Deep-dish pizza meets caprese salad in this crowd-friendly snack. Fresh herbs and sweet caramelized garlic flavor the crispy-edged bread, which is topped with warm pizza sauce and melty cheese and finished with a fresh basil and tomato salad. Serve it fresh from the oven or at room temperature—and preferably alfresco! Find more unique ideas for charming bakes in Charlotte Pans in our May/June 2024 issue!
Deep-Dish Pizza Bread
Makes 1 (6-cup) loaf
Ingredients
Dough:
- 1 small head garlic (40 grams)
- 6 teaspoons (20 grams) olive oil, divided
- 2¼ teaspoons (6 grams) kosher salt, divided
- ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon (195 grams) water, room temperature (70°F/21°C to 75°F/24°C)
- 2 cups (254 grams) bread flour
- 1½ tablespoons (4 grams) chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon (1.5 grams) chopped fresh rosemary
- ¾ teaspoon (2.25 grams) instant yeast
- Pizza Sauce (recipe follows)
- 2 ounces (56 grams) whole fresh mozzarella cheese pearls*, torn or cut into pieces
- 4 fresh basil leaves
Topping:
- ½ cup (90 grams) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 4 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon (14 grams) olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C)
- Using a paring knife, cut ¼ inch off top end of garlic, keeping cloves intact. Place garlic, cut side up, on foil. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon (5 grams) oil, and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt. Wrap in foil.
- Bake until deep golden brown, about 40 minutes. Unwrap garlic, and let cool completely. Squeeze pulp into a small bowl, and mash with a fork. (You should have about 2½ teaspoons or 25 grams roasted garlic paste.)
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, place ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon (195 grams) room temperature water and 3 teaspoons (15 grams) oil. Add roasted garlic paste, flour, parsley, 1½ teaspoons (4.5 grams) salt, rosemary, and yeast. Beat at low speed for 4 minutes; scrape paddle and bottom and sides of bowl. Beat at medium speed until dough pulls away from sides of bowl and forms a smooth, slightly sticky ball around paddle, 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl and paddle. (Dough should be elastic enough to not tear when gently pulled.)
- Oil a medium bowl. Place dough in bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place (75°F/24°C) for 1½ hours, folding dough in bowl every 30 minutes. (To fold, use wet or oiled hands to reach under one side of dough; gently stretch up, and fold over center. Repeat 3 more times around bowl.) (Dough will double in size.)
- Brush a 6-cup charlotte cake pan with remaining 2 teaspoons (10 grams) oil. Turn out dough into prepared pan, and using greased fingertips, gently stretch dough to completely fill pan. (If dough is tight and will not stretch completely, let stand for 5 to 10 minutes and then try again.) Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place (75°F/24°C) until dough fills pan about halfway, 30 to 45 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Bake until top of dough starts to brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 205°F (96°C), 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Leave oven on. Invert bread onto a baking sheet. Top with Pizza Sauce and cheese.
- Bake until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Top with basil leaves. Let cool on pan for 5 to 10 minutes.
- For topping: In a small bowl, stir together tomatoes, basil, and oil; spoon onto cheese. Serve immediately.
Notes
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Pizza Sauce
Makes 1¼ cups
Ingredients
- 4 teaspoons (20 grams) olive oil
- ½ cup (60 grams) diced yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic (6 grams), minced
- 2 cups (568 grams) canned whole peeled tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 4 teaspoons (20 grams) red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons (8 grams) granulated sugar
- 2½ teaspoons (4.5 grams) kosher salt
- 3 fresh basil leaves
- 1½ teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, salt, basil, thyme, and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce has reduced to about 1¼ cups (about 303 grams), 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool for 15 minutes.
- Transfer sauce to the work bowl of a food processor, and process until smooth. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
I’m all about savory and this pan!
Delicious flavors.
We think perhaps more cheese?
Adding this to my summer recipes!
Thanks!