Pour-in-the-pan pizza - Milk Street Cooking School

Pour-in-the-Pan Pizza with Parmesan Cream, Fontina and Arugula

Name: Pour-in-the-Pan Pizza with Parmesan Cream, Fontina and Arugula
Yield: 4 to 6 Servings
Ingredients: 400 grams (2¾ cups plus 2½ tablespoons) bread flour; 2 ¼-ounce packets instant yeast (4½ teaspoons); 2 teaspoons white sugar; 1½ cups warm water (100°F to 110°F); 2 teaspoons table salt; 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for oiling your hands; ½ cup cold heavy cream; ½ ounce Parmesan cheese, finely grated (¼ cup); 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary; Kosher salt and ground black pepper; 4 ounces fontina cheese, shredded (1 cup); 3 cups lightly packed baby arugula; 1 tablespoon lemon juice

By Diane Unger & Christopher Kimball

4 to 6 Servings

5½ hours (35 minutes active)

Free

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This dough looks almost like a batter when it’s ready to use. You literally pour it into a greased rimmed baking sheet and, after letting it rest for 20 minutes, you push the dough with oiled fingers to the edges of the pan—no rolling or tossing required. The recipe breaks the usual rules for pizza dough: It’s made with lots of water—hence, its batter-like consistency—and rises for at least four hours on the counter, which is considerably longer than the typical pizza dough. During that time, the dough will rise, fall, then rise again. This dough was inspired by the Milk Street recipe for a light, open-crumbed focaccia, our version of the one we enjoyed in Bari, Italy. Instead of making a single large pizza, you could make two 12-inch pies using low-lipped, disk-shaped pizza pans, like the ones used in American-style pizzerias; see the directions below.

4 to 6

Servings

Tip

Don’t forget to mist the baking sheet with cooking spray. Though you also pour olive oil onto the pan, it’s not enough to prevent sticking; the cooking spray helps ensure the pizza releases easily. Don’t worry if your dough doesn’t quite reach the sides of the pan when you push it, though it should come close.

5½ hours (35 minutes active)

400 grams (2¾ cups plus 2½ tablespoons) bread flour

2 ¼-ounce packets instant yeast (4½ teaspoons)

2 teaspoons white sugar

1½ cups warm water (100°F to 110°F)

2 teaspoons table salt

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for oiling your hands

½ cup cold heavy cream

½ ounce Parmesan cheese, finely grated (¼ cup)

1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

4 ounces fontina cheese, shredded (1 cup)

3 cups lightly packed baby arugula

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Ingredients

400

grams (2¾ cups plus 2½ tablespoons) bread flour
2

¼-ounce packets instant yeast (4½ teaspoons)
2

teaspoons white sugar
1½

cups warm water (100°F to 110°F)
2

teaspoons table salt
4

tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for oiling your hands
½

cup cold heavy cream
½

ounce Parmesan cheese, finely grated (¼ cup)
1

tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
4

ounces fontina cheese, shredded (1 cup)
3

cups lightly packed baby arugula
1

tablespoon lemon juice

Directions

01

To make the dough, in a stand mixer with the dough hook, mix the flour, yeast and sugar on medium until combined, about 30 seconds. With the mixer running, add the water and mix on medium until a sticky dough forms, about 5 minutes; scrape the bowl and dough hook once during mixing. Turn off the mixer and let rest 10 minutes. Add the table salt and mix on medium for another 5 minutes. The dough will be shiny, wet and elastic.
02

Coat a large bowl with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Mist a silicone spatula with cooking spray and use it to scrape the dough into the bowl. Flip the dough with the spatula to oil all sides. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise for 4 to 5 hours.
03

When the dough is ready, generously mist a 13-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray, then pour 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil onto the center of the baking sheet. Gently scrape the dough onto the center of the sheet and let rest, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
04

Meanwhile, heat the oven to 500°F with a rack in the lowest position. In a liquid measuring cup, stir together the cream, Parmesan, rosemary and ½ teaspoon pepper; set aside.
05

After the dough has rested, oil your hands and, working from the center, gently push it into an even layer to the edges and into the corners of the baking sheet; be careful not to press out all of the air. It’s fine if the dough does not completely fill the pan, but it should come close.
06

Drizzle the Parmesan-cream mixture in an even layer over the top, spreading lightly if needed, leaving a narrow border. Sprinkle evenly with the fontina. Bake until the surface of the pizza is golden brown and the bottom is crisped and well browned, 18 to 20 minutes. Carefully slide a wide spatula under the pizza, then use the spatula to help slip the pizza off the baking sheet and onto a wire rack. Let cool for a few minutes.
07

In a medium bowl, toss together the arugula, the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, the lemon juice and ½ teaspoon each kosher salt and pepper. Distribute evenly over the pizza, then cut into slices.
08

How to Make Two 12-Inch Round Pizzas: Follow the recipe to make and rise the dough. When the dough is ready, generously mist two 12-inch round pizza pans with cooking spray, then pour 1 tablespoon oil onto the center of each. Scrape half the dough onto the center of each pan. Continue with the recipe, allowing the dough to rest for 20 minutes before pushing it to the edges of the pans and adding half the toppings to each pizza. Bake one at a time, reducing the baking time to 12 to 15 minutes.