Sicilian Style Pan Pizza

Adapted from King Arthur Flour's 2020 Recipe of the Year

I have such fond memories of going to Pizza Hut as a child and eating that yummy, buttery deep dish right out of the pan, so hot that the threads of cheese stretched stubbornly back to the pie, refusing to let go. And those tall pebbly red plastic glasses filled with nose-tickling coke, which always seemed to taste better than right out of the can. Imagine my delight when I found this recipe which brings the magic right to my kitchen.  (Without the red coke glasses unfortunately, but I'll still take it.)

Note: A kitchen scale is a must and the dough requires an overnight rest, so plan accordingly

Ingredients:

• 3/4 tsp yeast
• 1 1/8 tsp salt
• 346 g flour
• 245 g warm water (100 degrees F)
• 19 g + 26 g extra virgin olive oil
• 245 g whole milk, low moisture, shredded mozzarella
• 163 g pizza sauce
• Toppings  (should be cooked in advance)

Method:

1. Mix flour, salt, yeast water, and 19 g of olive oil in a large plastic bowl with at least twice the capacity of the ingredients briefly by hand or spatula until no dry patches remain.  
2. Shape into a rough ball and set aside, covered, for five minutes in a warm place.
3. Grab the dough in the middle and pull it towards you, then fold the stretched end back onto itself towards the center. Do this three more times (If the dough was a clock, you did 6 o'clock. Repeat for 9 o'clock, 12 o'clock and 3 o'clock.)
4. Cover and wait another five minutes. Repeat the process above.
5. Cover and wait another five minutes.  Repeat again.
6. Cover and wait another five minutes. Repeat a final time.
7. Cover, place in a warm place, and let rise for 40 minutes.
8. Transfer, still covered, to the refrigerator and let sit a minimum of 12 hours. (It can stay in the fridge for up to 3 days.)
9. 3 hours before you plan on serving the pizza, pour the remaining oil into a 12 inch well seasoned cast iron skillet and swirl to cover the entire bottom surface as well as half way up the sides. 
10. Take the refrigerated dough and place in the pan, flipping once to coat the dough in oil.
11. Press the dough from the center of the pan to the edges, dimpling as you go. The dough probably will not stay stretched, and will spring back a little to the center of the pan.
12. Let the dough rest for 15 minutes, and restretch to the edge of the pan. 
13. If it still springs back, rest again for 15 minutes and restretch a final time.
14. Cover and let the dough rise in a warm place for two hours.
15. Preheat the oven with a rack at the bottom at 450 degrees F.
16. When the dough is done rising, sprinkle 3/4 of the cheese onto the dough, making sure the cheese goes ALL the way to the edge of the pan.
17. Place spoonfuls of sauce evenly on top of the cheese.
18. If you want other toppings, now is the time to place them.  Make sure that you cook them before putting them on the pizza, so the pizza doesn't get soggy. (An exception to this is already cured meats, like pepperoni.)
19. Top with the remaining cheese.
20. Bake for 20-25 minutes.  Use a spatula to gently raise the pizza to check the crust.  If marbled a rich golden brown, it's done.
21. Cut with kitchen shears to protect the integrity of your pan.