There is no denying that for many people this is an unprecedented opportunity to try and learn a range of recipes and cooking techniques. I bet your banana bread game is great, you finally learned how to cook rice properly, and maybe you've made whipped coffee, but one thing that's super hard to make at home is pizza. It's true that nothing tastes better than the offerings from your local pizzeria, but news of a pizza pilgrim sharing a pan pizza recipe could change that.
Mom, Mom, this news brings tears to my eyes. To adapt to unusual and difficult times, the team at Pizza Pilgrims began making and selling skillet pizza kits through their website. The kits are available nationwide, but demand means they sell out quickly. Luckily for pizza lovers, the team has shared their recipe for the perfect pan pizza, which means you'll be ditching your frozen pizza in favor of the finer things in life in no time.
Founded and owned by brothers Thom and James Elliot, the London-based pizza chain is a beloved purveyor of Neapolitan-style pizza. It has a very chewy base and is paired with a tangy tomato sauce and gooey mozzarella cheese. According to their website, it’s not the ingredients but who is the star of the show, “and as any Neapolitan will tell you – it’s all about the crust.”
Here's a step-by-step guide on how to make the perfect sheet pan pizza.
raw material
Dough , to make an 8 x 10-inch pizza base
- 1 kg high gluten content “00” flour
- 2 grams fresh baker's yeast
- 600ml cold water
- 30g table salt
Sauce
- 1 can San Marzano (or any good quality Italian) tomatoes
- a pinch of sea salt
pizza
- 4 Neapolitan pizza dough balls
- pizza sauce
- grated parmesan cheese
- handful of basil leaves
- 150 g fior di latte cheese (milk mozzarella), cut into pieces no larger than a 50p coin
- Extra virgin olive oil
method
Make the dough
- Place the flour on your work surface and make a well in the center.
- After dissolving the yeast in the cold water, now pour the liquid into the center of the well a little at a time. Add more flour to the mixture each time you add more. Continue whisking until mixture reaches custard consistency.
- Add the salt and remaining flour and stir until a dough forms. Knead for 10-15 minutes. Cover the dough and leave it for 10 minutes. Take the dough and knead it quickly for 10 seconds, then divide into 200 g balls.
- Place the dough in an airtight container or deep floured baking pan and cover with plastic wrap. Remember, they will grow and grow, so make sure you give them space. Leave them for at least 8 hours and up to 48 hours, or ideally 24 hours.
Make the sauce
- Crush the tomatoes with your hands and add a pinch of salt.
- Use a hand mixer to blend the sauce well but have a slightly coarse texture.
Making the basics
- Place the dough ball on a floured surface. If it is difficult to remove, use a spatula and try to make the ball as round as possible. The rounder the ball, the rounder the pizza.
- Use your fingertips to firmly press out the ball of dough, starting in the center and working your way to the edges. Leave one centimeter of the edge of the pizza untouched. Flip and repeat on the other side.
- Use your palms to press firmly into the center of the dough. This is to ensure that your base thickness is consistent throughout.
- Place the flattened dough on the back of your hand while turning it 90 degrees. Be patient and meticulous with the process and I promise it will be worth it. Repeat a few times until you have a disk about 10 inches in diameter, mostly thin but with thicker edges.
cooking pizza
- Turn the grill to high and place the skillet over the highest heat until charred.
- Place pizza on hot pan. Watch your fingers!
- Use a spoon to spread a thin layer of sauce over the dough, leaving space for the crust.
- Add a little Parmesan cheese, basil leaves and a quarter of the mozzarella cheese. Drizzle with a little oil. The team at Pizza Pilgrims insisted that it be in that order.
- Once the bottom of the pizza is browned (it should take about 1-2 minutes), remove the skillet and place it on the highest rack under the grill. Once the dough changes color slightly (also takes 1-2 minutes), you're ready to go!
