Detroit Style Pizza
Source: Cooks Country (TV season 11 episode 9)
Pizza
1 T extra-virgin olive oil
2 1/4 cups (11 1/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp instant or rapid-rise yeast
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 cup water, room temperature
3/4 tsp salt
10 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (2 1/2 cups)
Sauce
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
1 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 T chopped fresh basil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
Note: To add toppings, such as pepperoni or sausage, to your pizza, press them into the dough before adding the cheese.
1. FOR THE PIZZA: Spray 13 by 9-inch nonstick baking pan with vegetable oil spray, then brush bottom and sides of pan with oil. Using stand mixer fitted with dough hook, mix flour, yeast, and sugar on low speed until combined, about 10 seconds. With mixer running, slowly add room-temperature water and mix until dough forms and no dry flour remains, about 2 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand for 10 minutes.
2. Add salt to bowl and knead on medium speed until dough forms satiny, sticky ball that clears sides of bowl, 6 to 8 minutes. Turn dough onto lightly floured counter and knead until smooth, about 1 minute.
3. Transfer dough to prepared pan, cover with plastic, and let rest for 15 minutes. Using your well-oiled hands, press dough into corners of pan. (If dough resists stretching, let it rest for another 10 minutes before trying again to stretch.) Cover with plastic and let dough rise at room temperature until nearly tripled in volume and large bubbles form, 2 to 3 hours. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 500 degrees.
4. FOR THE SAUCE: Combine all ingredients in bowl. (Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours.)
5. Sprinkle Monterey Jack evenly over dough to edges of pan. Spoon three 1-inch-wide strips of sauce, using 1/3 cup sauce for each, over cheese evenly down length of pan.
6. Bake until cheese is bubbly and browned, about 15 minutes. Let pizza cool in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes. Run knife around edge of pan to loosen pizza. Using spatula, slide pizza onto cutting board. Cut into 8 pieces and serve. (makes 4 servings)