PIZZA HUT: MEAT LOVER’S HAND-TOSSED STYLE PIZZA

SAVE: 168 CALORIES, 16 G FAT, 9 G SAT. FAT

When I was a kid, we would often order pizza. Even though Pizza Hut was my favorite because I loved the crust, my mother would rarely order it because she found the crust too greasy for her taste. Any time I had an opportunity to get pizza with friends, I would suggest, without hesitation, Pizza Hut. As far as I was concerned, there was nothing like that crunchy crust with its rich, oily flavor.

Since I’d always been such a huge fan, I suspected that the crust might be virtually impossible to duplicate to my standards without using an immense amount of oil. Imagine my surprise when I needed only a tablespoon of my favorite full-bodied, extra virgin olive oil to create the same mouth feel and to simulate the taste. True, mine is actually pretty light; and if you put it on a napkin and then pick it up, there won’t be any visible oil seeped into the napkin . . . but I’m okay with that, and I think you will be, too.

1 recipe Pizza Hut Pizza Dough

6 slices center-cut bacon, cut into 1½" pieces

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil, divided

Flour for work surface

1 recipe Pizza Hut Pizza Sauce

5 ounces (1½ cups + 3 tablespoons) finely shredded low-fat mozzarella, divided

1¾ ounces packaged extra-lean ham steak, sliced into 1" x ½" x 1⁄8" strips (½ cup), divided

2 ounces (34 slices) packaged turkey pepperoni, divided

1 recipe Pizza Hut Beef Topping, divided

1 recipe Pizza Hut Pork Topping, divided

1 recipe Pizza Hut Sausage, divided

PREPARE the dough. Set aside to rise.

Place the bacon pieces in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook, flipping occasionally, for about 3 to 4 minutes, or until barely cooked and not crisp. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate to drain. Cover with a lid to keep warm.

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Coat the bottom and sides of a 14" round nonstick deep-dish pizza pan with 1 tablespoon oil. Set aside.

When the dough has doubled, gently punch it down and place on a lightly floured surface. With a lightly floured rolling pin or hands, roll or pat into a 14" circle (if you’re new to making pizza, see “How to Form a Perfect Crust” for more advice on how to do this). Transfer to the reserved pizza pan. Starting from the center, pat and stretch the dough to the edges of the pan so that a ½" border is about twice as thick as the rest of the dough. Allow to stand for 30 seconds. If the dough contracts, restretch it gently. With a finger, rub the remaining 1 teaspoon oil over the outer 1" border of the dough. With a fork, poke about 20 times to evenly perforate the dough.

Spread evenly with the sauce, leaving a bare ½" border. Sprinkle half of the cheese evenly over the sauce. Top with about three-quarters of each of these toppings: the ham, pepperoni, beef, pork, sausage, and the reserved bacon. Sprinkle on the remaining cheese and the remaining one-quarter of the ham, pepperoni, beef, pork, sausage, and bacon.

Bake for 12 to 16 minutes, or until the cheese melts and the crust is golden. Let it rest for 5 minutes, then cut into 12 slices.

MAKES 6 SERVINGS (2 SLICES PER SERVING)

Each serving: 392 calories, 24 g protein, 51 g carbohydrates, 10 g fat, 3 g sat. fat, 3 g fiber

Original Pizza Hut Meat Lover’s Hand-Tossed Style Pizza (2 large slices): 560 calories, 28 g protein, 54 g carbohydrates, 26 g fat, 12 g sat. fat, 4 g fiber

DRIVE-THRU If you crave a spur-of-the-moment pizza but think you don’t have the time, think again. All of the prepared toppings can be waiting in the freezer (see “Drive-Thru” in the Pizza Hut Supreme Personal Pan Pizza recipe). Using your favorite canned or jarred pizza sauce is another time-saving option. Be sure you like the taste of the sauce on its own, because it’s a major flavor component of the dish.

Alternatively, you can buy prepared pizza dough at many supermarkets. Look for brands that have no more than 1 to 2 grams of fat per slice.

Though reheating pizza in a microwave will warm it, reheating it in an oven is well worth the time to get that just-baked crispness. Simply place a slice on a sheet of aluminum foil. Bake in a preheated 400°F oven for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese in the center of the slice is just melting.