Crock Pot Pizza

Anyone who reads this blog already knows how much I love my Crock Pot.  If there are two things (yes, two) that everyone should have in their kitchen they are a Kitchenaid stand mixer (especially if you’re a baker) and a Crock Pot.  I have made brownies in a Crock Pot before and they came out delicious so when I saw someone on Imgur (sorry, can’t find the direct link right now) had put together a Crock Pot pizza, I was sold.  One advantage I had was the fact I live in NY and what are New Yorkers known for?  No, not our attitudes (okay, that too) but pizza and bagels!  Feel free to put your own little twist on the recipe below.

• Ingredients:
• Pizza dough (if you are in NY, please please PLEASE get local pizza dough.  I won’t name names but the brand name ones are just not the same)
• Cento pizza sauce (you can use any pizza sauce, really, but Cento is known for it so I’d suggest them unless you plan on making it all on your own)
• Shredded mozzarella cheese
• Black olives (or any toppings you prefer.  next time around, I’ll be using basil and pouring garlic on there)

1. Spread out your pizza dough.  The thinner your dough, the less the cooking time.  I kept mine relatively thick so it came out more like a deep dish.
2. Spray the inside of your Crock Pot with cooking spray (I suggest Pam baking spray since it uses butter and flour).  Make sure to coat the bottom and the sides.
3. Carefully move the pizza dough into the Crock Pot and make sure the sides are somewhat even (I say somewhat since mine decided to rise wherever it wanted to).  Using a fork, poke holes into the bottom of the dough so it doesn’t completely rise and turn into a pizza pillow.
4. Spread the sauce on top of the dough and use the back of a spoon to smooth it out.
5. Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top.
6. Add your olives or whatever toppings you’re choosing to use.
7. Place a few paper towels over the top of the Crock Pot and close the lid.  The paper towels prevent the condensation from getting onto the pizza.
8. Set the Crock Pot to HIGH and cook for 2 hours.  Check after 1 hour if you spread your dough to the point it’s thinner.
9. Carefully remove your pizza, slice, and dig in!

 

Visually it’s not very stunning.  However, it tasted GREAT!  The dough was perfect (again, NY pizza dough!) and the sauce and toppings really made it all come together well.  I can’t wait to become even more creative with these.  I am also going to thin my dough out a little more next time so the sides don’t rise like this one did.  Not bad for a Crock Pot and two hours.