The Cheesiest, Crispiest Pizza is Also the Easiest | What’s Eating Dan?

Allow Dan to reacquaint you with your favorite pizza: thick, plush, crisp, and extra-cheesy. No rolling, stretching, or baking stone required.
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[@13soap13]

I was a teacher during the "Book It" time frame. Incredible program. Kids just loved it! I taught in a poor, rural area in Indiana .... I spent a fortune on paperbacks ... which kids always swiped. Now they are grown up and I still often hear from them and how they take their kids and grandkids to get their very first library card!

[@jaxoncanseeyou]

how did they prove to pizza hut that they actually read the books?

[@femaleKCRoyalsFan]

@@jaxoncanseeyou I think somebody had to write down the number of hours a child read like a parent or grandparent, or whoever the guardian was. I remember filling out some kind of form and my mom initialed it. Let’s say I read the boxcar children, book surprise Island for 20 minutes then my mom would write that down

[@gsterneman]

I was a student in poor rural Indiana back then! So many pizzas. . .

[@yaassss5531]

Let’s face it, Dan is a hottie.

[@Margo5050]

❤

[@pamelagrennes2943]

My kids did "Book It". When they were growing up we didn't have a lot of money and mostly ate home cooked meals. Getting a free pizza was the highlight of their week! The added benefits of learning to read was gravy!

[@karalperry2060]

Same thing here! Encouraged reading and gave us the financial chance to eat out. I was a single mom with 3 kids. Fabulous program!

[@nyanuwu4209]

Pizza Hut was the highlight VS. home-cooked...Wild.

[@craftkiller9627]

​​@@nyanuwu4209not surprised. Old school pizza hut was excellent and they'd be designing their food for mass appeal so they'd have no issue loading it up with all the salt, sugar, and fat that you crave. Whereas childhood home cooked meals for me meant healthy food cooked by a busy person without the benefit of on-demand internet cooking videos. No contest. These days I can easily beat pizza hut, not just because their quality has been on a steep multi-decade decline but also because I've baked hundreds of pizzas at home, combining advice from many KZbin cooking channels.

[@zacharylivingston5519]

These videos from Dan are amazing. So much science, technique, and enthusiasm all rolled into a digestible video.

[@48956l]

He doesn't really go over the recipe much at all though. What did he say about the sauce? Crushed tomatoes "processed with olive oil garlic and a couple other seasonings"? Wtf does that mean?

[@barbarac8422]

They didn't have BookIt when I was a kid, but my son earned a ton of those little pizzas. He's 40 years old now and still remembers those! ❤

[@marybreiner5]

I worked at Pizza Hut when I was in my late teens. I'm now 59. The secret to the dough was in the proofing. And the pans they used. It also went through a rotating oven slowly to make sure the edges were crisp.

[@nickcpv]

You would be disappointed about how it tastes nowadays.

[@BretFrohwein]

I have never wanted a pizza more than I do right now!

[@leijen208]

BookIt alumni here. Not only Pizza Hut, but Burger King too. I have always been a voracious reader, so I would rack up on freebies. Good times

[@CarletonTorpin]

These methods and concepts are so well explained. I've been doing this video's cast-iron pizza oven-to-skillet method for years and it's a winner every time.

[@lkirksey31]

Yes, I loved the "book it" program from Pizza Hut. Pizza was and is still one of my favorite foods to eat. Thanks, Dan for reminding me of how young I am. 😊

[@chrismitchell9936]

I loved this recipe when Brigette did it a few years ago. I really appreciate even more explanation from you. I am partial to even more yeast added And using warm beer instead of water for an unbelievable yeasty taste.

[@ndozer9]

Only way I make pizzas, except I don't bother with the stove top part.

[@williwonti]

For the full 90s Pizza Hut deep dish crust experience, use 'butter' flavored oil. So good

[@kathyradford7187]

I taught at a kind-of-poor high school, and many of my students were unable to pass the state's standardized tests. I saw a former student at a discount store a couple years ago. She was buying her three kids one book each, which they told me was their "payday tradition." WOOHOO!

