New Recipe: Slow Cooker Pizza

This was an interesting method to try but I doubt I will ever do it again.  It added over 2 hours to what should be a simple process, it was a messy to eat pizza and it was costly for 4 small slices. The only benefit was that I could put it together early so when my hubby got home it was done. What is lost in being a crock pot recipe was that it wasn't set and forget.  You had to make or buy the dough.  If you make it you need to make the dough 2 hours before you are ready to use it.  It takes 20 minutes to preheat, an hour and 20 minutes to bake and then you need to add the toppings and bake it yet another hour so you have to be around.

What I learned was don't forget to grease the crock or the dough sticks.  First one had to be chipped out and tossed in the garbage.  You need to make sure the dough is an even thickness, not thicker on the edges like normal pizza and the easiest way to accomplish this is to roll out the dough to about 1/8" thickness.  Then remove the crock insert and press it slightly onto the dough.  You will see an outline of the crock which will allow you to cut out the proper size piece of dough that will fit perfectly in your crock pot.  My crock pot like the original recipe is a 6 quart pot and mine is oval.  I also found that mine took longer than an hour and although it wasn't golden brown it was cooked and that worked fine.

Other than my small changes I followed the recipe but since I didn't have Parmesan I topped it with 4 more slices of mozzarella.  Since the sauce is on top and there isn't an outer crust the top layer of cheese made it easier to eat since you had to touch the top in order to hold it.  Eating it with a knife and fork would have been cleaner but the crust might have been too crisp to cut easily so we didn't try.

Slow Cooker Cooking Method:  Roll out dough ⅛” thick, lightly press slow cooker crock onto dough and cut out shape of crock pot outline.  Turn slow cooker to high and preheat for 20 minutes.  Oil crock pot, place dough in crock pot.  It should reach the sides but not fold over and get thicker on the edge.  Cook on high for 1 hour, flip, cook another 20 minutes.  Shingle slices of mozzarella about 10 slices around edge of crust with about 1” of the cheese on the crock walls and the rest of it on the crust.  Do this all the way around the edge and finish with a final slice in the middle to cover the crust with cheese. Do the same with thinly sliced pepperoni only don't place it on the walls, only on the bottom, top with ¾ C pizza sauce and 4 more slices of mozzarella and again not on sides of crock.  Cook on high for 1 hour.  I also topped it with caramelized onions.  Original recipe came from Food Networks, The Kitchen.

Shown here what happened after I let it rise, then punched it down, wrapped it in plastic wrap.  It expanded into a ball of air.  I didn't expect this so I didn't think it would work out but it was fine.

After I rolled it out, stamped the crock pot shape into the dough, cut it out and placed it in the crock.

Then the cheese was singled on top of the crust.  It was shingled in such a way that there was an inch of cheese lining the side of the crock pot but as soon as I put the cheese down it began melting, which didn't seem to matter and it must be what is expected since you are dealing with a hot crock pot.  The cheese is sliced thin but a little thicker than the pepperoni.

Next I did the same shingling method with the pepperoni.  The pepperoni shingled up the sides stayed and I don't think this the best idea.  Next time I won't single it on the side of the crock pot.  The only benefit was that it might get a little crunchy on the edges where it touches the crock.

On top of the pepperoni I added a cup of sauce because I red the recipe incorrectly.  I tried to scoop out some of the sauce but probably only got out 4 T. or so and since I had already laid 4 slices of mozzarella on top of the sauce I started getting sauce on top of the cheese so I gave up.

 You can see here the finish product, removed from the crock.  See how the pepperoni extends off of the crust so the slightly crispy edge isn't worth the mess.

Final slice, topped with caramelized onions from my cast iron skillet which also didn't work out.  I'll stick to using my non stick fry pan because these were more like crispy vs. caramelized onions.

BASIC PIZZA DOUGH

1 ½ C. warm water (105-110°F)

1 envelope active dry yeast (2 ¼ t.)

1 T. honey

3-4 C. flour

1 ½ t. Kosher salt

In a 2 cup glass measure add water.  Heat in microwave for 1 minute.   Test water with thermometer.  It should be between 105-110°F.  Add yeast to the measuring cup, whisk. Add honey, whisk.  Let sit about 5 minutes till water is cloudy to “bloom the yeast”.  To your electric stand mixer, add 3 C. flour and salt, whisk. When yeast is ready, add your dough hook and the mixture to your flour, mix on #2 speed until the dough comes together.  If needed, scrape down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula to incorporate all flour.  If the dough is too wet add the remaining flour, a little at a time until dough comes together as one mass and starts clinging to the hook.  Once mixed turn out into a lightly oiled bowl and let it “proof”, sit until it has doubled in size.  This should take a few hours.  

Note:  Heating 1 ¾ C. water for 2 minutes was too hot, needed to let it cool.  First time I bloomed the yest in the mixer bowl, mixed the flour and salt in a separate bowl but I’ve changed it to avoid one dirty bowl.

Make Ahead:  Make dough at least 2 hours before you plan on using it.  You can make it in the morning, wrap it in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.  It will expand in the plastic wrap and that is OK.