Crispy Homemade Anchovy
Bacon Pan Pizza

Skip the oven with this crispy homemade pan pizza. Featuring a golden crust, rich tomato sauce, savory bacon, and umami-packed anchovies, it cooks perfectly right on the stovetop.

Ingredients

• 250 g flour
• 5 g dry yeast
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 pinch sugar
• 125 ml warm water
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 tbsp pizza sauce
• 1 tin canned anchovy fillets
• 2 slices raw bacon
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• optional hot and sour sauce

Instructions

1. 1Measure the Flour

   

   Begin by placing a mixing bowl on a digital kitchen scale and pouring in the flour. For this pizza dough, you will need 250 grams of flour to form the base.

   Tip: Using a kitchen scale ensures accurate measurements, which is crucial for achieving a perfectly balanced pizza dough.
2. 2Add Yeast and Seasonings

   

   Add 5 grams of dry yeast directly into the bowl with the flour, along with a pinch of salt and a pinch of sugar. The sugar helps feed the yeast to ensure a good rise, while the salt balances the crusts overall flavor.

   Tip: Make sure your yeast is fresh and hasnt expired, as inactive yeast will prevent the dough from rising properly.
3. 3Pour in Olive Oil

   

   Drizzle a drop or two of high-quality olive oil into the dry ingredients. The olive oil enriches the dough, adding a subtle flavor and ensuring a crispy crust when pan-fried.

   Tip: A good extra virgin olive oil will impart the best flavor to your homemade pizza crust.
4. 4Add Warm Water

   

   Gradually pour warm water into the flour mixture. Aim for water around body temperature, using approximately a 2:1 ratio of flour to water. This warmth helps activate the yeast effectively.

   Tip: Water that is too hot will kill the yeast, while cold water will significantly slow down the fermentation process.
5. 5Mix the Ingredients

   

   Vigorously stir the flour, water, yeast, and oil together until a shaggy dough begins to form. Ensure all the dry flour is hydrated and incorporated into the wet ingredients.

   Tip: Mixing thoroughly at this stage hydrates the flour evenly, making the kneading process much easier.
6. 6Knead the Dough

   

   Bring the shaggy mixture together and begin kneading the dough by hand directly inside the bowl. Knead it a bit until it becomes a cohesive ball, preparing it for the fermentation stage.

   Tip: The dough might seem a bit rough initially, but it will smooth out and develop a much better texture after it rests and ferments.
7. 7Deflate the dough

   

   Once the pizza dough has finished fermenting and visibly expanded, gently press down on the smooth surface while it is still in the bowl. This helps to release the built-up air and relaxes the gluten before shaping.

   Tip: If the dough feels sticky, lightly oil or flour your hands before pressing down to prevent tearing.
8. 8Divide the dough

   

   Take the fermented dough out and carefully tear it into two smaller, equal-sized portions. Since the total recipe uses 250 grams of flour, this amount of dough perfectly yields two individual-sized pan pizzas.

   Tip: Try to divide the portions evenly so that both pizzas have a consistent crust thickness and cook at the same rate.
9. 9Oil the pan

   

   Before placing the dough, pour a generous splash of olive oil directly onto the surface of a cold, non-stick frying pan. Starting with a cold pan makes it easier to handle and stretch the dough, while the oil ensures the bottom crust fries up crispy.

   Tip: Do not turn on the heat yet. Working in a cold pan prevents the dough from seizing and shrinking back while you shape it.
10. 10Stretch the dough

    

    Place one portion of the divided dough into the oiled pan. Use your fingers and the palms of your hands to gently press and stretch the dough outward, flattening it until it covers the entire bottom surface of the pan evenly.

    Tip: If the dough keeps shrinking back toward the center, let it rest for about 5 minutes to relax the gluten, then try stretching it again.
11. 11Add the pizza sauce

    

    Spoon a generous amount of thick red pizza sauce onto the center of the stretched dough. Use the back of the spoon to spread the sauce evenly outward in circular motions, leaving a small border bare around the edges for the crust.

    Tip: Be careful not to overload the center with too much sauce, as this can weigh down the dough and make the crust soggy during cooking.
12. 12Arrange the anchovies

    

    Carefully lay whole canned anchovy fillets over the sauce layer. You can use tweezers to space them out evenly. Drizzle a little bit of the savory olive oil straight from the anchovy tin over the pizza for an extra boost of umami flavor.

    Tip: Anchovies pack a powerful, salty punch, so distribute them well to ensure you get a balanced flavor in every slice.
13. 13Add the bacon

    

    Place small, rectangular slices of raw bacon evenly across the pizza. The bacon will render its fat as it cooks, infusing the pizza with a savory, smoky flavor.

    Tip: Cut the bacon into thin, small pieces so it cooks thoroughly in the pan.
14. 14Sprinkle the cheese

    

    Sprinkle a generous handful of shredded cheese evenly over all the toppings. Ensure the cheese reaches near the edges to create a perfectly melted layer over the bacon and anchovies.

    Tip: You can use mozzarella for a classic stretchy texture or a blend of your favorite melting cheeses.
15. 15Drizzle with olive oil

    

    Finish assembling the pizza by drizzling a final touch of olive oil over the cheese. This helps the cheese melt beautifully and adds a rich, fruity aroma to the final dish.

    Tip: A good quality extra virgin olive oil will elevate the flavor of your pan pizza.
16. 16Cover and cook

    

    Turn the stove to medium-low heat and place a glass lid onto the frying pan to cover the pizza. Slowly pan-fry it until the crust is crispy and the cheese on top is completely melted.

    Tip: Using a glass lid allows you to easily monitor the melting cheese without losing heat.

Storing and Reheating

Burn It Off

Frequently Asked Questions