[@lesliethiel1337]

I didn't do book it myself but my kids sure did. It was nice to be able to go get pizza and not have to pay full price for the family.

[@estonian44]

311 g bread flour 6 g salt 3g yeast 227g warn water to speed up yeast knead 1 minute...

[@anz121brb]

thanks for recipe, may I ask what's the yield?

[@sittingstill3578]

Wonderful, now all we need to know is how to make the pizza sauce as demonstrated. There are no measurements in the video.

[@themostselfishman]

I am literate solely through the power of bookit.

[@465maltbie]

Thanks for the explanation of the dough, and the tip on the vegetables. Charles

[@awolfofchaos3211]

I was a huge "book it" kid. Even after I graduated, I still loved reading and finding new, wonderful stories.

[@mikejokurst4429]

Awesome job on the video, Dan! I loved it! Just one suggestion: When you're cutting with a pizza cutter put your wrist directly over the top of it. That way you get a lot more power and you won't have to rock back and forth as much. You get cleaner cuts. I learned this from working at a pizza place where you have to slice pies really fast.

[@bethhumphreys110]

Dominos uses mezzalunas now.

[@pamyoder6163]

My grandchildren still participate in the book it program, and I get the pleasure of taking them to Pizza Hut to turn in their voucher.

[@illhaveawtrplz]

They’re still running BookIt at Pizza Hut?!

[@thepreston1021]

Definitely trying this out this weekend!

[@leesagrrl]

Great Information< Thanx so much!

[@themaryer]

What's eating Dan is my FAVORITE series on this channel. AND THIS IS SO YUMMY - must do

[@ohger1]

Gluten rocks. I feel sorry for people with a gluten allergy and laugh at those who avoid it for no good reason.

[@carolablue5293]

I'm sure you know that gluten is a serious health issue for people with Celiac Disease.

[@barbarac8422]

@@carolablue5293 Those are some of the folks avoiding it for a GOOD reason, so he wasn't referring to them.

[@1mustardtiger]

GLUTEN FREE is a HOAX!!!!!! It simply does NOT exist.

[@ohger1]

@@barbarac8422 Thanks Barb, some people just can't read..

[@andreapoppini3993]

​@@ohger1 those people who can't read should eat more pizza😂

[@cravensean]

Thanks. I may actually try this.

[@annham4136]

I'm gonna love it! I just bought a cast iron skillet. Believe it or not, my favorite topping to use is asparagus. It gets along well with mushrooms, too.

[@LadyMaltese]

What a fantastic idea to encourage kids to read! The pizza looks great! I regularly use a cast iron skillet when I make pizza but I cook it over the stove top prior to baking in the oven. Great video Dan!!

[@selewachm]

Totally missed this growing up. Born in 53 and no kids so maybe that explains it. And we never went to Pizza Hut. But I love this recipe and I will be doing it. Excellent video as usual. Thank you.

[@susanstuckey1630]

My 2 kids earned many Book-It pizzas. They loved them and I had to order one along with them as I loved them too. I’m anxious to try this recipe to bring back the memories.

[@patmuscarella8279]

Wow. You've just made me a believer in cheesy crusty crusty. Count me in!!

[@williamraney3421]

Recipe was easy. My kids loved it. The pizza was pretty bready so don’t be afraid to add more sauce and toppings to balance. Leftovers gone before lunch the next day. Yum

[@48956l]

What sauce did you use? He said next to nothing about it.

[@JackSica1]

This is my favorite pizza to make! I always make at least two at a time and my friends and family request it. So easy and so delicious!

[@den_man1253]

This was a good recipe to revisit. Thanks. I hope you also revisit regular no-knead bread again -- because ATK has too many variations of that recipe floating around, including one that uses a cold dutch oven (which could make for a very interesting comparison).

