School Pizza

5 from 9 votes

School pizza with the pourable batter crust, sauce and cheese to the edges, and meat layered between two layers of mozzarella. This is the rectangle slice from the cafeteria line.

Prep Time20

Cook Time24

Rest Time20

Total Time1 4

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings: (4 in. x 4 in.) pieces

Calories: 389kcal

Author: Jennifer Fishkind

Ingredients

Crust

2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
2¾ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
¾ cup instant nonfat dry milk powder (Nestle Carnation brand used)
2½ tablespoons granulated sugar
2½ teaspoons instant yeast (from a 0.25-ounce packet - Red Star Platinum brand used)
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cups warm water (105°-110°F)

Topping

½ pound lean ground beef
½ pound ground mild Italian sausage
14 ounces jar pizza sauce (MIDS brand used, yields about 1½ cups)
16 ounces block whole milk mozzarella cheese shredded (yields about 4 cups)
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning blend

Instructions

Crust

Lightly spray an 18x13-inch half-sheet pan with non-stick baker’s spray. Sprinkle the yellow cornmeal evenly over the sprayed surface and set aside. This will prevent the crust from sticking when baked.
2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the all-purpose flour, dry milk powder, granulated sugar, instant yeast, and salt. Whisk to combine.
2¾ cups unbleached all-purpose flour, ¾ cup instant nonfat dry milk powder, 2½ tablespoons granulated sugar, 2½ teaspoons instant yeast, 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
With the mixer on low, drizzle in the olive oil and warm water into the dry ingredients until well combined. Mix for an additional 2-3 minutes or until you have a fairly smooth pourable batter. It should be the consistency of a thick pancake batter. A few small lumps in the batter are fine.
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 cups warm water
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Carefully spread the batter to an even layer being sure it covers the entire surface of the baking sheet.
Allow the dough to rest in the pan for 20 minutes or until small surface bubbles start to appear. This ensures your yeast is active and your crust will bake and rise properly.
Preheat the oven to 475°F. Once the dough has rested, use the tines of a fork to poke holes in the dough to help prevent large bubbles from rising as the crust bakes.
Bake on the center rack for 10 minutes. The edges should just barely be turning a pale golden color and the center should be fully set. Remove the par-baked crust from the oven and set aside. While the crust is baking you can prepare the toppings.

Toppings

In a large (10-inch) skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef and mild Italian sausage for 6-8 minutes or until browned and no pink remains. Transfer the cooked meats to a paper towel lined plate to drain off the excess grease.
½ pound lean ground beef, ½ pound ground mild Italian sausage
Once the crust has baked, spread the pizza sauce evenly over the entire surface of the crust.
14 ounces jar pizza sauce
Sprinkle half (about 2 cups) of the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the sauce.
16 ounces block whole milk mozzarella cheese
Add the meat evenly over the first layer of cheese, then top with the remaining (about 2 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese.
Sprinkle the dried Italian seasoning evenly over the top layer of cheese, then bake on the middle rack for 12-14 minutes or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly browned.
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning blend
Remove the baked pizza from the oven and let it cool for 3-5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Video

Notes

Tips

Bake the crust on the CENTER rack, not the bottom. Direct bottom heat at 475°F hardens the crust to the point a pizza cutter will not go through it.
Use baking spray on the pan, not olive oil. Olive oil smokes at this temperature and burns onto the pan.
The batter is supposed to be pourable and a little lumpy. Do not add flour to thicken it.
Do not skip the 20-minute rest. It is what keeps the crust from baking up gummy.
Add diced pepperoni or other toppings if you want, but keep any additions to about ½ cup. This crust is soft and it cannot carry a heavy pizza.
The meat can be left out entirely for a cheese pizza.

Storage

Fridge: Airtight container up to 2 days.
Freezer: Freezes best after the par-bake, before the final bake. Cool the par-baked crust completely, add sauce, cheese, and meat, wrap the pan in plastic wrap then heavy duty foil, and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking.
Reheat: Oven or air fryer. The microwave softens the crust.

Nutrition