In reply to Naomi.

Sure!

version ai :

Simple Crispy Pan Pizza

I have been on a

pizza dough journey

my whole adult life and this is where I’ve landed for an easy weeknight pie: a

crispy pan pizza

. It’s what you get when you’re craving deep dish pizza but not the hours it takes to bake and the density of it, too. Think: crispy, bronzed crust (everywhere the dough meets the pan, it gets golden and crackling) with a chewy, airy interior and your favorite toppings, all ready in under an hour.

I didn’t expect to like this as much as I do. Most pan pizzas are more like foccacia, not pizza, or are just greasy. And sure, the edges here are a little crispier and the bottom a little thicker than your average New York-style slice, but what I love about it is how the chewiness of the dough and the crispiness of the crust still make it taste light. It’s a happy medium. And it’s a happy medium to assemble, too — no stone, no peel, no stretching and ripping dough. Just press it into a pan (any will do! I use a 10-inch round but a square 9×9-inch or a small sheet pan or even a cast iron skillet would work great, too) and bake it up. We’re obsessed.

A few notes:

• I use my
  
  no-knead pizza dough
  
  here, and love it for this. It’s a very slack, loose dough, which is actually really easy to press into a pan. It comes together in just a few minutes, rests overnight or all day, and then you’re good to go.
• This also works wonderfully with store-bought dough. I’ve tried Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods, and both have been excellent.
• What kind of pan? I use a 10-inch round cake pan (not springform) and it’s a perfect fit for 1 pound of dough. A 9×9-inch square pan, an 8-inch cast iron skillet (it will be a little thicker than the photo), or a small (e.g., quarter) sheet pan would all work. Just stretch the dough to fit. The size of the pan doesn’t have to be perfect.
• I use canned crushed tomatoes and season them with a little garlic, salt, pepper, and oregano for a sauce, but any tomato sauce (or even tomato paste thinned out) works.
• Low-moisture mozzarella, or a mix of low-moisture and fresh, is best.
• I like to give the empty dough 5 to 7 minutes in the oven before adding the toppings, but you don’t have to. You’ll just get a slightly softer center.

Simple Crispy Pan Pizza

Makes one 10-inch pizza

• 1 pound (450 grams)
  
  no-knead pizza dough
  
  or favorite store-bought
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for the pan
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Pinch of dried oregano or Italian seasoning
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 1/2 cups (about 10 ounces) shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese (see note above)
• Flaky sea salt (optional, for finishing)
• Red pepper flakes (optional, for finishing)
• Fresh basil (optional, for finishing)

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 450°F.

Drizzle about a tablespoon of olive oil in a 10-inch round cake pan (or other pan of choice, see notes above). Turn the dough out into the pan and gently press and stretch it until it covers the bottom of the pan, pushing it up about 1/2-inch up the sides. If it resists, let it rest for 10 minutes and then try again.

If you want a crispier interior, bake the dough for 5 to 7 minutes without toppings. (I usually do this.)

While it bakes (or while you skip this step), make the sauce: Stir together the crushed tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, oregano, and a generous pinch of salt and several grinds of black pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Spread 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of the sauce evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Top evenly with the mozzarella.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the crust is deeply golden brown (check a side or underneath) and the cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown in spots. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Finish with flaky sea salt, red pepper flakes, and/or fresh basil, if desired. Cut into wedges or squares and serve immediately.