I believe the “Crazy” name derives from the fact that the toppings sit on the batter before the tomato sauce and cheese go on the crust, an atypical layering for pizza. The no-yeast, no-knead recipe for Crazy Crust Pizza was first popularized decades ago when it was published by Pillsbury. The easy-enough-for-a-school-night pizza relies on a simple batter of flour, milk and eggs for a light, tender crust that’s reminiscent of a Dutch baby.
Toppings like sausage, onion and bell pepper are scattered over the batter and the pizza is baked halfway before it gets blanketed in crushed tomato and mozzarella and baked again. As with any pizza, the particular toppings are customizable, but try to keep the total volume to around three cups for a well proportioned slice. (And honestly, we used about 50% more cheese than instructed.)
Many reviewers were dismayed that their crust stuck to the skillet and they ended up with a mess. We had no such experience. Possibly because we added oil to skillet even using sausage (the original directions only instructed you to do so if using pepperoni.) Plus, we waited the full 15 minutes after the pie came out of the oven to rest.
Keep in mind, the entire process from starting prep through the rest period is likely to take longer than an hour. Each slice is very filling, so it can easily feed up to four.
Crazy Crust Pizza with Sausage
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 lb. bulk Italian sausage or 3 oz. sliced pepperoni
- ½ small red onion, thinly sliced (about ½ cup)
- ½ green bell pepper, thinly sliced (about ½ cup)
- 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
- 1 cup shredded low-moisture mozzarella
- Grated Parmesan
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- â…” cup whole milk
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp. Italian seasoning or dried oregano
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Medium-grind cornmeal, for dusting the skillet
Directions
- Heat oven to 425 degrees.
- Start the toppings: In a large (12-inch) ovenproof skillet, heat oil over medium. Add sausage and cook, breaking up meat into small pieces, until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the sausage to a medium bowl. Add the onion and bell pepper to the bowl and toss to combine. Discard the excess fat from the pan and set the pan aside to cool slightly. (If using pepperoni instead of sausage, simply toss pepperoni, onions and peppers together in a bowl and coat the bottom of the skillet with 1 tablespoon olive oil.)
- Make the batter for the crust: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, milk, eggs, Italian seasoning, salt and a few cranks of black pepper.
- Spread about 1 tablespoon of olive oil along the bottom and sides of the skillet, then sprinkle a thin layer of cornmeal into the pan, coating the bottom and sides as evenly as possible. Pour batter into the prepared skillet. Spread the sausage mixture over the batter and transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake until the crust is set and deep golden brown around the edges, 25 to 30 minutes.
- Add crushed tomato and salt (we added a large pinch of red pepper flakes also) to a small bowl and stir to combine. Remove the skillet from the oven and spread crushed tomato evenly over the toppings. Sprinkle mozzarella on top and finish with a sprinkle of Parmesan. Return to the oven and bake until cheese is melted and lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes more. Let rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Adapted from a recipe by Cybelle Tondu for NYTimes Cooking
Accounting for Taste 