Pizza is easy in theory, but the ingredients matter. The dough matters. The sauce matters. The pepperoni really matters. This one takes a little effort to source properly, but it is worth it when the pepperoni curls, the cheese blisters, and the crust comes out crisp.
This is built around good tomatoes, good pepperoni, fresh mozzarella, pecorino, and a hot oven. It also works beautifully on the BBQ or in a pizza oven if you have one.
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 1 cup 00 flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3/4 tsp active dry yeast
- Slightly less than 1 cup lukewarm tap water
For the Sauce
- 1 can Bianco Di Napoli crushed tomato sauce
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 6 fresh basil leaves
For the Pizza
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp fennel seeds
- 4 cremini mushrooms, sliced
- Handful of Ezzo pepperoni, Supreme if possible
- 2 cloves garlic, optional
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
- Pecorino DOP cheese
- Fresh mozzarella cheese
- Extra virgin olive oil
Method
Make the Dough
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flours and salt.
In a small mixing bowl, stir together the water, yeast and olive oil. Let the mixture rest for 15 minutes.
Pour the yeast mixture into the flour and knead with one hand for about 3 minutes, until combined. Let the dough rest for 15 minutes.
Knead the rested dough for another 3 minutes. Shape into a ball by placing your hands knuckles-down and cupping the dough.
Place the dough on a heavily floured surface, cover with a warm damp cloth, and let rise for 3 to 4 hours at room temperature, or 8 to 24 hours in the refrigerator.
If refrigerating, sprinkle a little olive oil over the dough ball and roll it around to coat. This keeps the dough from drying out. Remove it from the fridge 30 to 45 minutes before shaping.
Make the Sauce
While the dough is rising, place the crushed tomato sauce in a bowl.
Tear the basil leaves, rub them in your hands to bruise them, and add them to the sauce. Stir in the olive oil and sea salt. Set aside.
Assemble and Cook
If cooking in the oven, place a pizza stone on a rack in the lower third of the oven. Remove the rack above it. Turn the oven to its highest setting at least 1 hour before cooking. You want the oven as hot as possible.
Place the dough ball on a heavily floured surface and use your fingers to stretch it. Then use your hands to shape it into a round or square.
Spoon about 1/4 cup of sauce onto the dough and spread it lightly, leaving about a fat thumb of uncovered dough around the edge.
Slice the mozzarella thinly and place it over the pizza.
Sprinkle the oregano and fennel seeds over the pizza.
Add the pepperoni, then scatter the sliced cremini mushrooms around it, making sure not to completely cover the pepperoni.
Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the crust is crisp, the cheese is melted, and the pepperoni is singed around the edges.
Remove from the oven. Sprinkle with Parmesan, shave Pecorino DOP over the top, drizzle with olive oil, and serve.
If using a pizza oven, heat it as hot as it will go, ideally around 800°F. Slide the pizza into the oven and cook for 60–90 seconds, turning frequently, until the crust is blistered and charred in spots.
Kitchen Notes
The tomato sauce makes all the difference. Bianco Di Napoli can be found in a few select stores like Sanagan's Meat Locker and on Amazon.ca.
Ezzo pepperoni is the best pepperoni I have found for pizza. Ezzo Supreme is even better because it has a higher fat content and singes beautifully around the edges, but it can be harder to find.
If you like your pepperoni well done, put it in the oven for 3–5 minutes in an open aluminum pan while the oven is heating. Remove the pepperoni from the pan but keep the oils. When assembling the pizza, rub the mozzarella slices in the pepperoni oil before placing them on the dough.