[@PatrickMagee]

I use an 8" skillet and use pepperoni, olives, green peppers and pineapple as toppings. I like the tip to crisp the crust on the stove top.

[@lori7742]

Could I use a deep cake pan? I don’t have any cast iron bc I hv a smooth top stove.

[@PatrickMagee]

@@lori7742 Probably, but it should be a dark cake pan. You might think about buying a cast iron pan just for oven use. They are relatively inexpensive, under $30, and can be used for many different recipes. Heck, the pan costs less than most of the pizzas in this area. If you want to use premade dough I use Trader Joes pizza dough.

[@sandrah7512]

@@lori7742 I have a ceramic topped stove and several cast iron pans and Dutch ovens, Just be gentle - don't drop the pans or slide them around (much). Pick them up. Put them down.

[@EastSider48215]

Black olives or green?

[@PatrickMagee]

@@EastSider48215 black, sliced

[@SavoryExperimentsCooking]

Love this! And I loved the Book It! program, too!

[@lindapugh4778]

My kids loved book it! Great program for kids and Pizza Hut! They should bring it back!

[@ForgetU]

I always sauté the toppings and add a little of the sauce with it, and of course lick my fingers after I spread them on the dough/cheese.

[@gailaltschwager7377]

Thank you, Dan!

[@Grayald]

Love pan pizzas. One's like this are the perfect weeknight pizza to make at home. They're so forgiving and so much less fussy than a lot of recipes, and even inexperienced home cooks can pull them off without much trouble. But that doesn't make them some lower class dish that you only make by compromising texture and flavor. They're incredible. I've never tried the cheese wall thing, but I do use the blend of mozzarella and Monterey Jack. But I just mix mine together. It's a perfect combination and my go-to pizza blend.

[@seedsaverdiane5636]

I never made pizza until seeing Bridgette make this pizza. This recipe makes it hard to ever eat pizza out again

[@sca24580]

ATK put me on to the cast iron pan method, finishing it on the stove. Game Changer! Thank you.

[@oscar_charlie]

You don't need to increase airspeed. A 45 degree bank angle keeps you below stall at best glide, while keeping the turn radius small enough. A C172 will complete a 360 while losing 400-500 ft. Also, make a note of the crosswind component (if any) and turn into it when the engine quits. And, most importantly - do not attempt if if you haven't practiced it multiple times before.

[@teacherlisa7028]

I so did the book it program with Pizza Hut. It helped me find a love of reading that stills lasts today. I have a library in my house instead of an office and constantly am reading. Thanks Pizza Hut. And yes I love Pizza Hut pan pizza 😊

[@eternalfizzer]

Didn't hear about Bookit, but what a wonderful idea! Thanks for the primer - I'm going to try it out with some frozen shrimp and asparagus (I'll steam them both first to release the moisture - great tip!)

[@femaleKCRoyalsFan]

You did bring back nostalgia for me. We did book it at my Catholic elementary school. if we got enough books read, we could get a pizza party for the class. Back then I loved reading the boxcar children (To be honest, I still love rereading those books, even now as an adult)

[@barbarasmith4829]

Dan I was so excited by your presentation I decided to make this pizza immediately. Your reading reference was almost as compelling as the recipe, as my brother was acquisitions librarian at University of Illinois for 40 years. Ingredients - check, substituted scamorza for mozzarella. Prepped the veggies to minimize moisture. Crust was easy UNTIL I noted I had thrown out my rolling pin several years ago. My substitutes were poor and I feel defeated. Presently it is resting, and if it is better than expected I will let you know.

[@JR-yy1iv]

In a pinch, you can use a sturdy jar or an unopened can (of veggies or what have you) to roll out dough. Or simply stretch it with fingertips. Have fun!

[@dgags4168]

My latest pizza obsession has been Detriot Stye Pizza. I would like to see your take on DSP.

