“I grew up in Iowa and my dad used to take me to get this all the time! I’ve missed this so!”

This recipe replicates the nostalgic, thick-crust “School” Pizza with a savory meat topping and a rich, herby sauce, baked on a sheet pan just like the cafeteria favorite.

Classic “School” Pizza

Ingredients:

For the Crust:

How To Make Classic “School” Pizza:

1. Step 1: Prepare the Crust
   • Preheat oven to 475°F (245°C). Spray an 18×13 inch sheet pan with cooking spray and lay parchment paper down.
   • In a large bowl, whisk together flour, powdered milk, sugar, yeast, and salt.
   • Add warm water and oil to the flour mixture. Stir until a soft, uniform batter forms.
   • Spread the dough evenly on the prepared sheet pan. If the dough resists spreading, let it rest for 5 minutes.
   • Pre-bake the crust for 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
2. Step 2: Prepare the Filling
   • Brown the Italian sausage and ground chuck in a skillet until crumbled and fully cooked.
   • Season the meat with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Drain the excess grease and set the cooked meat aside.
3. Step 3: Prepare the Sauce
   • In a medium bowl, whisk together the tomato paste, water, olive oil, minced garlic, salt, pepper, dried oregano, dried basil, and dried rosemary.
4. Step 4: Assemble and Bake the Pizza
   • Spread the prepared sauce evenly over the partially baked crust.
   • Sprinkle the browned meat mixture over the sauce.
   • Top generously with shredded mozzarella cheese.
   • Bake at 475°F for 8-10 minutes, or until the crust edges are golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
   • Let stand for 5 minutes before slicing into squares and serving.