THE MAURO FAMILY BACON AND PINEAPPLE PAN PIZZA

The Mauro Family Bacon and Pineapple Pan Pizza image

Provided by Jeff Mauro, host of Sandwich King

Time 3h40m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

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Ingredients

3/4 cup water at 105 to 110 degrees F
One 1/4-ounce package dry instant yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons corn oil
8 slices bacon
1 1/2 cups pizza sauce (store-bought or homemade)
1 pound whole milk low-moisture mozzarella slices, from the deli (see Cook's Note)
1 cup pineapple, fresh or canned, 1/2-inch dice

Steps:

For the dough: Combine the water, yeast and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook and let it bloom until bubbly, about 5 minutes. Add the flour, salt and 1 tablespoon corn oil and mix on medium-low for 5 minutes. Add the remaining tablespoon oil to a 12-inch cast-iron or heavy oven-safe skillet and paint it with a brush all over and up the sides. Place the dough in the center of the skillet and cover in plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled in size, for up to 2 hours.
For the pizza: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet tray with parchment paper.
Arrange the bacon slices on the lined sheet tray and bake until slightly crisp but still soft in the middle, 5 to 8 minutes. Let cool, then cut into 1-inch strips. Set aside until ready to use.
Turn the oven up to 500 degrees F.
Press the dough down lightly in the skillet until it reaches the edge. (If the dough is being temperamental and not stretching, cover with plastic wrap and let it chill out for 10 minutes to let the dough relax, then press it to the edge.) Ladle a layer of sauce on the dough and evenly spread to the edge. Now it's cheese-shingling time! Start around the edge, letting the cheese go up the inside wall of the skillet and then covering the middle so there is one even layer of cheese on the pizza. Top with an even sprinkling of pineapple and bacon.
Bake the pizza until both the cheese crust around the edge is golden brown and the toppings are nicely charred and bubbling, 20 to 30 minutes. I like using a fish spatula to gently and carefully lift a portion of the crust to peek underneath and see if it is getting super golden brown. You may need to move the skillet to the top rack or bottom rack depending on whether the top or bottom crust chars first. Let the pizza cool for 10 minutes. Slice and serve!