Detroit-Style Pan Pizza with Crisp Cheese Edges and Tomato Stripes
Inspired by techniques from Serious Eats, NYT Cooking and America's Test Kitchen.
A light, airy pan pizza with lacy, caramelised cheese edges, cubes of mozzarella and cheddar and two bold stripes of thick garlic and oregano tomato sauce. Cut into squares and served hot.
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Method
- 1
Knead the dough. Mix the flour, yeast and salt, add the water and mix on low until a rough ball forms, then rest for 10 minutes. Knead on medium-low for 8-10 minutes, or by hand for 10 minutes, until smooth and silky but still sticking to the base of the bowl. The short rest lets the flour hydrate, and the high water content gives the airy crumb.
- 2
First rise. Shape the dough into a ball, cover and leave somewhere warm for about 2 hours, until doubled. A full rise builds the bubbles that make the crust light.
- 3
Stretch into the tin. Spread the 2 tbsp oil over the base and sides of the tin, turn the dough in it and press it towards the corners; expect it to spring back. Cover and rest for 30 minutes, then stretch again, pushing slightly past the corners so it stays put, resting 15 minutes more if it still resists. Cover and leave for 45 minutes until puffy; resting relaxes the gluten so the dough fills the tin.
- 4
Simmer the sauce. Warm the oil in the saucepan over medium heat, add the garlic and oregano and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the crushed tomatoes and sugar and simmer gently for 20-25 minutes, stirring now and then, until thick and reduced by about a third, then cool slightly. A thick sauce sits in neat stripes instead of soaking into the dough.
- 5
Heat the oven. Put a shelf in the lowest position and heat the oven to 260°C (fan 240°C), or its maximum, for 30 minutes. The low shelf puts the metal tin close to the heat, frying the oiled base until crisp.
- 6
Top edge to edge. Press the dough with your fingertips to pop any large bubbles. Scatter both cheeses evenly, pushing plenty right against the sides of the tin, then spoon 2 thick stripes of sauce, about two-thirds of it in total, along the length of the pizza over the cheese. Cheese against the hot metal melts down the sides and fries into the dark, crisp edge this style is known for.
- 7
Bake until dark. Bake on the low shelf for 15-18 minutes, until the edges are deep brown to almost black and lacy, the cheese is bubbling and the base is golden. Lift a corner with the spatula to check underneath. Those very dark edges are caramelised cheese, not burnt crust.
- 8
Release and slice. Rest for 3 minutes, then run the thin spatula firmly around the sides to free the cheese crust and lift the pizza onto the board. Scatter over the herbs and cut into 12 squares. A brief rest lets the cheese edge firm up so it releases in one piece.
Storage
Cool leftovers within 2 hours and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat in a hot oven or a dry frying pan until piping hot (74°C), which also re-crisps the edges.
Equipment
- stand mixer with dough hook, or a large bowl
- 23 x 33 cm metal baking tin at least 5 cm deep (dark metal or anodised aluminium; not glass or ceramic)
- cling film
- small saucepan
- thin metal spatula or palette knife
- board and large knife
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 443 kcal |
| Protein | 18.5 g |
| Carbohydrate | 42.1 g |
| of which sugars | 3.1 g |
| of which free sugars | 0.7 g |
| Fat | 22.4 g |
| of which saturates | 9.8 g |
| Fibre | 2.3 g |
| Salt | 2.03 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
4.2 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
