How To Cook Pizza Without A Pan: Other Alternatives
Sometimes, we crave for the food we can’t make because we don’t have the proper equipment to make one. However, it pays to use some DIY-skills. Most people crave for pizza, and pizza is one of the most sought-after food at night or even during the day. For pizza lovers out there, we’ll be putting your DIY-skills to good use as I will be teaching you basic steps on how to cook pizza without a pan.
Learning how to cook pizza without a pan is like learning how to write without a pencil, pan, and pizza goes hand in hand. Luckily, there are many innovative things you can do to make pizza without even needing it. To learn more, read down below!
Ways on How to Cook Pizza Without a Pan
You’ve followed the recipe on how to make a pizza, and it tells you to bake it in the oven for 45 minutes. You’ve realized you need to get your pizza dough onto this hot object – but you don’t have pizza pan to hand it over. Don’t worry; hope is not lost yet. Here are some of the possible ways on how to cook pizza without a pan as we’ll be talking about pizza pan substitutes.
Pizza pan substitute:
- Build a pizza pan out of parchment paper
- Use a rimmed baking sheet and turn it upside down
- Use a frying pan
- Use a chopping board that is heat-resistant
- Use a serving platter as a pizza pan
- Rimless cookie sheet
Remember that to make a great pizza; you need your dough to be cooked with something hot. A steel pizza pan substitute is a great way to cook dough efficiently as they don’t crack under intense heat.
Things You Must Do to Avoid Sticking
Using makeshift or alternative pans aren’t specifically designed for pizza, so you’ll need to do some things that a usual pan would do. That would be putting something on the surface to avoid the dough from sticking throughout the makeshift pan. When the dough is sticking, they will not slide off.
The best thing you can make is to address this issue is by using a 50/50 mix of fine semolina and flour. Cover the entire surface with flour, and you’re good to go. So to know how to handle this, here are the tips to stop the pizza from sticking in the pan:
- If the dough starts sticking, lift the dough and add some flour to it.
- Work fast and efficient on the makeshift pan before it starts sticking
- Shake the makeshift every once in a while.
Things to Use as a Pizza Pan
Perhaps you’re wondering to yourself about “What can I use instead of pizza pan?” Check on some of the alternatives you can use to know how to cook pizza without a pan.
Invert Your Baking Sheet
This is the number one choice when it comes to cooking without a pizza pan. Baking sheets are always available in the kitchen, and they are a better alternative too! To do so, invert your baking sheet and place it on the lowest shelf of your baking oven right before you heat it.
The surface of the inverted baking sheet is good enough to retain heat and keep your dough cooking. Plus, taking the pizza of the oven is pretty easy.
Saucepans
Saucepans that are made with metal are also a better choice when it comes to cooking your pizza. Like the baking sheet, the saucepan’s surface is hot enough to make your dough as crispy as you like! But always make sure to turn it upside down or else you’ll be having a hard time taking it done once it’s done.
Griller
You will always have one friend who is addicted to grilled pizza. Why not talk with him about making pizza because you don’t have a pizza pan? Grills that uses charcoal for heating can reach certain temperatures that could easily cook your pizza. They can get over well above what most ovens can. This means they are also a viable choice for cooking pizza without a pan.
Baking Steel
Although they aren’t as common as the options above, they can also be a great alternative. These are heavy-duty metals that retain heat well enough to cook your dough crispy enough. Most people prefer this alternative because of its large surface that will allow you to bake two or more pizzas. Plus, baking steel is durable!
Parchment Papers
While this might not sound a good idea, as long as you pile up your parchment papers and form it like a baking pan, then you’re good to go! Parchment papers are designed for baking so that they can be a good option too. What I love about parchment paper is you don’t have to grease the surface. This means they are mess-free when it comes to transporting your pizza in and out of the oven.
Old Cardboards
if you find your home plenty of old pizza boxes, then it’s good. Cut them in a size where it can accommodate the size of your pizza. Be sure enough that your cardboard piece is stiff enough to hold the weight of the entire pizza. Ensure that your pizza sauce won’t leak out from your dough, or else the dough will stick onto your cardboard box.
Frying Pans
When all hope is gone, why not cook them in a frying pan? The idea about this is to cook the crust of the pan. When cooking your pizza in a frying pan, be sure that you only have the lowest heat setting, or else the crust will burn easily. Cover it up with a big lead. Here's how to learn more about cooking pizzas.
Conclusion
Cooking without a pizza pan might be a terrible idea, but with some alternatives on how to cook pizza without a pan, you’re all set! Remember that there are many alternatives for your pan, and some of them are just lying in your kitchen waiting to be used.
Sometimes, it pays to have DIY-skills to assess your problems easily. With the help of my tips on cooking pizza without a pan, cooking pizza will never be hard. Be sure to wear your hand gloves all the time. You don’t want some burnt hands.
