Pizza Pan Style

Pizza Homemade pan style: a family favorite. But what does the word pizza mean? What is its origin? The answer: no one really knows. Go online to research the word and its beginnings. There are sites that suggest that "pizza" may be related to "pita." Other sites suggest that "pizza" may be a word of German origin. Whatever the origin of the word, the food it stands for is a gift from Southern Italy. A gift the immigrant children of the Mezzogiorno brought with them to America. In Italy pizza may take several forms. The most famous for travelers is the Neapolitan thin crust, wood oven delight made in a lightening flash to your order. But there is also the pan variety. The pan variety is often found in Rome where you will find pre-cooked pizzas of numerous varieties sold by the piece or by weight. Whether Neapolitan or Roman the Italian versions are excellent in their own right. In America, however, we find an extensive gamut of foods that claim the name pizza. Some are the equal of anything Italian, others do disgrace the name. In my estimation, most American preparations do not merit the slightest consideration. Chain pizzas are not worthy of the name. I do not have the slightest idea what those things are in the freezer of your grocery store.
I am befuddled that folks will spend a ridiculous price for bought floppy or frozen dough when you can so easily make real pizza at home? There is nothing easier and more satisfying than home-made pizza. Pizza does take time, but not work time. The time factor in pizza is the time it takes for the dough to rise. The actual hands-on work time is less than thirty minutes.
The home made pizza I have always put together is based on childhood memories. Although I remember watching my aunts there was no recipe. It's all from visual memory. My aunts each had their own version of pizza. Aunt Florie married a man of Calabrese origins. Aunt Annie's husband was of Abruzzese stock and my direct uncle Frank, of Cilentano descent, married Lena who was, I think, of Sicilian stock. All of them were American born, and few, if any actually spoke Italian. Yet, in each case, the influence of Italy and the specific province of the spouse made variations in the way the pizza was prepared and served.

The pizzas were always baked in a cookie baking pan. They were always on the thick side. And the only cheese that I remember was what they called "scum-utz." That was their Italian-Americanized pronunciation of "scamorza," a cheese something like a denser mozzarella. I can still see and smell Aunt Lena's pizza with the slices of melted "scum-utz," in their South Philadelphia kitchen. The "scum-utz" was always thinly sliced and lightly set out over the tomato sauce. Aunt Annie's was rich in tomato and Aunt Florie's sometimes had olives and even slices of hard boiled egg. There was certainly no such thing as grated cheese in a bag. In each case the pizza was nothing short of a table of joy. Pizza was a standard meatless Friday night fare. It was dinner that was fun with all the cousins at the table. It was served directly from the baking sheet. And, you cut it not with a fancy slicer. You cut the pizza with scissors!
Now, it must be said that homemade pizza in an American oven cannot in any way replicate the historic Neapolitan pizza. In Naples, the wood burning stoves are heated to nearly one thousand degrees: such a high temperature that the pizza is ready in just a few short minutes. It is also so thin and delicate that only an oven of such heat can produce it. So, as wonderful as such pizzas may be, they cannot be duplicated in the home oven.
So, where does that leave us? Even though we cannot replicate the original Neapolitan pizza we can create a dough that is tender, crusty and easy. Homemade pizza is simply a question of a good dough. I find that an excellent dough is rendered when you make it the day before and give it two risings. The first rising is at room temperature. Then, punch it down. Set the dough in a bowl covered with plastic wrap and a damp towel and put i t the refrigerator over night for a second slow rise. Take it out an hour before you are ready to make your pizza. You don't spin it. You don't fling it. You just roll it out and press it into a baking sheet. Top it with whatever you like, from perfectly plain raw chopped tomatoes to pizza bianca to the most complicated concoction. Bake in an oven pre-heated to at least 450 or 500 even hotter. No, it's not the Neapolitan original. We just can't do that. But this is satisfying "cuisine of accommodation" that will please.

What you need.

Equipment.
Mixer with a dough hook. (Unless you intend to mix and knead the dough entirely by hand.)
Baking sheet.
Rolling pin.
Pastry scraper.
Large bowl for the dough to rise.
Plastic wrap.
A dish cloth.

Ingredients

Flour. 4 1/2 cups.
Yeast. 1 packet of dry or 1 small cake. (Not quick rising.Water. 2 cups of warm.
Olive Oil. 3 tablespoons for the dough.
Salt. 1 tablespoon.
Sugar. 1 tablespoon.
Olive oil for the pan.

Getting started

Start

Warm the mixing bowl by running it under hot water.
Set the mix with the regular mixing paddle.
The yeast starter.
Pour the two cups of water into the mixing bowl.
Add the packet of yeast
Add 1/2 cup of flour.
Add the sugar and salt.
Set the mix to slow and let this starter mix blend.
Let it sit for about 15 minutes.
The starter should show a foamy ring of bubbles.

First step

With the mixer on slow, gradually add the remaining four cups of flour.
When the flour and water have been incorporated and begin to move away from the side of the bowl, stop the mixer. Remove the paddle and scrape off the dough.

Next step - the dough hook

Attach the dough hook. Start the mixer again and allow the dough hook to knead the dough for about seven minutes.
This dough will be slightly on the wet side. But remember, the result will very much depend on the moisture in the flour and the humidity in the air. If the dough is too wet, you may have to sprinkle in a bit more flour.

The dough

Remove the dough from the hook.
Form the dough into a ball and put it into a large bowl to rise. Rub the dough ball with olive oil.
Cover the dough with a cloth and let it rise for two to three hours.

Punch down

After a few hours uncover the dough and punch it back down to remove all the gasses that have built up,
The dough will have to do the same thing again,
At this point you can also put the dough into the refrigerator for use on the next day, Actually, I find second day dough to be much better.

The dough: second rise

After the second rise take out the dough. It will collapse. If you want two thin
pizzas, cut the dough in half for two trays.
If you want a thick, Sicilian style pizza, use the whole ball for one
tray.

Oven
When the dough has risen twice and is ready to be prepared, preheat the oven to 450.
Then, on to the pizza.

The Pizza tray

The tray

Oil it liberally with olive oil.This insures a crisp
crust.

The pizza

Flour the work counter.
Use your hands to flatten the
dough. Roll the dough out into a
crude rectangle.
Now use your fingers and the heel of
your hand to push the dough out. In a minute it will begin to stretch easily.

The pan

Transfer the dough to a baking sheet.
Using your hands stretch the dough to fit the pan.
Leave a slightly thicker edge around the
rim of the pan.
If you tear the dough, just patch it.

Salt

Salt the surface of the pizza.

Finish wit the topings of your choice.
Two possibilities follow.

Finishing
Here are two possibilities.
But only your imagination makes the limit,.
Two possible toppings,
These are just two possibilities. The first is a simple tomato pie, the simple and traditional Italian American version. The second is inspired by the broad variety of pizzas that you might find on the street in today's Rome.
But, you can finish your pizza anyway you choose from the most savory with anchovies to the most sweet with pineapple.
Once you have the pizza base in place, everthing else is your creativity.

Tomato

For this most traditional topping see our recipe for tomato sauce.

Eggplant, onion and potato with ricotta

Spread a thin layer of ricotta over the dough.
Use a mandolin or very sharp knife to slice down the onion, potato and the eggplant as thinly as you can.
Sauter the onions until they are golden.
Sauter the eggplant.
Lay out the onion, eggplant and potato over the ricotta. Sprinkle with oil, salt and pepper.