[@benemery1644]

Your explanations of the chemistry are straight out of a NileRed video haha. I love how much ATC knows their stuff

[@respectfullyyours9357]

you're a mean man Dan....you make my mouth water every time....please stop teasing me with your delicious takes on food....so yummmmmmy 🥰

[@user-bu7jl6zy5d]

Great instructive video. That pizza looks delicious, and so does Dan.

[@garcipat]

WOW excellent trick with microwaving the vegies

[@Lettuce-and-Tomatoes]

There is a recipe on pizzamaking by a user called xPHmgr that is identical to Pizza Hut’s pan pizza in my opinion. It includes dry milk powder, so I know that this recipe is not the same. I make it once a year in winter and it’s amazing. I use regular vegetable oil (PH isn’t using olive oil) and it’s cooked in a normal deep dish pan on top of a pizza stone that’s been preheated for about an hour. I roll out the dough to to about a 1/4”, put it in the pan on top of the oil and refrigerate overnight. PH likely doesn’t do this part, but it makes the cook easier and the dough develops a little more flavor. It’s an excellent, 100% authentic Pizza Hut pan pizza clone. The pizza in this video looks good too.

[@franciet99]

Can you post a link to their video, please? I’ve been looking for a good substitute. I’ve searched for this user and I’m coming up empty handed.

[@Lettuce-and-Tomatoes]

@@franciet99 pizzamaking is a forum on the Internet. It’s not a YT channel. Google “xPHmgr” and you will find the forum post. Don’t make the dough thicker than 1/4” unless you want a pizza with a +1” thick crust. The original recipe on pizzamaking calls for the crust to be rolled out to 3/4”. That’s way too thick. Otherwise, it’s a solid recipe.

[@Lettuce-and-Tomatoes]

@@franciet99 The following part of the recipe isn’t a mistake. It’s what makes this pizza so good. The dough will absorb the oil as it cooks. You must properly preheat the oven according to the instructions with the pizza stone in it. The uncooked pizza crust will literally be floating on vegetable oil. “While the dough is kneading, add 4oz vegetable oil to a 14" pan style pizza pan and make sure the oil completely covers all of the bottom surface area.”

[@Lettuce-and-Tomatoes]

@@franciet99 It’s not a video. I posted a more detailed response earlier and it disappeared. Google “xPHmgr” and you will find it on pizzamaking. I recommend that you roll the dough out to 1/4” to a 1/3”. The recipe specifies 3/4”. That’s way too thick for the dough because the baked pizza crust ends up over an inch thick.

[@Lettuce-and-Tomatoes]

@@franciet99 It’s not a video. Google “xPHmgr” and you will find the recipe. You will want to roll out the dough to about 1/4 to 1/3 of an inch despite what the recipe says. Otherwise, you will get a +1” thick pizza.

[@marvelboy74]

I usually do bell pepper and onion, either with some uncured pepperoni or black olives. I started microwaving my peppers and onions because I liked the texture I got after the bake but realized it also improved the pizza overall.

[@ruth_gordon]

This was so wholesome 🥲

[@josephgitter]

This pizza is so so incredible!!

[@SmileAwhileForMe]

Loved bookit! I always got black olives as my one topping. Talk about nostalgia. 😅

[@MjekuMati]

I love book it! And accelerated reading! Also the reason I succeeded in life. My kids don’t have it. The world will never be the same.

[@courtneyboyle3467]

I loved Book It as a kid! This is a really great recipe that I have made many times. Super easy and delicious! I start it on Thursday afternoon and since I work from home I can time out the next few steps so that the pizza is ready for Five o clock Friday night festivities… yummy. I like to pair it with a healthy dessert, like ATK pie and ice cream 😂

[@matthewmorrisey]

Can this be its own channel? It feels so different from all the other content, and it’s the only one I would actually subscribe to.

[@tinahairston6383]

I was 14 when this program was launched but I don't remember it at all so had to look it up. Still an active program apparently. Love this recipe and technique!

