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Holiday Edition Detroit-Style Pizza

Holiday Edition Detroit-Style Pizza Recipe

Todd Mitchell
A recipe for a fluffy pan pizza made in the Detroit style. This makes a pizza to fit a 13" x 9" cake pan.
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Prep Time 3 days 1 hour
Cook Time 14 minutes
Resting time (2 periods) 30 minutes
Total Time 3 days 1 hour 44 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings 4 People
Calories 915 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 13" x 9" Cake Pan
  • 1 Sauce Pan
  • 1 Pizza Rocker (Optional)
  • 1 Blender (only required if the canned tomatoes are chunky and/or if you're making your own basil)

Ingredients
  

Detroit Pizza Sauce

  • 11 ounces tomato sauce crushed or pureed (use a high quality brand)
  • 4 ounces tomato paste (use a high quality brand)
  • 1 pinch oregano dried
  • ¼ cup basil leaves fresh, chopped (or 2 teaspoons of dried)
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil extra virgin

Pistachio Pesto (You can use pre-made or make it yourself - this makes 6 ounces)

  • 1.5 cups fresh basil leaves
  • ¼ cup unsalted pistachios shelled (optional to use pine nuts)
  • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese grated
  • 1 clove garlic or more to taste
  • ¼ cup olive oil preferably extra virgin
  • 2 tsp lemon juice fresh squeezed
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper

Detroit Pizza Cheese

  • 2 cups Wisconsin Brick cheese grated (Munster is a suitable alternative)
  • 1.5 cups white cheddar cheese grated

Additional Toppings

  • 2 ounces Pesto from the recipe above.
  • 1 tablespoon Unsalted Pistachios shelled (or use pine nuts if you are using pine nut pesto)

Instructions
 

Preparing the Dough

  • Remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow it to warm up for 1 to 2 hours on the countertop.
  • Using the cold butter in your fingers, rub it over the entire surface of the cake pan. It will melt as you work it and use your fingers to make sure that it completely covers the bottom and the sides of the pan all the way to the top.
    Buttered cake pan.
  • Drizzle 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil into the center of the pan on top of the butter.
    Olive oil in pan
  • Place the covered pan in the refrigerator for 24 hours (up to 48 hours).
  • Invert the container with the dough and allow the dough to gently fall into the center of the pan. The dough will be a bit sticky, so use a wetted spatula or dough scraper if it does not completely come away by itself.
    Dough placed in pan.
  • Gently flip the dough over so both sides are oiled.

First Stretch

  • Gently using the fingers of both hands, press the dough outward (not pulling) to stretch the dough towards the edges of the baking sheet. The dough won't likely get all the way to the edges this first time. Don't tear the dough trying to get to the edges, but try to get it about the right shape of the pan.
    Dough will expand to fill most of the pan. Don't degas it when spreading it out.
  • Let the dough rest uncovered in a warm space away from any draft for 30 minutes. The dough will contract initially but it will also start expanding.

Second Stretch

  • Oil your fingers and gently “pillow” (press like you’re playing the piano) the dough to cover the entire pan. Try to preserve the airy texture but also trying to get the dough evenly distributed across the pan. It will still likely not reach the corners completely.
    Pillow the dough for the second stretch like you're playing the piano.
  • Let the dough rest uncovered again in a warm space, away from any draft for 90 minutes. The dough should rise to the edge of the pan and fill the bottom entirely now. Even if it doesn't, do not stretch or press the dough again.
    The dough will expand to fill the entire pan.
  • Preheat your oven to 500°F. If you have a pizza stone big enough, you can cook the pizza in the pan on top of the pizza stone.
  • Prepare your toppings: grate the cheese, prepare the sauce, and pesto.

Making Detroit Pizza Sauce

  • If your crushed tomatoes are chunky, you will want to blend them before the next step.
  • Combine the pizza sauce ingredients in a sauce pan: crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, olive oil, oregano, basil, and sea salt.
  • Stir the sauce thoroughly.
  • When the pizza goes into the oven (next step), begin to warm the sauce at low heat.
    Ohio Valley Pizza Sauce

Making fresh pistachio pesto

  • Chop the pistachios: In a food processor, start off with the pistachio so that they have extra time to chop before adding the other ingredients. This will prevent the nuts from clumping too soon. Pulse until the mixture is finely chopped.
    Pistachios in the blender.
  • Add the basil leaves, grated Parmesan, lemon juice, garlic cloves, salt and pepper. Blend the ingredients - they will start to clump.
    Pistachio pesto in the blender - needs more oil
  • Add the Olive Oil: With the processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Don't add more than you need, as it can separate out on the pizza.
    Blend in the wet ingredients.
  • You can add additional salt, and pepper to taste. Blend once more to combine all the flavors.
    Pistachio basil pesto

Cooking the Detroit Pizza

  • Place the pizza pan in the oven. If you have a pizza stone, place the pan on the stone. Cook for 6 minutes.
    Place the pizza in the oven.
  • While the pizza is cooking, begin warming the sauce (as per above).
  • Remove the pizza pan from the oven and place on top of the stove or on a large wooden cutting board.
  • Distribute the cheddar cheese around the edge of the pizza so that it's touching the edge of the pan. The cheese is supposed to melt down the sides.
    Sprinkle white cheddar around the edges.
  • Distribute the Brick (or Munster) cheese over the top of the rest of the pizza.
  • Rotate the pan 180° and return it to the oven. Do not place it on the pizza stone. Cook for 7 minutes.
  • Remove the pizza from the oven.
  • Using a soup spoon, make 2 "racing stripes" of sauce lengthwise across the pizza (between the rows of pepperoni).
    Put two racing stripes of Detroit sauce.
  • Repeat to make the pesto stripe.
    Put a racing stripe of pesto down the center.
  • Sprinkle the nuts on the pesto.
    Sprinkle the nuts over the pesto.
  • Rotate the pizza pan 180° and return it to the oven back on the pizza stone. Bake for another 5 minutes and turn off the oven.
  • When the top of the crust is golden and the cheese is browning, remove the pan and quickly use a plastic spatula to separate the pizza from the pan. Once the spatula can go around the entire pizza, use the spatula to lift and slide it out of the pan onto a large cutting board.
    Remove from the pan and place on a cutting board.
  • Allow the pizza to rest for about 3-5 minutes so that the cheese can harden before cutting.
  • If a lot of oil has separated from the pesto, dab it up with a small piece of paper towel.
  • While waiting, put the extra sauces into ramekins or bowls for dipping.
    Pistachio basil pesto
  • Cut the pizza into slices or squares.
    Slice the pizza into strips and again down the middle.

Notes

This pizza fits a 13" x 9" standard cake pan.

Nutrition

Calories: 915kcalCarbohydrates: 84gProtein: 38gFat: 49gSaturated Fat: 23gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 105mgSodium: 2457mgPotassium: 670mgFiber: 5gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 2229IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 757mgIron: 6mg
Keyword Detroit Style Pizza, Holiday Pizza, Pan Pizza
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