolone, parmesan, or blue cheese.

Sauce

While a traditional tomato-based pizza sauce is always a good choice, you could also try an alfredo sauce or BBQ sauce for something different.

Fruits

Pineapple is a popular choice for those who like a touch of sweetness to their pizza.

Herbs

Fresh basil is a great way to add some extra flavor to your pizza. You could also try adding rosemary, especially if you're going for a potato-topping option.

Seafood

For seafood lovers, garlic butter prawns are a tasty option. You could also try a combination of pre-cooked squid, mussels, clams, and prawns.

Remember, the beauty of pan pizza is that it can handle some serious loads of toppings, so don't be afraid to get creative and combine different options to suit your taste!

Pan pizza baking process

Ingredients

First, you'll need to gather your ingredients. For the dough, you'll need flour, salt, yeast, and water. You can also add olive oil to your dough, or use it to grease the pan. For toppings, you can use sauce, cheese, vegetables, meat, herbs, or anything else you like on your pizza.

Mixing and Proofing the Dough

Combine your dry ingredients in a large bowl, then add water (and oil, if using) and mix until everything is combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 8 to 24 hours. During this time, the dough will rise and develop flavour.

Balling the Dough

After proofing, sprinkle flour on top of the dough and dump it onto a floured work surface. Divide the dough into two even balls. Form each piece into a taut ball with a smooth, elastic top, using the sides of your hands to roll and shape it.

Proofing the Dough in the Pan

Grease the bottom of a cast iron skillet or a round cake pan with olive oil. Place one ball of dough in the pan and turn it to coat it evenly with oil. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it sit for a couple of hours.

Touching Up the Dough

After a couple of hours, the dough should have stretched out to fit the pan. Use your fingertips to poke at the dough, working it into the corners and popping any large air bubbles. Make sure to lift the edges of the dough to release any air bubbles trapped underneath.

Adding Sauce and Toppings

You can use any sauce you like, but for a thick pan pizza, it's best to use a generous amount. Spread the sauce over the dough, going all the way to the edges if desired. For the cheese, a classic choice is mozzarella, but you can also use cheddar, provolone, Muenster, or Jack. You can add other toppings like vegetables, meat, or herbs as well.

Baking the Pizza

Place the pan in a hot oven, preheated to 450-550°F (230-290°C). Bake the pizza for 12 to 20 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and the crust is golden brown. If you want to add any fresh toppings like herbs or hard cheeses, you can sprinkle them on top of the pizza after it comes out of the oven.

Serving the Pizza

Remove the pizza from the oven and place the pan on a heatproof surface. Let the pizza cool briefly, then transfer it to a cutting board or serving dish. Use a large knife or scissors to cut the pizza into slices, and serve while it's still hot.

Pan pizza history

Pizza has a long history, with flatbread, the ancestor to the contemporary pizza, first documented in a Latin text from 997 AD in southern Italy near Lazio. Pizza as we know it today began to take shape in the Italian city of Naples in the 16th century. Naples was a thriving port city, with many working-class residents living in dense neighbourhoods. As most of their living was done outdoors, people sought inexpensive and quick food. Baked in a hot oven and sold on the street, paper-thin pizza became the food of the Neapolitan poor.

Over the next few centuries, pizza grew in popularity, spreading across Italy and beyond, and up through the social ranks. In the 17th century, Queen Maria Carolina d'Asburgo Lorena, wife of the then King of Naples, famously had a pizza oven erected in their summer palace. In 1889, Raffaele Espisito, a Neapolitan pizza maker, created the Pizza Margherita – a blend of tomatoes, mozzarella and basil – to honour the Queen of Italy, Margherita of Savoy.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Neapolitan immigrants began arriving in the US, particularly in Chicago, in search of factory jobs. In 1943, two entrepreneurs, Ike Sewell and Ric Riccardo, decided to create a new style of pizza: an Italian-American version. They opened Pizzeria Uno in Chicago’s Near North Side, serving a new style of pizza with a deeper dish and crunchier crust.

However, the pan pizza, as it is known today, was popularised in the 1960s by Pizza Hut. Dan and Frank Carney opened a pizza parlour in Wichita, Kansas, which would later become Pizza Hut. They added a thicker crust to their pizzas, creating the now-famous pan pizza. The crust is fried and crispy from the oil used to coat the pan. Other pizza companies, such as Domino's, would later follow suit and introduce their own versions of pan pizza.

Frequently asked questions