[@harmonybat]

I loved BookIt! so much! I was a reader anyway, but the extra incentive was great. Those pizzas taste better in my memory than any pizza has since.

[@user-ub1bf7og4x]

Make this all the time! My husband and I add black olives and pepperoni on the whole pie and on my half green bell pepper and Canadian bacon😋

[@starseeker4716]

I live in Canada and I don't think Pizza Hut existed here when I was in school (too long ago to remember, cause I'm OLD 😁), so no Book It. As for toppings why ruin perfection! 😋😄

[@ryansturm5959]

Can this be done on a baking sheet ?

[@davidcarbone3385]

I like extra cheese, also like meatballs, also onions, also mushrooms, also pepperoni, all these toppings are one pizza at a time to keep the pizza simpler; I also like Trenton Pie, which has little or no cheese as well as Margherita Pizza.

[@norduferhandel4512]

I like any type of pizza, but this take on pan pizza 🍕 looks great.

[@spotdogit]

Book It was so great! I was already a massive reader so it was a guaranteed pizza party every month 😃 These days my fav pie has a lot of toppings: spinach, fresh garlic, artichoke hearts, red onion, mushrooms, black olives and sliced fresh tomatoes. So good! But if I have to pay too much per topping, I stick to mushroom, black olive and either pepperoni or red onion. I’m totally going to make this pizza in my small cast iron pan in the toaster oven I keep on the back porch in summer. It’s too dang hot in Texas to turn my oven on in the kitchen now, and I can do 2 small pizzas instead of the large. 😁

[@Saraphina_Marie]

Book It came back! At least for a few years. My kids were THRILLED. I need to check and see if it's available this summer.

[@wurdnurd1]

Lol, this is the recipe my brother uses EVERY week when he makes pizza for us, but he uses pepper jack on the cheese wall. 😊

[@louisel.sinniger2057]

Mmm, Pizza Hut pizza. THAT was the best pizza UNTIL now. THIS I am making this week! My son used to doodle on their activity sheets. Thank you!

[@gummybread]

"and you dont have to read a thing" *immediately puts title card text on screen* I'v been bamboozeled for pizza!

[@bondfool]

I was one of those weird kids who liked books more than pizza. I learned.

[@TMJJack]

I love this recipe, but I cut the amount of dough by a quarter because it's just a bit too much for my taste. It still comes out great! He doesn't talk much about the sauce, but that raw tomato flavor has me super nostalgic for all sorts of Midwestern pizza bars.

[@vzeimen]

Hey Dan, big pizza lovers here. My son has an outdoor portable pizza oven which cooks very very hot. The pizzas are supposed to be done in like 20-30 seconds. Barely enough time to get your pizza peel ready to use again. It does a great job but the crust is never what you want it to be, never gets as crispy as you'd like. I'm thinking this must be a recipe issue. What's needed for super hot, fast cooking pizza. Would love a video!

[@ojtheaviator1795]

I would also love an ATK recipie video, but until then, I can wholeheartedly recommend Adam Ragusea on KZbin for pizza recipe videos! I've used his and loved it!

[@AMTunLimited]

You might try a lower hydration dough, less water proportionally. Typical Neopolitan or NY style pizza is about 60-65% water per flour (e.g. 600g water per 1000g flour). You might also be putting a little too much toppings that are preventing the heat from getting all the way down Charlie Anderson has done incredible work researching/experimenting with pizza and especially pizza dough

[@draig2614]

What is the pizza sitting on as it bakes? I’ve found that using a baking steel and heating it in my hot oven (550 degrees) for 45 minutes before baking my pizza on it has really helped give me crisp crusts - it cooks the dough from below faster than the hot air of the oven is cooking the pizza from the top. I usually use a 70% hydration dough from Ken Forkish’s book Flour Water Salt Yeast.

