New England Bar Pizza

Bar pizza is baked in well-seasoned rimmed pans, with the dough forming a thin lip up the sides. The crust is tender yet crispy. Replicating this style of pizza required the use of all-purpose flour rather than the usual bread flour for the dough. Create the distinctive edges by rolling the pizza dough thin and baking the pies in 9-inch cake pans, pressing the dough 1/4 inch up the sides of the pan. Brushing the edges with tomato sauce and cheese gives the “laced” edges that New England pizzas are known for. Finishing the pies with a mixture of cheddar and mozzarella best imitated the classic version’s distinct tangy flavors. Clean the food processor in between making the dough and the pizza sauce. You will have some pizza sauce left over; reserve it for another use. One 14-ounce can of baked beans is enough for this recipe. Use sharp cheddar cheese, not extra-sharp (which makes the pizzas too greasy).

• DOUGH

• 1 2/3 cups (8 1/3 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon instant or rapid-rise yeast
• 2/3 cup water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• SAUCE

• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

• TOPPING

• 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup)
• 4 ounces whole-milk mozzarella cheese, shredded (1 cup)
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. FOR THE DOUGH: Process flour, sugar, and yeast in food processor until combined, about 3 seconds. With processor running, slowly add water; process dough until just combined and no dry flour remains, about 10 seconds. Let dough stand for 10 minutes. Add oil and salt to dough and process until dough forms satiny, sticky ball that clears sides of workbowl, 30 to 60 seconds.
2. Transfer dough to lightly oiled counter and knead until smooth, about 1 minute. Shape dough into tight ball and place in greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until almost doubled in size, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
3. FOR THE SAUCE: Process all ingredients in clean, dry food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds; set aside. (Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month.)
4. FOR THE TOPPING: Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 500 degrees. Combine cheddar and mozzarella in bowl. Using pastry brush, grease bottom and sides of 2 dark-colored 9-inch round cake pans with 1 1/2 teaspoons oil each.
5. Transfer dough to lightly floured counter, divide in half, and shape into balls. Gently flatten 1 dough ball into 6-inch disk using your fingertips. Using rolling pin, roll disk into 10-inch round. Transfer dough to prepared pan and press into corners, forcing 1/4-inch lip of dough up sides of pan. Repeat with remaining dough ball.
6. Spread 1/3 cup sauce in thin layer over entire surface of 1 dough. Using pastry brush, brush sauce over lip of dough. Sprinkle 1 cup cheese mixture evenly over pizza, including lip. Repeat with second pan.
7. Bake until crust is browned and cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown, about 12 minutes, switching and rotating pans halfway through baking. To remove pizzas from pans, run offset spatula along top edge of pizza crust. Once loosened, slide spatula underneath pizza and slide pizza onto wire rack. Let cool for 5 minutes. Slice and serve.