Pourable Pizza Crust - a 1988 USDA school cafeteria recipe

[Wheres_the_Beef?]

Pourable Pizza Crust from a 1988 USDA school cafeteria recipe. Made in a half-sheet pan.

Here's an interesting recipe that I recently tried. It's very easy and the results are quite good.

This pourable pizza crust recipe is from a 1988 school cafeteria recipe by the USDA (US Dept of Agriculture). It's still in use in schools today.

It's a very wet yeast dough, almost a batter. Here's an outline of how it's made:

-Mix pourable dough in a stand mixer for 10 minutes (or bread machine dough cycle).
-Pour into a half-sheet pan and allow to rise 20 minutes on the counter.
-Pre-Bake for 10 minutes to set dough. Remove from oven.
-Add pizza sauce and toppings and bake for 15 minutes to finish.

The recipe makes a nice, soft bread like crust. This is the pizza that's been served at schools for the past 25 years. This recipe would be really good for something like a kids birthday party.

The dough has the consestency of very thick pancake batter. You pour it into a sheet pan, with the help of a rubber spatula. I like it because it saves all the rolling and fussing with normal pizza dough.

Here's the recipe, a link to the original School Cafeteria quantity recipes, and a link to pictures and a review of this recipe:

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School Cafeteria Pourable Pizza Crust

Source: USDA school lunch recipes - 1988.
(Adapted from original quantity recipe that made 50 servings.)

Makes 1 half-sheetpan (13" x 18" x 1")

Makes 10 servings

For best results, have all ingredients and utensils at room temperature.

1 3/4 teaspoons active dry yeast active dry yeast**
2 2/3 cups (11.25 oz) Enriched all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (1.85 oz) Instant nonfat dry milk
2 1/2 Tablespoons (1 oz) Sugar
1/4 tsp Salt (or more to taste)
1 1/4 teaspoons Vegetable oil
1 2/3 cups Water, warm (130° F)
2 Tablespoons (1/2 oz) Cornmeal

Preheat oven to 475° F.

1. Mix dry yeast, flour, dry milk, sugar, and salt together.

2. Add oil to dry mixture mix for 4 minutes on low speed.

3. Add water to dry ingredients. Mix for 10 minutes on medium speed.
Batter will be lumpy.

4. For 10 servings, lightly coat 1 half-sheet pan (13" x 18" x 1") with pan
release spray. Sprinkle half-sheet pan with 1/2 oz (approximately 2 Tbsp) cornmeal.

5. Pour or spread 1 lb 11 1/2 oz (1 qt 1/2 cup) into each half-sheet pan.
Let stand for 20 minutes

6. Prebake until crust is set:
Conventional oven: 475° F for 10 minutes
Convection oven: 425° F for 7 minutes

7. Top each prebaked crust with desired topping.

8. Bake until heated through and cheese is melted:
Conventional oven: 475° F for 10-15 minutes
Convection oven: 425° F for 5 minutes

9. Portion by cutting each half-sheet pan 2 x 5 (10 pieces per pan).

SERVING:
1 piece provides 2 servings of grains/breads.

YIELD: about 1 lb 11 1/2 oz

**Special Tip:
To use high-activity (instant) yeast, follow manufacturer's instructions.

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Link to all USDA school cafeteria recipes:

At the University of Mississippi, the National Food Service Management Institute (NFSMI) is the electronic library for the USDA's school cafeteria recipes. Schools can access the recipes online.

Here is the link to the original school cafeteria Pourable Pizza Crust recipe (50 servings):

http://www.nfsmi.org/USDA_recipes/school_recipes/B-15.pdf

If you are feeling nostalgic, here are links at the same site, to all 160 USDA school cafeteria recipes in use since 1988. They are in 50 and 100 serving portions. The recipes are in PDF format.

School Cafeteria recipes - alphabetical order
http://www.nfsmi.org/Templates/TemplateDefault.aspx?qs=cElEPTEwMiZpc01ncj10cnVl

School Cafeteria recipes - In order by category (Grains/Bread, Desserts, Main courses, etc)
http://www.nfsmi.org/Templates/TemplateDefault.aspx?qs=cElEPTEwMyZpc01ncj10cnVl

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Review and preparation pictures of Pourable Pizza Crust:

Here is a review and step by step pictures showing preparation results of the Pourable Pizza Crust recipe at PizzaMaking.com. The pictures and review are about halfway down this webpage link:

http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,7924.0.html

[duonyte]

Definitely a lot easier when making pizza for crowds!

[tasb]

Going to take a closer look at those when I am on a computer. I am always looking for new recipes and since those ones are already being used in schools it may work for me. Although the school year is coming to an end already I can prep for next year.

[Red Apple Guy]

Good to know and good links. I enjoyed several of the recipes.

Red

[Wheres_the_Beef?]

The recipe has just been added to Food.com

School Cafeteria Pourable Pizza Crust