[@mattymattffs]

Make sure your dough has some sugar or honey. You don't need much. Maybe 2%

[@williwonti]

@@draig2614 Yep, unless your oven is running all day like a bakery or pizzeria a stone just isn't getting hot enough for crispy crust. A steel is the way to go for small batches

[@JoeStuffzAlt]

Grams! Heck yeah! This was my only complain of general ATK. I generally prefer grams for most measurements, especially for flour. (oz is easier for butter), but I'm glad we are getting grams

[@colinleslie2458]

Book It! Is still around, at least at some places here in Colorado. We have three coupons sitting on our fridge at this moment.

[@TheNancypoo]

Imagine if they implemented a reading program like that today!!! Giving kids incentives to improve themselves works, who would have thunk????

[@beadybaby]

Also, in the 80s, “book it“ meant run, now!

[@MR.B714]

I "BOOKED IT" 😅

[@StorytimewithSai]

Awesome ❤

[@bugsygoo]

METRIC! At last🎉 Thank you, ATK, from the rest of the world.

[@nyxcin1]

This sounds great, except I prefer thin crust and a margherita topping. I will have to experiment and grow some basil.

[@Lucysmom26]

Those 80s/90s pan pizzas from Pizza Hut remain, to this day, the best chain pizzas I've ever had. It's so sad they got rid of them.

[@jennifersvitko5997]

Can this be done with whole wheat? I can't have refined wheat.

[@joybartlett9784]

My children did book it. We all had family pizza night when they did.

[@themiltonguy4530]

Geez ATK comes through again! Thanks Dan!

[@kcw1963]

Dan your vids are great. I’m wondering if you could ‘zap’ the veggies toppings earlier and use the resulting liquid in the dough? Adding flavor and nutrients to the crust? Maybe? 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@davidcarbone3385]

so informative about gluten development but straightforward!

[@knitsewfancy]

My grand kids have gotten those free pizzas here in Missouri in the last few years. :)

[@ErikSnider]

Thanks Dan! A few years ago, you made a video about gluten-free pizza crust. Would you make any big changes to that for a pan pizza?

[@jK00Lio]

I'm confused by the initial recipe not calling for any sugar. What's the yeast supposed to "eat"?

[@user-od3bc7uf8e]

Chef John's pour-able pizza dough is perfect for pan pizza. Just let it set over night to get more yeasty, and pre-cook the dough like he does

[@Simbadhd]

Say what size is that cast iron skillet?

[@colddash5598]

Is this a repeat? I don’t remember the recipe/techniques but I feel I remember the story…. I’ll watch again anyway as pizza is pizza and techniques are always good to refresh and remember.

[@deanospimoniful]

The great thing about Book It is that it's on the honor system, so...well, I'll let you work that part out.

[@schomestead2591]

Maybe I missed it, but how long does the pizza stay in the oven?

[@KenS1267]

I was too old for BookIt but my little brother and my girlfriend's little brother weren't. We'd take them and some of their friends for those little pizzas every month after school. We got to hang out and have pizza and the kids were so obsessed with the pizza they behaved. It was win/win for everyone.

[@nvalley]

Dan and I must be staying at very different hotels!

[@berniecelee5062]

They need to bring back .. Book it … so many kids don’t read much .. they are swiping screens . One of my kid read and they other is like his dad …very little almost nil reading … fast forward adults at age 30 , the reader one is climbing fast on the corporate ladder . It makes a difference… he can communicate very well , written and verbal. I am sure if my non reader got a free pizza …he would have read !

[@mariehud7382]

Ok I’m going to make it..

[@bikzimusmaximus5250]

Trying out this recipe tonight. Sadly external motivators like pizza has shown to have no real long term benefits when it comes to developing good habits. So while some kids probably found out that they enjoy reading through the pizza hut reading program, most kids just did the bare minimum they had to in order to get their pizza, had a miserable time, and if really unlucky started associating reading with that terrible time they were having to get free pizza.