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Tuesday, November 04, 2008

Deep-Dish Pepperoni Pizza

Today is Election Day in the United States. SP and I love staying up late to watch the returns (probably a hold-over from our days as reporters), so we wanted a fun meal for dinner. I recently saw an episode of ATK where they made deep-dish pizza in pie pans that I'd been meaning to try.


This was a really easy meal to make. I buy my own dough (which was probably the reason the pizza wasn't very deep) but it really cut down the prep time. Microwaving the pepperoni first was a huge plus - there was hardly any grease on the pizza. And the oil in the pan gave the crust a fantastic, crispy crust.


Next time I make these I'm going to try mushroom, per SP's request. We devoured a whole pan and could have kept eating.



Deep Dish Pepperoni Pan Pizza
America's Test Kitchen

Dough
1/2 cup olive oil
3/4 cup skim milk plus 2 additional tablespoons, warmed to 110 degrees
2 teaspoons sugar
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour , plus extra for counter
1 package instant yeast
1/2 teaspoon table salt

Topping
1 (3.5-ounce) package sliced pepperoni
1 1/3 cups pizza sauce
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

To make the dough: Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 200 degrees. When oven reaches 200 degrees, turn it off. Lightly grease large bowl with cooking spray. Coat each of two 9-inch cake pans with 2 tablespoons oil.

Mix milk, sugar, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil in measuring cup. Mix flour, yeast, and salt in standing mixer fitted with dough hook. Turn machine to low and slowly add milk mixture. After dough comes together, increase speed to medium-low and mix until dough is shiny and smooth, about 5 minutes. Turn dough onto lightly floured counter, gently shape into ball, and place in greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in warm oven until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

Transfer dough to lightly floured counter, divide in half, and lightly roll each half into ball. Roll and shape each ball into 9-inch round and press into oiled pan. Cover with plastic wrap and set in warm spot until puffy, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, heat oven to 400 degrees.

While dough rises, put half the pepperoni in a single layer on a microwave-safe plate lined with 3 paper towels. Cover with 3 more paper towels and microwave on high for 30-45 seconds. Repeat with new paper towels and remaining pepperoni.

Remove plastic wrap from dough. Ladle 2/3 cup sauce on each round, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges. Sprinkle each with 1 1/2 cups cheese and top with pepperoni. Bake until cheese is melted and pepperoni is browning around edges, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven; let pizzas rest in pans for 1 minute. Using spatula, transfer pizzas to cutting board and cut each into 8 wedges.

15 comments:

  1. How easy, I love the idea of putting the pepperoni in the micro for a couple of minutes. I must try it!!

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  2. This looks really good. Thanks for the tip about the pepperoni. My husband likes his pepperoni crispy and I never thought to do this!

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  3. I just made my first pizza crust from scratch last weekend! Your dough recipe sounds easier than the one I found.

    Gay

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  4. Microwaving the pepperoni is a good idea - I'd not thought of that. I find pepperoni very greasy and boys always seem to like it on pizza so if there's a way to de-greasify it, I'll try it! :P

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  5. Judy - It's such a great tip. I never would have thought to do it, but the amount of grease that came off was amazing!

    Jodi - I like it crispy, too (and less greasy) so this is a great tip. :)

    Scientist - I still haven't made my own dough, so congrats! I have a fear of making bread. :) If you try this recipe let me know how it works out.

    Katie - Hehe. I agree. I love pepperoni but I hate the greasiness.

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  6. Yes I'm still mad at the dingbat over there at ATK!

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  7. Wow, this looks like it came right from Pizza Hut! I really need to make my own pizzas soon. Yum!

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  8. I've never made pizza, but I have to make this. Yours looks so proffesional! It really does look like it was just delivered!

