Inventors:
Walter L. Hempenius - Cary IL
June E. Yantis - Barrington IL
Assignee:
The Quaker Oats Company - Chicago IL
International Classification:
A21D 800
Abstract:
A frozen pizza and method. The pizza includes a frozen crust portion and a filling portion for receiving the pizza sauce or other filling. The crust includes a generally flat filling-receiving center section of predetermined thickness, height and density, and this center section is surrounded by an edge portion which is formed integrally with the center section portion. The edge portion is of increased height and decreased density with respect to the respective height and density of the center section portion. The edge portion has an inner sidewall which serves to confine the filling portion to the center section of the pizza product. The method includes the steps of permitting limited rise of the dough during crust formation, and then depressing or debossing the center section of the dough sheet to increase its density and reduce its height, while permitting the outer margin of the sheet to rise naturally to greater height and to assume a reduced density.