Pizza Hut, go home. There's no more place for you here! Because THIS is the most insanely delicious pan pizza out there, and it's super easy.
Growing up in Colorado I had pretty limited exposure to the world of pizza. I remember when Pizza Hut first introduced pan pizza in 1980. My family would go to the local Hut with its distinctive roof and we'd get a large pan pizza and a few salad bar trips to share. (Remember the salad bar? Remember those red plastic cups you'd fill yourself, mixing one of every soda from the fountain?)
The crusts on those pizzas were the best part, of course: thick and pillowy, with a crisp edge and bottom. It was a study in contrasts: you'd get that crackly crispness that rapidly yielded to the yeasty, fluffy interior. Sadly, nostalgia probably makes the Hut's pan pizzas taste better than they really were.
And that's just fine, because this recipe lets you make a superior product with your own high grade King Arthur flour, SAF yeast, and premium extra virgin olive oil. This crust is to die for! I can see why it was the recipe-of-the-year for 2020. My experience with this crust was straightforward and direct with no issues. The folding technique used in place of kneading is pure simplicity. Overnight hydration continues to develop gluten while also maximizing fermentation flavor. The next morning I oiled my cast iron skillet and tipped in the rested dough. It stretched to the edges easily and didn't "fight back". Over the next three hours it began to puff up.
It's vital to go cheese first and make sure that mozzarella goes to the edges. I like to start on the outside and work in a spiral inward. In the oven, that cheese crisps up and turns into a lacy, delectable crunch almost like frico. Using multiple cheeses is helpful, too, ensuring you have a wider flavor profile.
I quickly whipped together Marcella Hazan's tomato sauce (recipe also available here on King Arthur's site) and made about eight minuscule dollops of the sauce on top of the cheese. You don't need much. I then added a variety of salamis and—of course—more cheese. Eighteen minutes later, the bottom of the crust looked perfect. Once it's out of the pan, listen closely: you should be able to hear that crust still crackling and popping.
I nearly fainted when I tasted it. It hit all the nostalgia buttons while being even better!
The one drawback is that it does require some patience and pre-planning: to get the best flavor, you really need that overnight rest in the fridge. You're in the mood for pizza today? Too bad, you gotta wait 'til tomorrow! But then again, you could always keep a dough ready to go. It really is an easy recipe, and the rewards are fabulous.