Detroit-Style Pan Pizza

Preparation

With a thick chewy crust and caramelized cheesy edges that are nearly blackened and taste like the best frico ever, Detroit-style pizza is in a league all its own. To bake one up at home, you usually have to use a high-sided rectangular steel pizza pan, but the HexClad 9" x 13" Hybrid Roasting Pan is the perfect stand-in and yields a pizza with the same signature cheesy characteristics.

1. Brush a large bowl with oil; set aside. 

2. Fit electric mixer with dough hook. Add water, sugar and yeast. Mix on medium until yeast and sugar are dissolved, then let sit until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons oil and 2½ teaspoons salt and mix on low until combined. With mixer running, add flour in five additions, beating well between each addition.

3. Mix on medium until a sticky dough forms and wraps around dough hook, about 1 minute. Increase to medium-high and knead dough until tacky but not wet or sticky, about 5 minutes.

4. Use hands to shape dough into a rough ball on counter and transfer to greased bowl. Turn to coat in oil. Cover with damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1½ hours.

5. While dough rises, make sauce. In a blender carafe, add tomatoes and their juices and pulse until finely pureed; set aside.

6. In a HexClad 3QT/3 L Hybrid Saucepan over medium, warm oil. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until softened, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, ¾ teaspoon salt, red pepper flakes and dried oregano.

7. Bring to a simmer over medium, 3 to 4 minutes, then reduce heat to low. Cover partially with a lid (this helps with splattering) and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce has reduced by a third (if you put a bit on a spoon, it shouldn’t slump), 35 to 45 minutes. Season with salt.

8. Once dough has doubled in size, pour remaining 2 tablespoons oil into a HexClad Hybrid 9" x 13" Hybrid Roasting Pan. Gently stretch dough so that it covers bottom of pan. Cover pan with a damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap and allow it to rest in a warm place until puffy and airy, 30 to 45 minutes.

9. Meanwhile, place a baking sheet on a rack on lower third of oven and preheat to 500°F/260°C.

10. When oven has reached temperature, assemble pizza. Gently press dough down with fingers until it reaches edges and corners of pan (this will also release some air bubbles), then scatter cheese evenly over dough, including to edges. Spoon sauce overtop in 8 large pools.

11. Place roasting pan on hot baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and arrange pepperoni slices on top of melted cheese, return to oven, and continue to bake until cheese is bubbling and edges of pizza are deeply browned and caramelized, about 15 minutes.

12. Remove pan and baking sheet from oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Transfer pizza to a cutting board, cut into 8 to 12 squares and serve.

MAKE AHEAD TIPS

To make pizza dough ahead, let it slow-rise in the refrigerator overnight. Let the dough come to room temperature for 30 minutes before stretching it out. Refrigerate pizza sauce in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 6 months.

NOTES

For a shortcut version, substitute 1½ pounds/675 grams store bought dough and 2 cups/475 ml jarred pizza sauce. Be sure to pick a nice thick sauce so it doesn’t run all over the pizza. 

Wisconsin brick cheese is a white semi-soft cheese with high butterfat and is an essential ingredient to a traditional Detroit pizza. You can usually find it at specialty cheese shops or order it online. Although it will melt differently and not caramelize in the same way, you can substitute the brick cheese with a blend of mozzarella and Monterey Jack.