Original Pan Pizza: Extra, Extra!

Pan pizza is a pizza baked in a deep dish pan or sheet pan. It is often thick and bready, with a crunchy and chewy crust. In May 2019, Pizza Hut updated their Original Pan Pizza recipe for the first time in almost 40 years. The new recipe features a different sauce, a crispier crust, and a new blend of cheese. This change has sparked controversy among fans, with some signing a petition for the original recipe to be brought back.

Pizza Hut's Original Pan Pizza recipe was changed in 2019

The new cooking process involved a "newly engineered pan" that was redesigned to make the crust become more golden-brown and buttery as it cooks in the oven. Pizza Hut's senior director of culinary innovation and strategy, Penny Shaheen, described the new pan as "state-of-the-art pan technology." The new recipe also included part-skim mozzarella cheese, which was piled on heavier in the middle of the pizza, and more sauce.

The changes to the Original Pan Pizza recipe were met with mixed reactions. Some fans of the original recipe expressed disappointment and created a petition to bring back the original recipe, citing allergies to the new ingredients and a preference for the original flavour. Others noted that while the new recipe was not bad, it was a paler version of the original and lacked the same golden, crunchy crust.

The new recipe has a different sauce and cheese blend

Pan pizza is a pizza baked in a deep-dish pan or sheet pan. It typically has a thick and crispy crust that's golden on the bottom but puffy and soft underneath the layers of sauce and cheese.

In 2019, Pizza Hut replaced the classic recipe of their Original Pan Pizza with a new version. The new recipe features a different sauce and a new, stringier brand of cheese, as well as a crispier crust.

Mozzarella is a popular choice for pizza due to its meltability and stretchability, but other cheeses can also be used. These include cheddar, fontina, Gouda, Jack, Muenster, provolone, and Swiss raclette. A blend of multiple cheeses can also be used to enhance flavour and texture. For example, a combination of mozzarella, provolone, and sharp cheddar can offer both stretch and flavour.

The type of cheese used can be chosen to complement the other toppings on the pizza. For example, mozzarella's mild flavour pairs well with spicy toppings, while stronger cheeses like cheddar can stand up to milder toppings like mushrooms and bell peppers.

In addition to the cheese, the sauce is an important component of a pan pizza. A thick layer of sauce is typically used, and it can be either homemade or store-bought.

The new recipe has a crispier crust

In May 2019, Pizza Hut replaced the classic recipe of their Original Pan Pizza with a new version. The new recipe features a crispier crust, achieved through a combination of pan type, temperature, and coating.

The choice of pizza pan is critical to achieving a crispy crust. Pizza pans come in various materials, shapes, and sizes, each producing a different style of pizza. For a crispier crust, a pizza screen or pizza stone can be used. Pizza screens are flat mesh disks that optimise airflow and heat distribution, resulting in a rapid cooking process and a crispy crust. Pizza stones, typically made from ceramic or cordierite, absorb excess moisture from the dough, yielding a crispier crust. However, they require a longer cooking time compared to pizza screens.

Additionally, the type of pan coating influences the crispiness of the crust. Dark-coated pans, such as those with anodised hard coatings or silicone glazes, retain more heat and accelerate baking time, contributing to a crispier crust. On the other hand, lighter-coloured pans reflect heat, resulting in a slower baking process.

Furthermore, the thickness of the pizza pan affects the crunchiness of the crust. A higher gauge pan, typically 22 or 26, is recommended for a crispier crust, while a thicker pan, like a 14-gauge, will produce a chewier crust.

The new Original Pan Pizza recipe from Pizza Hut likely employs a combination of these techniques to achieve its crispier crust. This change in recipe may be an attempt to cater to customer preferences, as market research has shown that 40% of pizza customers prefer thick crusts. However, the new recipe has received mixed reviews, with some fans expressing their preference for the original recipe that was used for 39 years.

The original recipe was used for 39 years

The Original Pan Pizza was a Pizza Hut staple for almost four decades. For 39 years, the pizza chain served up its signature deep-dish, thick-crust pizza, with its golden-brown, crispy, buttery crust, and perfect sauce-to-cheese ratio. It was a premium option, a step up from the hand-tossed crust style, and was a favourite for family dinners, birthday parties and celebrations.

The Original Pan Pizza was an industry icon, with its thick, bready crust, soft and fluffy centre, and crispy, crunchy exterior. It was a Pizza Hut creation, developed by the chain's culinary experts, and was unique in its use of a deep dish pan, resulting in a pizza that was thick and doughy, yet crispy and crunchy. The recipe was perfected over the years, with Pizza Hut tweaking the crust, sauce, and cheese blend to create a much-loved classic.

The Original Pan Pizza was first introduced in the 1960s, when Pizza Hut added a thicker crust option to its original thin crust pizza. Over the years, the pizza became a firm favourite with customers, who loved its generous portions of sauce and cheese, and its distinctive crispy crust. The pizza was so popular that it remained on the menu for almost 40 years, with only minor tweaks to the recipe.

However, in 2019, Pizza Hut announced a major change to the Original Pan Pizza recipe. The new version featured a different sauce, a crispier crust, and a stringier brand of cheese. This change divided fans, with many loyal customers expressing their disappointment and nostalgia for the original recipe.

The original recipe was a well-loved classic, and its longevity on the Pizza Hut menu is a testament to its popularity.

There is a petition to bring back the original recipe

The petition, started by Stuart Green, calls for Pizza Hut to bring back the original recipe permanently and as soon as possible. At the time of writing, the petition has received 2,650 signatures, with a goal of 5,000.

In addition to the change in taste, some customers have also expressed concerns about the inclusion of new ingredients such as soy, soybean oil, soy lecithin, and monosodium glutamate, which have made it difficult for those with food allergies to enjoy Pizza Hut's pizza.

The original Pan Pizza was a thick-crust pizza, with a crust that was fried and crispy due to the oil used to coat the pan. The new recipe, on the other hand, features a crispier crust, which some fans have described as too hard and taking up 50% of the slice.

The change in recipe has sparked strong emotions among loyal customers, with some expressing disappointment and anger over the loss of a beloved childhood treat. Some have even boycotted Pizza Hut, refusing to return until the original recipe is brought back.

With such a strong and passionate fan base, it remains to be seen whether Pizza Hut will listen to its customers and bring back the original recipe that has been a trademark of the brand for almost four decades.

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