Deep dish pizza rice casserole for 24

I have posted this recipe several times in the history of 'Round the Chuckbox. The first time I prepared deep dish pizza rice entree was at a 2006 family camping near Fortuna, California. My son mumbled "This is good" over and over as he shoveled multiple helpings into his face. I then set the recipe aside for several years.

In 2010 on a camping trip to South Lake Tahoe, Jacob asked for "that pizza stuff." I obliged by sneaking baby spinach into the dish. I posted a pictorial recipe of my reworked deep dish pizza rice.


Since I left work an hour before the residents served dinner on Friday, I asked a staff member to snap this picture of deep dish pizza rice casserole on her cell phone. Thinking back, I should've asked then to save me a serving for my lunch today! This dish was baked with cheddar-jack cheese mixture.


Last fall, the residents at work were asking that I prepare some new dishes in the evening. This gave me the opportunity to re-work the recipe from a 10-inch Dutch oven to a 12 by 20 by 2-inch hotel pan. I first prepared the deep dish pizza rice casserole for 24 in mid-December.

The first meal gave me the opportunity to fine tune the recipe for larger portions. I prepared the casserole for the second time last Friday.

DEEP DISH PIZZA RICE CASSEROLE FOR 24

Use the drained tomato juice as part of the chicken stock. You need 2 quarts total chicken stock and tomato juice for the recipe.

1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups diced yellow onion
1-1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
10 ounces Italian sausage, cooked and crumbled
2 (28 ounce) cans diced tomatoes in juice, drained
1 quart long grain rice
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil
2 quarts chicken stock, boiling
2 cups pizza sauce
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
5 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
10 ounces sliced pepperoni

Heat oil in saucepan or brazier over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sweat until soft. Do not brown or burn. Stir sausage, tomatoes, rice, garlic and herbs into onion and garlic mixture.

Spread mixture evenly into bottom of greased 12 by 20 by 2-inch hotel pan. Evenly pour stock over mixture; cover tightly with foil or lid. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.

Remove pan from heat and fluff rice mixture with fork. Gently smooth out top of rice. Top with layer of pizza sauce, then layers of both cheeses. Top with pepperoni. Continue bake an additional 5 to 7 minutes or until cheese melts.

Remove from heat. Let stand at least 10 minutes before dishing up. Cut or score pan 4 by 6 for 24 servings. Serve equal portion of rice and topping.