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  9. We saw the same episode of "ATK"!
    Jay and I got inspired and made it about 6 weeks ago and it was absolutely the best pizza we've ever made at home.
    I mean, how could you not want to make it after the host said it was hands down the best pizza he'd ever eaten?
    Our pizza looked rather small, and I was sure we'd need to make a secondone, but it was so satisfying. We'll definitely make it again!

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  10. Stop the presses!

    Yes, if Christopher Kimball says it's good (Oh wait "absolutely the best"), then it HAS to be good...he made it! As with all of his other dishes that are "absolutely the best" "simply marvelous" "out of this world" "far superior to anything I've ever put in my mouth before". After all if you followed his "Absolutely perfect guaranteed to make anyone's mouth water because it's simply marvelously out of this world AND you better make it my way and not even think about adding an extra half of a garlic clove to this recipe and say that it's ours when it really isn't any longer because you had the gall to modify inappropriately mis-credit us as being the source for this slop it and now it can only do one thing and that's suck" dogma of the test kitchen commandments then you're golden :)

    Melissa this is ALL your fault. :)

    Am I being ridiculous? ABSOLUTELY :)
    Am I being serious? ABSOLUTELY :)

    :)

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  11. Kelly - I hope the Pizza Hut comment was a compliment. :) I love making my own pizza at home. It's better then anything I've ever had out and I love being able to control the ingredients.

    Blonde Duck - Thank you! Making pizza at home is a lot of fun and tastes SO good.

    Erica - HEY!!! How the heck are you?? Send me an email, OK?

    I'm glad you guys are still cooking up a storm. I really liked this pizza and SP was so happy with it he begged me to make it again tomorrow for Pizza Friday.

    longhair - OK, if you keep ranting like this we're going to start calling you Crazy Longhairman. I know you hate CK and believe me, I was just as worked up about the whole ATK thing as the next person, but it's time to move on now. :) And stop picking on my friends/commenters!

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  12. No :)

    I can't help it...it wasn't a personal attack on your friend...she just set me off :)

    Hell I get mad when I see him on PBS. It can almost ruin my weekend if I accidentally come across him. I will never forget the evil he's done.

    Maybe I do need to forget him.

    Curse my good memory!

    UGH!!!!

    Maybe I need to find something I love about him...his glasses are kind of sexy :) They kind of remind me of SP. (In no way at all.)

    You gotta love me :)

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  13. My dear LHM, I so appreciate and am amused at your comments. I really am grateful for all the continued support I have received and not just from your neck of the woods.

    However, I bear no ill will against anyone making recipes from ATK, CI or CC. I have been tempted to make a few myself.

    The thing is, I received some private emails from a couple of gals that I have known for quite some time who used to work for those folks. I didn't know that was a part of their employment history, it came out to me privately after the fact. And they basically told me that the PR person is out of her mind. They used to talk about her negatively all the time when they worked there, as many of the ATK/Ci/CC folks still do, around the "halls of the office" as it were.

    And Kimball is a jerk, yes, and I don't agree with his philosophy. Not at all. But that trio of publications is huge, as is their employee list, and I'm sure many of them are just as loving and passionate and creative about food as I am, as HC is, as most of us are. A bit clueless as to the ideals of their fearless leader maybe, and that doesn't make it right, but they are trying the best they know how to offer wonderful things to us home cooks, without any arrogance of their own, and thus I can value what they have to offer nonetheless.

    Sorry to let this out here of all places HC, it just seemed appropriate. And seriously, much respect and continued warmest wishes to you LHM. You and my friend Christian Z here where I live have been huge proponents and I love you for it.

    ~Melissa

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  14. Your pizza looks incredible! I never would have thought to microwave the pepperoni... love that it eliminates the greasiness!

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  15. I don't know what it is.

    I know I'm being completely ridiculous.

    But my rants make me smile. It's not against everyone at ATK. But oooh that PR person and the Bow-Tie Man...

    And, yes, I do understand where they (ATK) are coming from, and might be inclined to feel the same way, but would express my beliefs / concerns in a totally different manner.

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